Description
A comforting Lemon Chicken & Spaetzle Soup featuring tender vegetables, fresh spaetzle noodles, and a bright lemon-egg mixture, garnished with fresh dill for a refreshing touch. This vibrant soup blends classic flavors with homemade spaetzle for a hearty and elegant meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Soup
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- Fresh dill, to garnish
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
For the Spaetzle
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
Instructions
- Prepare the spaetzle batter: In a large bowl, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg. In another bowl, whisk together 2 eggs and 3/4 cup milk. Gradually add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until a smooth, thick batter forms. Set aside.
- Sauté the vegetables: In a separate pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion, minced garlic, celery, and carrots. Cook the vegetables for 5 to 7 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Simmer the broth with vegetables: In a large pot, bring 6 cups chicken broth to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the sautéed vegetables to the simmering broth.
- Temper the egg-lemon mixture: In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 large eggs and 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice until frothy. Slowly ladle one cup of the hot broth into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs and prevent curdling.
- Cook spaetzle in the soup: Add the spaetzle batter to the simmering broth and vegetables using a spaetzle maker or drop spoon. Cook the spaetzle until they float to the surface, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Finish the soup: Gradually stir the tempered egg-lemon mixture back into the pot, heating gently without boiling to avoid scrambling the eggs. Season the soup with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
- Serve and garnish: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish each serving with fresh dill for a bright, herbaceous finish.
Notes
- To make spaetzle without a spaetzle maker, you can drop small spoonfuls of batter directly into the simmering broth.
- Be careful not to let the soup boil after adding the tempered egg mixture to prevent curdling.
- Fresh dill adds a lovely fresh flavor, but you can substitute with fresh parsley if needed.
- If you prefer a thicker broth, simmer the soup longer before adding spaetzle to reduce it slightly.
- For a vegetarian option, substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth and omit eggs or use an egg substitute in the spaetzle.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
