📝 About This Recipe
Often referred to as 'Jewish Penicillin,' this soul-warming soup is a masterpiece of Ashkenazi comfort food, featuring fluffy, schmaltz-infused dumplings swimming in a crystal-clear chicken broth. The secret lies in the rendered chicken fat (schmaltz), which provides a deep, savory richness and an incomparable silky texture that vegetable oil simply cannot replicate. This naturally dairy-free recipe balances the earthy sweetness of root vegetables with the bright punch of fresh dill for a bowl that feels like a warm hug.
🥗 Ingredients
The Golden Chicken Broth
- 4-5 pounds Whole roasting chicken (cut into pieces, including back and neck for flavor)
- 4 quarts Cold filtered water
- 2 large Yellow onions (halved, skins left on for a golden color)
- 4 large Carrots (peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks)
- 3 large Celery stalks (with leaves, cut into 2-inch chunks)
- 1 medium Parsnip (peeled and halved)
- 1 bunch Fresh parsley (tied with kitchen twine)
- 1 teaspoon Black peppercorns (whole)
- 2 tablespoons Kosher salt (adjust to taste)
The Fluffy Matzo Balls
- 1 cup Matzo meal (plain, not cake meal)
- 4 Large eggs (at room temperature)
- 1/4 cup Rendered chicken fat (Schmaltz) (melted and slightly cooled)
- 1/4 cup Sparkling water or Seltzer (the secret to 'floaters')
- 1 tablespoon Fresh dill (very finely chopped)
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper (freshly ground)
For Serving
- 1/4 cup Fresh dill sprigs (for garnish)
- all Reserved cooked carrots (sliced into rounds)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Place the chicken pieces, onions, carrots, celery, and parsnip into a very large stockpot. Cover with 4 quarts of cold water.
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2
Bring the pot to a slow boil over medium-high heat. As it reaches a boil, use a fine-mesh skimmer to remove the grey foam (impurities) that rises to the surface for a clear broth.
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3
Once skimmed, add the parsley bunch, peppercorns, and salt. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover partially, and let it simmer gently for 2.5 to 3 hours.
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4
While the soup simmers, prepare the matzo ball mixture. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the 4 eggs with the melted schmaltz and seltzer until well combined.
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5
Stir in the matzo meal, chopped dill, salt, and pepper until just incorporated. Do not overmix, or the matzo balls will become dense 'sinkers.'
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6
Cover the matzo ball mixture with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This allows the matzo meal to fully hydrate and firm up.
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7
Once the soup is finished, strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot. Reserve the carrots (slice them for serving) and the chicken meat (save for another use); discard the other solids.
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8
Bring a separate large pot of salted water to a rolling boil for the matzo balls. Never cook them directly in your broth, as they will cloud the liquid.
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9
Wet your hands with cold water. Scoop about 1-2 tablespoons of the chilled matzo mixture and gently roll into a ball about the size of a walnut. Do not pack them tightly.
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10
Carefully drop the balls into the boiling water. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover tightly, and cook for 30-40 minutes without lifting the lid.
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11
While matzo balls cook, bring your strained chicken broth back to a gentle simmer and adjust seasoning with more salt if needed.
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12
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked matzo balls from the water into the simmering chicken broth. Add the sliced carrots back into the soup.
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13
Ladle 1-2 matzo balls and plenty of hot broth into deep bowls. Garnish generously with fresh dill and serve immediately.
💡 Chef's Tips
For the fluffiest 'floaters,' never open the lid while the matzo balls are simmering; they need the trapped steam to expand. If you can't find schmaltz at the store, you can render your own by slowly cooking chicken fat and skin with a little onion until the fat melts and the skin becomes crispy 'gribenes.' Always use cold water to start your stock; this helps extract the most collagen and flavor from the chicken bones. Make the broth a day in advance and refrigerate; this makes it easy to skim off any excess fat from the surface for a cleaner soup. To ensure your matzo balls don't fall apart, make sure the water is at a gentle simmer, not a violent boil, once you drop them in.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a side of crispy 'gribenes' (fried chicken skin) for an authentic textural contrast. Pair with a slice of fresh, seeded rye bread or traditional braided Challah. A crisp, dry white wine like a Riesling or Pinot Grigio cuts through the richness of the schmaltz beautifully. For a complete meal, serve alongside a simple green salad with a bright lemon vinaigrette. Provide extra fresh dill and cracked black pepper at the table for guests to customize their bowls.