CHICKEN-ORECCHIETTE SOUP WITH CILANTRO AND LEMON

Chicken-Orecchiette Soup with Cilantro and Lemon image

Yield Serves 6

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 12 ounces total)
3 cups coarsely chopped onions
3 plum tomatoes, sliced
2 stalks lemongrass, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
8 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
8 ounces orecchiette pasta, freshly cooked
3 plum tomatoes, seeded, chopped
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
Fresh lemon slices (optional)

Steps:

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and sauté until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate. Cool.
Add chopped onions and next 5 ingredients to pot and sauté over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add stock and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro. Simmer 20 minutes to blend flavors.
Strain broth into heavy large saucepan. Slice cooked chicken crosswise into thin strips; add to broth. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate.)
Add cooked pasta, chopped tomatoes, lemon juice and remaining 1/4 cup cilantro to soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring soup just to simmer. Ladle into bowls; garnish soup with lemon slices, if desired.