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You know what’s better than sweater weather? Nothing. It hides that I haven’t been to the gym since last March when the pandemic kicked off. But soup weather is a close second! 

It’s definitely soup weather up here in the mountains, which is perfect because I’ve got a bushel of beautiful backyard-grown Meyer lemons staring at me. I may or may not have pilfered a neighbor’s tree, since they were out of town for an extended period. I digress.

A Greek-style chicken soup is one of my weekday go-tos, and this time we’re making it with an entire roasted lemon. Did the idea of eating the ENTIRE lemon just make you do a llama face? Read on, because roasting the lemons takes a bit of the sting out of the peels.

If you’re new here, you’ve probably missed my spiel about turning lemons into… like, everything right now. Here’s the Cliff’s Notes: lemon peels are not only edible, they’re also delicious when done right. They’re also packed full of vitamins and nutrients, and when you include the peel in your recipes, you’re reducing your food waste and adding an extra cup of free veggies into your food budget. 

I’m all about stretching our budget by including normally discarded but perfectly taste bits of veggies in my recipes, so check out my Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip with Kale Stems for a decadent treat or my Rich, Healthy Broccoli Soup, which uses the entire broccoli, including the stem! 

How to Make Whole Lemon Greek Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts

• water 

• 1 jar chicken base

• 2 large carrots, sliced and roughly chopped

• 1 medium yellow onion chopped

• 1 medium potato, peeled and chopped

• 2 tablespoons of butter

• 3 large stalks of celery, roughly chopped

• 1 package mushrooms, sliced

• 1 medium Meyer lemon (Don’t you dare use a regular lemon. This will be gross. No.)

• olive oil

• 4 cups loosely packed spinach leaves

• 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

• 1 cup fat-free feta cheese crumbles

• freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Place your chicken breasts in a slow cooker. Mix your chicken base with water at a 1 teaspoon to 1 cup ratio, and add enough to cover the chicken. Cook on high for three hours, until your chicken is easily shredded. Reserve the broth; this is where the magic hides.

2. Slice your Meyer lemon into rounds and remove the seeds. You can compost them, use them for pectin in jam, or plant them to grow your own lemon tree!

3. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Brush a rimmed baking pan with olive oil. Layer your lemon slices on the pan and dab the topsides with oil as well.

4. Roast until soft but not browned, about 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.

5. Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the carrots and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Add the celery, onion, and potato. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until they soften.

7. Meanwhile, puree your lemon slices in a food processor.

8. Combine your chicken stock and water to make 6 cups of broth. Add the broth and mushrooms to the pot. Bring the soup to a boil.

9. Once the soup has reached a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer until the carrot, celery, and potato are soft and the mushrooms are cooked through but not floppy.

10. Remove from heat. Transfer 2/3 of the soup to a blender and stir in the lemon mixture. Return the puree to the pot with the remaining 1/3 of the soup and stir in the spinach leaves until wilted. Add the dill, feta, shredded chicken, and remaining broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

This soup is one of my favorite off -the-cuff lunchtime lunches or weekday dinners, but it’s snazzy enough to gift to friends as well. It’s super adaptable, so try it with summer squash, zucchini, or kale as well!

Tell me your favorite variations below!

Til next time,

Reese