Description
This Lemon Chicken & Spaetzle Soup is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring tender spaetzle noodles simmered in a zesty lemon-infused chicken broth with sautéed vegetables. Perfect for a cozy meal, this soup combines the brightness of fresh lemon juice with hearty chicken broth and delicate spaetzle, garnished with fresh dill for a refreshing finish.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Soup:
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- 3 large eggs (for tempering)
- â…“ cup fresh lemon juice
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Fresh dill, for garnish
For the Spaetzle:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup milk
Instructions
- Simmer Broth and Sauté Vegetables: In a large pot, bring the chicken broth to a simmer over medium heat. In a separate pot or skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat, then sauté the finely chopped onion, garlic, celery, and carrots until they are softened and fragrant. Once softened, add the sautéed vegetables to the simmering broth.
- Make Spaetzle Batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, kosher salt, and ground nutmeg. In another bowl, beat the 2 eggs with the milk until combined. Gradually pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring gently until the batter is smooth and cohesive.
- Temper Eggs: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the 3 large eggs and fresh lemon juice. Slowly add 1 cup of the hot broth from the soup to the egg-lemon mixture, whisking continuously to temper the eggs and prevent curdling.
- Cook Spaetzle: Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer. Using a small spoon, drop spoonfuls of the spaetzle batter into the simmering soup broth. Cook the spaetzle until they float to the surface, about 2 to 3 minutes, indicating they’re done.
- Combine and Finish: Gradually add the tempered egg and lemon mixture to the soup while stirring gently. Heat the soup gently without boiling to allow the flavors to meld and the eggs to thicken the broth slightly. Season the soup with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into serving bowls and garnish each bowl with fresh dill. Serve immediately while warm.
Notes
- To prevent the egg and lemon mixture from scrambling, ensure it is tempered slowly with hot broth and added to the soup off the boil.
- The spaetzle can be cooked directly in the soup broth, which helps the noodles absorb the flavors.
- Fresh dill adds a bright, herbal note that complements the lemon well—feel free to adjust the amount to your taste.
- For a richer soup, you can add cooked shredded chicken to the broth before serving.
- If you don’t have nutmeg, a pinch of white pepper can be used as an alternative seasoning in the spaetzle batter.
