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+ servings

Chicken and Pearl Couscous Soup

A comforting bowl of chicken and pearl couscous soup filled with tender chicken, hearty vegetables, and fresh herbs, perfect for cozy weeknights.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American, Comfort Food
Calories: 320

Ingredients
  

For the Stock
  • 8 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • enough to cover water
  • 1 small bunch fresh parsley
Essential Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
  • 4 stalks celery with leaves, trimmed and diced
  • 1 cup pearl couscous
  • cup fresh dill, roughly chopped Plus extra for garnish
  • 1 medium lemon, juiced
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • for serving Dukkah, oyster crackers, or saltines
  • for garnish Extra virgin olive oil

Method
 

Prepare the Stock
  1. In a large pot, place the chicken thighs and season generously with salt. Lay the parsley sprigs on top and cover with water.
  2. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low. Cover and let it simmer for about two hours.
Strain and Shred the Chicken
  1. After two hours, carefully remove the chicken and place it in a bowl. Strain the broth through a fine sieve into a clean bowl, discarding the parsley.
  2. Discard the chicken skin, shred the meat off the bones into bite-sized pieces, and return the shredded chicken to the broth.
Start the Soup
  1. Heat the olive oil in the cleaned pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and celery, sautéing for about five minutes until softened, then season with your choice of seasoning salt.
Simmer the Soup
  1. Stir in the pearl couscous, toasting it lightly for about two minutes.
  2. Carefully add the prepared chicken stock and the shredded chicken back into the pot. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes until the couscous is tender. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Finish the Soup
  1. Stir in the fresh dill and lemon juice. Let it simmer for another five minutes.
Serve
  1. Ladle the soup into bowls. Add extra dill on top, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and a sprinkle of dukkah or your favorite crackers for that delightful crunch.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 25gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 850mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2g

Notes

This soup freezes well; just wait for it to cool before transferring it to freezer-safe containers.

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