Spicy Chicken and Escarole Soup

Name: Spicy Chicken and Escarole Soup
Cuisine: European, Italian, Mediterranean
Ingredients: 2 ½ lb. bone in skin on chicken thighs; Kosher salt and black pepper (to taste); 2 tsp olive oil; 1 large onion (thinly sliced); 1 bulb of fennel (cored and thinly sliced); 4 stalks of celery (thinly sliced on a bias); 5 cloves of garlic (thinly sliced); 3 Tbsp tomato paste; 1 Tbsp chopped Calabrian chilis (more to taste if you want it super hot); 7 cups low-sodium chicken stock (homemade or store-bought); 3 dried shiitake mushrooms; 2 bay leaves; A small bunch of thyme (tied together with butchers twine if you have it); 2 parmesan rinds (optional); 6 oz chopped escarole (or any leafy green you’d like (kale, spinach, etc.)); Cooked farro (I cooked 1 ½ cups dry farro); Fresh dill (for serving); Sliced chives (for serving); Freshly grated pecorino romano (for serving)

13 steps

Serves 6-8

Updated at: Thu, 21 Nov 2024 10:05:37 GMT

Ingredients

6 servings

2.5 lbchicken thighs

2 tspolive oil

1 bulbfennel

cored and thinly sliced

4 stalkscelery

thinly sliced on a bias

5 clovesgarlic

thinly sliced

3 Tbsptomato paste

1 TbspCalabrian chilis

chopped, more to taste if you want it super hot

7 cupslow-sodium chicken stock

homemade or store-bought

3dried shiitake mushrooms

2bay leaves

thyme

tied together with butchers twine if you have it

2parmesan rinds

optional

6 ozescarole

chopped, or any leafy green you’d like, kale, spinach, etc

1 ½ cupsfarro

Cooked, I cooked dry farro

Freshly grated, for serving

Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325 F.

Step 2

Season chicken thighs all over with salt and black pepper. Add oil to a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add chicken thighs skin side down, and sear until deeply golden, about 8-12 minutes. Flip and cook the second side for about 3 minutes more.

Step 3

Remove chicken to a plate and carefully (it will be hot!) peel off skin and place on a lined sheet tray.

Step 4

Transfer the chicken skins to the oven and cook until very crispy, about 40-45 minutes. Flip skins over halfway through the cooking process. Set aside to cool.

Step 5

Meanwhile, add sliced onions, fennel, celery, and garlic to the pot with the chicken fat. Cook for about 5 minutes, until softened.

Step 6

Add in tomato paste and Calabrian chilies and cook, stirring, until the tomato paste browns a bit, about 2-4 minutes.

Step 7

Pour in broth and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

Step 8

Return the chicken to the pot along with the dried mushrooms, bay leaves, thyme, and parmesan rinds.

Step 9

Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Simmer on low for 40-45 minutes until chicken is cooked and shred-able (at least 185F).

Step 10

Remove the bay, thyme, mushrooms, and parmesan rinds. Discard. Remove chicken from the soup and shred.

Step 11

Add the shredded chicken back in along with the escarole.

Step 12

Cook until the greens are just wilted, about 2 minutes. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Add in more Calabrian chilis at this pint if you want it spicier.

Step 13

Serve soup over the cooked farro, topped with dill, sliced chives, grated pecorino, and some crushed pieces of crispy chicken skin.

View on CafeHailee

↑Support creators by visiting their site 😊