serves
6
prep
10 minutes
cook
1:45 hour
difficulty
Easy
serves
6
people
preparation
10
minutes
cooking
1:45
hour
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- ½ cup (120 ml) extra-virgin Greek olive oil, plus more for garnish
- 1 large red onion, chopped
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 chicken, about 1.6 kg (3.5 lb), cleaned
- 4 cups (660 g) chopped canned tomatoes and their juices
- 1 bay leaf
- 3-4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 3-4 fresh oregano sprigs
- 4 allspice berries
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Greek honey
- 450 g (1 lb) Greek hilopites (egg noodles) or other egg noodles
- Grated myzithra or other hard sheep's-milk grating cheese, for serving
Instructions
- In a large deep pot, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic.
- Add the chicken, tomatoes with their juices, bay leaf, thyme, oregano and allspice to the pot. Add water to cover the chicken by 7. 5 cm (3 inches). Bring to a boil, season generously with salt and pepper, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the chicken is falling off the bone, about 1½ hours.
- Using kitchen tongs or a slotted spoon, carefully remove the chicken from the pot and transfer it to a bowl. Let cool. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones, discarding the bones, and shred or chop the meat. Discard the skin, if desired.
- Remove the herb sprigs, bay leaf, and allspice from the pot. Add enough water to the pot to make 3 litres (3 quarts) of liquid total. Stir in the tomato paste and honey. Add the noodles and bring the liquid to a boil. Cook according to the package directions.
- Stir the shredded chicken into the soup. Serve in soup bowls, garnished with a generous grating of cheese and additional olive oil, if desired.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
