Chicken Soup with Fresh Herbs & Matzoh Ball(s)


This time I made extra large matzoh balls and only serve one per person, that’s all that will fit in the bowl! When cooking, give these matzoh balls a lot of room in the pot, and cook a little longer than usual.

Chicken Soup: Put one whole cut up chicken in a pot of filtered cold water, bring to a boil, skim the surface, and adjust heat to low. Cooking on too high heat will give you a cloudy soup. Add a teaspoon of whole peppercorns, and rough chopped onion, carrots, celery and a bunch of parsley. Cook for two hours.

Turn off the heat. Remove all the solids with tongs and a slotted spoon. Discard the vegetables. Add finely sliced celery, carrots, scallions, minced parsley and dill to the hot soup. Adjust seasonings, for a flavor boost, try adding Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base instead of salt. The thinly sliced vegetables will cook to al dente in the hot soup.

Shred the chicken by hand.

Matzoh Balls: Blend two large eggs with 2 tablespoons of good olive oil, then add one package of matzoh ball mix, minced parsley and dill. Chill for 15 minutes.

Make 10 balls per package for medium-large sized balls, and 5 for extra large balls. Cook the matzoh balls in a covered pot with the water at a moderate boil. Package instructions say to cook at a simmer. I think a moderate boil gives you fluffier balls. And peeking lets the steam out, so don’t peek!

Lori Lynn’s Matzoh Ball Secrets: Use Good Olive Oil, Add Fresh Dill and Parsley, Moderate Boil, Don’t Peek.

After about 23 minutes, we have delicious fluffy matzoh balls!

Put the shredded chicken at the bottom of a soup bowl, add a matzoh ball, then ladle the hot soup over the top.


I recommend: Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base

Happy New Year!

Ma – this Chicken Soup is for you…

12 thoughts on “Chicken Soup with Fresh Herbs & Matzoh Ball(s)”

  1. Thanks FA – I had a lot going on (advising sorority recruitment for one) and I didn’t have any time to cook. I was exhausted and needed some comfort food, so the first thing I made is soup! I think I will have it again for dinner tonight, maybe with egg noodles…

  2. Ma ma Mia! Lori Lynn – that soup (in the words of my students) is the bomb! Translated: outstanding, excellent, so good… you get the drift.

    I’ve bookmarked to try. The only thing is that we don’t get matzoh ball mix in these parts. I just use our regular dumplings instead.

  3. Did you read my mind? I was so hoping you would post your recipe for matzoh ball soup!. It looks so good. Thanks 🙂 Question: can you cook the matzoh balls in the chicken broth?

  4. Hi All : I haven’t been cooking much, so I am back, with soup. I literally have cooked hundreds of matzoh balls, so if one can be a matzoh ball expert, I am one, not to brag 🙂

    Maryann – you can cook the balls in chicken broth, but not salted broth. as they are salty enough. They are like a sponge. I never add salt to the water, it is not like pasta. And you would not want to cook them in your soup, as they cloud the water, see my pic at the end of the boiling process. So, I think cooking in broth might be a waste of energy, as they are so flavorful anyway. Use good olive oil, fresh eggs, and fresh herbs, you will be happy.

    A lesson it took me years to learn – DON’T OPEN THE LID AND DON’T TURN DOWN TO A SIMMER. Let the steam and moderate rolling boil fluff them up! Use a big pot!

    Cynthia – I would be happy to send you Matzoh Ball Mix, there are lots of good brands in every supermarket here, and less than $3 I think. Let me know. You will love it. I haven’t made dumplings, but I think it is a lot different. These babies are light and fluffy and unlike anything else I could describe.

    Simona- thanks for stopping by again, I don’t suppose there is a different Italian word for matzoh ball, or maybe there is?

  5. Hi Lori Lynn,
    My broth is just like yours minus the peppercorns. I don’t discard the veggies. I chop them and put them back in the soup. Matzoh balls are almost the same minus the dill and I have been adding an extra beaten egg white to make them lighter. I also add egg noodles. Now you taught me something about this soup. I was one of those people who cooked the matzoh balls right in the soup, but I know a better way now. You are the queen of Matzoh ball soup, no doubt! Thanks again for the post 🙂

  6. I love reading other people’s matzo ball and chicken soup recipes – it’s such a personal thing! My mom always used dill in her soup, and so do I and so do my kids. We like them pretty dense – my husband can go all the way to sinkers, but we try and strike a balance. Take a look at my recently posted recipe. It’s fun to see all the differences.

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