Chicken Soup With Toasted Farro and Greens

By Colu Henry

Updated Oct. 21, 2021

Chicken Soup With Toasted Farro and Greens
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
45 minutes
Rating
5(1,609)
Comments
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Somewhere between a soup and a stew, this comforting dish starts with chicken stock seasoned with leeks, carrots and celery. Garlic and fennel seeds are toasted along with the farro to add another layer of flavor. Boneless chicken thighs are cooked in the broth, then greens are tossed in just before serving. This soup is best served right away, as the farro will continue to absorb liquid as it sits, but leftovers can be reheated with some additional broth or water over low heat. Lemon zest lends a lovely lift, but a spoonful of chile oil would also be a lively addition.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • 2tablespoons olive oil
  • 2medium leeks, white and light green parts only, halved and thinly sliced (about 1½ cups)
  • 2medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced into rounds
  • 1celery stalk, thinly sliced
  • 3garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1teaspoon fennel seeds, gently crushed or roughly chopped
  • ½teaspoon red-pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1cup farro, rinsed
  • 6cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
  • ¾pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 5cups stemmed and roughly chopped Swiss chard, or other quickly-wilting greens like kale or spinach
  • Lemon zest, for serving (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

273 calories; 9 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 29 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 21 grams protein; 931 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add the leeks, carrots and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have softened, but have not taken on any color, 4 to 6 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Add the garlic, fennel seeds and red-pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season well with salt and pepper.

  3. Step 3

    Add the farro and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the stock and chicken thighs. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the chicken has cooked through and is no longer pink, 10 to 12 minutes, skimming any bits of foam that float to the surface, if desired. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the chicken to a cutting board. When cool enough to touch, shred the chicken into bite-size pieces.

  4. Step 4

    Continue simmering the soup until the farro is tender but still toothsome, about 20 minutes more. Add the chicken back to the pot along with the greens and stir until greens are gently wilted. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

  5. Step 5

    Ladle into bowls and grate lemon zest over top, if desired.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,609 user ratings
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Comments

Riley A.

Really enjoyed this recipe, perfect for big batches and keeps really well in fridge/ freezer. Lemon zest is listed as optional but without it the soup lacked acidity, so much so that I also added juice from half the zested lemon. Great cold weather meal!

Isabelle

A PHENOMENAL soup that was even approved by my Dad (a master in the kitchen). Changed the following amounts but kept prep the same: - 3 medium carrots - 2 celery stalks - 1 large leek - 3 giant (like, “wait, is this GMO?” large) cloves of garlic - regular sodium chicken brother - Doubled the fennel - Doubled the red pepper flakes - Tripled (maybe quadrupled?) the pepper - Upped the salt to taste - MOST IMPORTANTLY, added a good handful of herb de provenance Enjoy!

prunefeet

This is DELICIOUS. The only change I made was to use boneless chicken breast because it’s what I had. I would suggest not making this if you don’t want to include the fennel seed and lemon zest. Especially the fennel. It will not taste like fennel or licorice but it adds something magical to the flavor of the broth. I only wish there was more broth. Next to me I will increase quantities of everything except chicken and farro. This is the best thing I’ve eaten in a while, very enthusiastic.

PattiP

I look forward to cooking this as written, but I did it with what I had. White beans instead of chicken and shallots and onions instead of leeks. It was delicious! The fennel and lemon are key.

Anita N

love this soup and have made it a few times. Removed carrots b/c I don’t like them, increased celery to 3 stalks, added 1 bulb of fennel instead of the seeds, used bone in chicken thigh or boneless or chicken breast. It all works. 32 oz of chicken stock + 2 cups of water. Doubled garlic and chili flakes Adding or not adding greens didn’t make a difference. Added mushrooms once that works as well. It’s a very forgiving soup. Must add lemon zest of 1 lemon and juice of 1/2 or the soup is flat

Lily H

Delicious! I added ditalini for the last 10 mins of cooking and a heap of parmesan on the top. I was worried about it being overwhelmed with fennel flavor, but I used a robust stock and found it to be quite well balanced. Will definitely be making again!

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