I have a deep love for Greek food, and this is probably my all time favorite recipe. I am so excited to share it! I make it year round, even when it’s too hot outside to be typical soup weather. The rich lemon flavor makes it just as refreshing on a hot day as it is in the winter. This soup is comforting when I am sick, and energizing when I am healthy. It is just so versatile and flavorful, you will never want another kind of soup again!

Ingredients

• 8 cups chicken broth (read the labels carefully, some contain wheat or barley)
• 6 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 sweet onion
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
• 1 large lemon
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/3 cup chopped chives
• 2-3 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• Crumbled feta (about 2 tablespoons per bowl of soup)
• Salt and pepper
• Chopped parsley (to garnish)

Instructions

1. Peel the onion, then slice it into thin strips
2. Zest the lemon
3. In a large saucepan (6-8 quarts), heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Saute the onion and minced garlic for about 3 minutes, until the onion is softened.
4. Add the chicken broth, red wine vinegar, chicken breasts (uncooked), chopped celery, lemon zest, and crushed red pepper to the pot.
5. Raise the heat to high, cover the pot, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and let simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Remove the chicken breasts from the pot (using tongs is easiest) and shred with a fork.
7. Add the chicken breasts back to the pot and squeeze in the lemon juice from the zested lemon.
8. Add the chopped chives and salt and pepper to taste.
9. Serve into bowls and top it off with the crumbled feta, chopped parsley, and some more chives if you have any.

I know what you’re probably thinking; “Cheese in a soup?!” It may sound strange if you haven’t had a soup like this one before, but trust me, the feta cheese completes it. I always add a little extra because when life gives you cheese, you add as much as you can!