Chicken Rice Soup

This French soup recipe uses fresh ingredients that takes time to make, but is worth the effort. It uses a classic Mirepoix, which in this recipe, is loose as it’s sauteed with other ingredients. While the recipe calls for a whole stewing hen, I am not a fan of white chicken meat so usually use thigh pieces – bone in and skin on, which is important for taste and texture. Also, make sure you use chicken stock and not chicken broth. If you don’t have palm oil, can use another high-heat oil, like sunflower. After the ingredients are cooked into the soup stock, they are discarded, which is typical of a French style soup. American style soups would retain the solids so it’s your call, but I’d go French.

Ingredients

  • 1 stewing hen or 3 lbs of chicken pieces – bone in, skin on
  • 128 oz. Chicken stock
  • 3 oz. White rice – rinsed and drained (85 g)
  • 16 oz. Corn kernels – frozen better than canned (545 g)
  • 2 oz. Olive oil
  • 0.5 oz. Fresh ginger – chopped (14 g)
  • 1-2 Chiles – chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 Rosemary sprig
  • 3 Garlic cloves – sliced
  • 1 tsp Palm oil (15 ml)
  • 1.5 oz Cilantro – chopped (43 g)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Mirepoix
    • 8 oz onion – rough cut
    • 4 oz carrot – chopped
    • 4 oz. celery – chopped

Process

  1. Mise en Place – measure and prepare your ingredients prior to starting.
  2. Cook Chicken
    1. Blot chicken with paper towel then generously salt and pepper both sides.
    2. Heat Dutch oven on Med. Add olive oil and let warm.
    3. Add chicken skin side down and cook until brown (~7mins). Turn pieces over and cook another 7 mins.
    4. Remove from pot and set aside.
  3. Prepare Soup Base
    1. Add mirepoix, ginger, bay leafs, and chilies to dutch oven.
    2. Saute over med-high stirring frequently until onion becomes translucent (~5 mins)
    3. Return chicken, then add stock and rosemary. Salt and pepper.
    4. Bring to a simmer (185 F) stirring occasionally.
    5. Lower heat, cover pot, and allow to simmer for 45 mins.
  4. Transfer soup to a large bowl to cool and take chicken out to drain and cool.
  5. Strain the soup through a fine mesh and discard the solids – not matter how hard it is.
  6. Let soup sit to cool. As the fats rise to the top, skim them off. If you don’t remove the fats, your soup will have a filmy texture.
  7. Skin the chicken and discard skin. Cut or shred the meat depending on how you want the soup presented, and reserve. Discard the bones.
  8. Heat palm oil and in Dutch oven at med-high and add the garlic and saute 1 min. Slowly pour back stained soup and add the rice.
  9. Bring soup to a boil and then lower heat. Simmer covered until rice is al dente (but under cooked) ~ 15 mins.
  10. Add chicken and corn and simmer ~5 mins.
  11. Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with cilantro.
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