Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls
A comforting Ashkenazi golden chicken broth with tender vegetables and fluffy matzo balls, finished with plenty of fresh dill.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 115 min
- Total
- 140 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 380 kcal
Equipment
- •Large stockpot
- •Fine mesh sieve
- •Mixing bowl
- •Slotted spoon
- •Ladle
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- fat
- 18 g
- carbs
- 26 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 28 g
- calories
- 380 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place the chicken, onion halves, whole carrot, whole celery, and peppercorns into a large stockpot.
- 2
Pour over the cold water until everything is fully covered.
- 3
Bring the pot slowly to a boil over medium heat.
- 4
Skim off all grey froth from the surface using a wide spoon.
- 5
Reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and gently simmer for ninety minutes.
- 6
Whisk the eggs, schmaltz, sparkling water, and half the salt together in a bowl.
- 7
Stir in the matzo meal until combined, then chill in the fridge for thirty minutes.
- 8
Strain the soup broth through a fine sieve into a clean pot, discarding the soft aromatics.
- 9
Shred the tender chicken meat, discarding bones and skin, then return the meat to the broth.
- 10
Add the sliced carrots and sliced celery to the broth and return to a gentle simmer.
- 11
Shape the chilled matzo mixture into walnut-sized balls with wet hands.
- 12
Drop the balls into the soup, cover tightly, and simmer undisturbed for twenty-five minutes until puffed.
- 13
Ladle the hot soup, vegetables, chicken, and matzo balls into bowls, then scatter with fresh dill.
Chef's tips
Do not lift the lid while the matzo balls are simmering, as steam is required to puff them through. Chilling the matzo batter makes shaping effortless without overworking the mixture.
Ingredient substitutions
- schmaltz (rendered chicken fat) → mild olive oil or vegetable oil
- sparkling water → flat water or cold chicken broth
Storage
Store the broth, vegetables, and matzo balls in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to three days.
Reheating
Gently reheat the broth and vegetables over medium-low heat, adding the cooked matzo balls in the final five minutes to warm through.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Boiling the soup vigorously instead of simmering, which turns the clear broth cloudy.
- •Lifting the pot lid early during the matzo ball cooking, resulting in dense dumplings.
- •Over-handling the matzo mixture, which makes the balls heavy.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls?
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