Leek Soup with Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
Filled with orzo, chicken, cheese, spinach, and an abundance of leeks, this soup gives you everything you need. The beautiful thick broth that comes along with each bite warms your stomach and leaves you feeling comforted.
Yields: 6 servings
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Ingredients:
¾ pound of ground chicken (white meat)
1 cup of plain fresh breadcrumbs
12 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
6 garlic cloves (4 minced, 2 thinly sliced)
3 scallions, finely diced
2 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoons of kosher salt
½ teaspoon of black pepper
4 tablespoons of olive oil
2 leeks, cleaned, cut lengthwise, and sliced into ½ inch rounds, discarding the dark green sections of them
5 cups of chicken broth
¼ cup of orzo
1 ½ cups of carrots, peeled and sliced into thin circles
1 ½ cups of spinach
Chopped fresh basil
Instructions:
In a large bowl, add the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, 6 tablespoons of the parmesan cheese, 4 minced garlic cloves, scallions, eggs, salt, and pepper. Mix together with your hands until everything is evenly distributed.
On the cutting board you were using or on a large plate, place 1 tablespoon balls of the chicken mixture. You will get around 40 meatballs.
Pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a 11 inch soup pot over medium heat. Once oil is slightly hot, place the meatballs into the pot. Cook until all sides are browned, around 5 minutes. Vigorously shake the pot to make sure all sides of the meatballs are brown – do not use a spatula or spoon to flip the meatballs as it will ruin their shape. Once meatballs are cooked, turn off the heat and remove them from the pot and place aside.
Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the same pot. Heat over medium heat. Add in the leeks, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, or until softened. If the leeks start to stick to the pot, add in a bit more olive oil. Add in 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves into the leeks and cook for 2 more minutes over low heat.
Pour in the chicken broth and two cups of water in the pot (you will be tempted to add in salt here but don’t!). Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a steady simmer and add in the orzo and carrots. Cook for 10 minutes or until pasta and carrots are fully cooked.
Add the meatballs back into the pot for 2-3 minutes, or until they reach 165º F.
With the heat on low, toss in the spinach and 6 tablespoons of parmesan. Stir until spinach is wilted. Taste the broth for salt and pepper.
Serve with chopped fresh basil and more parmesan cheese if desired.
Adapted by BA’s Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs
