I have a very old, very popular recipe on the blog for Chicken Stroganoff. This post is from way back in 2012 so you know the photos are just embarrassingly horrific, and the whole thing truthfully gives me anxiety to look at, but the recipe itself is golden and I actually still make it all the time to this day. Because it’s been so cold here—freezing to death in Los Angeles terms but we’re just big babies—I thought it would be a great idea to turn that classic dish into a comforting soup. Instead of just plain ol’ chicken though, I figured chicken meatballs would be the right thing to do and frankly, the best decision I’ve made all week. I’ll take any excuse I can get to eat meatballs in soup, if I’m being honest. It’s a hearty dish that’s easy to make, especially during the week after a long work day. I do love a good mash-up as well, and this one just seems so fitting to me at the moment. Give it a try, because I know you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.
Let’s start by making the meatballs. In a bowl, stir together the ground chicken, egg, ricotta, breadcrumbs, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, salt, pepper and spices until evenly combined.
**Note: Keep in mind that the mixture will be very sticky and wet. That’s just the texture of ground chicken. If you want to make this with ground beef, you are more than welcome to. Beef stroganoff is the original anyway!**
Using wet hands, divide and roll the meatball mixture into balls the size of golfballs. The meatballs don’t have to be perfectly round in shape, so don’t feel like you have to make them perfect.
**Tip: I always have a hard time shaping the meatballs whenever I use ground chicken instead of beef. BUT a good trick is to use a small ice cream scoop to make them all the same size.**
Working in batches, brown half of the meatballs first. Flipping them over and cooking unit the meatballs are browned on both sides.
**Note: We’re not looking to cook the meatballs all the way at this stage. We’re just wanting them them to develop some color an optimal flavor.**
Once all the meatballs have browned, add a bit more oil to the pot and then sauté the onion and garlic, until softened and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
Add in the mushrooms and season with a bit of salt, pepper, and fresh thyme. We using about 2 pounds of sliced mushrooms here. This is stroganoff after all and this classic dish is known for its mushrooms.
**Tip: I used a mixture of crimini mushrooms and shiitakes. Feel free to use whatever you prefer or what the store has that day.**
You want to cook the mushrooms until they’ve cooked down, the liquid has evaporated and they’ve just started to brown. Depending on how big your pot is, this will take about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the white wine and using a wooden spoon, scrape up all the browned bits on the bottom. Then stir in the white wine. Cook until the wine has almost fully evaporated.
Return the meatballs to the pot (along with their juices) and then add in the chicken stock. Bring to a rapid bowl, reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and cook until the meatballs are fully cooked, about 20 minutes.
So it also wouldn’t be stroganoff without egg noodles and this soup is no exception. I like to boil the noodles in a separate pot, according to the package details.
**Tip: Whenever a soup or stew needs pasta, I don’t like to cook the pasta in the soup itself for several reasons. A) because if you cook the pasta in the soup, the noodles will soak up too much of the liquid. B) Also if you have any leftovers, they store and heat-up easier than just throwing them out.**
Once the soup is finished, serve by dividing the pasta between the serving bowls and then ladle in the soup. Give them each a dollop of sour cream, right before servings. Then just finish it off with some fresh parsley. Mostly for flavor, but also because it’s a brown soup and sometimes brown soups need some fun too.
If you have any leftovers, keep the soup and noodles separate. Then just rewarm the soup on the oven until heated through and serve with the noodles in the bowls. The heat from the soup should warm up the cart.
If you’re experiencing cold weather at the moment, just like me, then this soup is a must for you this week. It’s hearty, satisfying and easy to make. It’s sure to switch up that boring chicken noodle soup routine you’re stuck in at the moment.
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup plain breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons ricotta
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2½ teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon granulated onion
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 pounds sliced mushrooms (crimini or button or shiitake)
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 16 ounces egg noodles, cooked and drained
- ½ cup sour cream
- In a large bowl, mix together the chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon black pepper, granulated garlic, granulated garlic, red pepper, paprika, oregano, basil, and half of the parsley until well-combined. The mixture will be wet and sticky. With wet hands, roll the meatballs into the size of a golf ball as best you can.
- Set a large pot, over medium-high heat, with 2 tablespoons oil. Once hot, place about half of the meatballs into the pot, making sure not to over-crowd them. Brown on the first side for about 5 minutes, flipping over, and browning on the second side for about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a clean plate and continue browning the rest. We're not looking to cool the meatballs all the way here, just trying to develop flavor and color.
- Once all the meatballs have browned, add the remaining tablespoon of oil into the pot and add the onions and garlic. Cook until softened and just starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, and season with ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper and fresh thyme. Cook until the mushrooms have softened, the liquid has evaporated and they're starting to brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the wine and cook until it has evaporated as well. Add the chicken stock and return the meatballs into the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Give it a taste and adjust seasoning accordingly, adding more salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve the soup by dividing the cooked egg noodles among large soup bowls. Ladle the soup on top and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and fresh parsley. Enjoy!
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