Low-carb Greek lemon chicken soup is both light and comforting

The official start of spring may only be a few weeks away, but it’s still comfort food season for a little while yet. Just because the calendar marks the vernal equinox doesn’t mean all that dreary cold and snow instantly disappears.

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t And yet, like people all over the Northern Hemisphere, you find yourself impatient for lighter, fresher foods and spring flavors. With the brightness of lemon in a warm broth, this low-carb lemon chicken soup is the perfect compromise.

t Traditional Avgolemono soup takes orzo or rice, but cauliflower “rice” makes a great low-carb, paleo-friendly replacement. It’s light and comforting at the same time, and it takes less than 30 minutes to pull together. A ray of warm spring sunshine into those last few days of winter.

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Low-carb Greek lemon chicken soup

tNutritional Counts (Serves 6):

tFood energy: 194kcal; Total fat: 5.31g; Calories from fat: 47; Cholesterol: 68mg; Carbohydrate: 4.62g; Total dietary fiber: 0.71g; Protein: 29.76g; Sodium: 1017mg

Ingredients:

• 1/2 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets

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• 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil

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• 1/2 onion, diced

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• 1 teaspoon salt

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• 6 cups low sodium chicken broth

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• 1 bay leaf

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• 1 pound cooked chicken, cubed

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• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

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• 1 large egg

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• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

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   ttPlace cauliflower into a food processor and process until it resembles small grains of rice. Set aside.
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2. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat until just hot. Add onion and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add broth and bay leaf and bring to a boil.

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3. Reduce heat and add chicken and cauliflower rice. Simmer 10 minutes, until cauliflower rice is just tender.

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4. In a medium bowl, whisk together lemon juice and egg. Slowly ladle in about 1 cup of the hot broth, whisking constantly. Then stir lemon-egg mixture back into the soup.

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5. Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove bay leaf. Serve immediately.