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Lemony Chicken-Feta Meatball Soup
Soup is my best friend, especially in the cold winter months. I have my usual nourishing soups: matzo ball, meat barley, and lentil to name a few. But when I spotted this in the New York Times this October (from Yasmin Fahr – Updated Oct. 24, 2024), I had to try it.
It’s very very easy and extremely good with a different flavor profile due to the dill, cumin, and turmeric. I called my son Jake to suggest he make this for his kids and he informed me he has made this several times already. I guess I am late to the party!
I made this more or less like the printed recipe from the New York Times. A lot of people prefer orzo to oatmeal for the final thickening. I went with oatmeal and it disintegrated and thickened the broth beautifully. This was incredible for dinner and a couple of lunches too.
Lemony Chicken-Feta Meatball Soup With Spinach
Yields 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ½ cup crumbled feta
- ¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 small red onion, (½ diced, and ½ grated, then squeezed with a paper towel to remove excess liquid)
- ⅓ packed cup fresh dill leaves and fine stems, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
- Sea salt and black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ (I use less) teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving if your people like spicy
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I use Better Than Bouillon, regular type so I don’t add extra salt per the recipe)
- 2 medium peeled carrots, sliced thinly
- 4 packed cups baby spinach (about 5 ounces)
- 2 carrots, thinly sliced
- 2 lemons (1 juiced and 1 cut into wedges for serving)
Instructions
In a medium bowl, add the chicken, feta, ¼ cup oats, grated onion, most of the dill (reserve about 2 tablespoons for garnish), cumin, ½ teaspoon turmeric and 1 teaspoon salt.
Gently combine without squeezing too hard or overworking the meat. Lightly wet your palms and shape the meat into small balls, a little smaller than the size of a golf ball, about 1½ inches. (You will have approximately 25 balls.) I do this early in the day and put them on a small sheet pan in the fridge.
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or wide pot over medium until shimmering. Add the diced onion, season with salt, and cook until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the remaining one tablespoon of turmeric and the red pepper flakes, and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Push the onions to the sides as best you can, then add the meatballs. (They will be close together, and that’s OK.) Cook until browned on two sides, 5 to 7 minutes total.
Pour in the broth and remaining ½ cup oats, add the carrot slices then gently tilt the pot to the right and left to distribute the oats and broth without disturbing the meatballs. Bring to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to maintain an active simmer. Season with salt. Cook gently, stirring occasionally to ensure nothing is sticking to the bottom, until the oats have softened and the meatballs are cooked through, about 4 minutes more.
Stir in the spinach and lemon juice until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes more. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Spoon into bowls and top with pepper and the remaining dill. Serve with lemon wedges.
Serve any leftovers with a fresh squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the soup.
