Soup-e Zorrat ba Morgh (سوپ ذرت با مرغ) — Persian Chicken and Corn Soup

• 450 gChicken breast, boneless and skinless (whole pieces for poaching, then shredded)
• 8 gSalt (divided, plus more to taste)
• 45 gUnsalted butter
• 180 gOnion (finely diced)
• 120 gCarrot (small dice (about 5 mm))
• 80 gCelery (small dice (about 5 mm))
• 12 gGarlic (minced)
• 1200 mlChicken broth (low-sodium preferred)
• 600 gCanned corn kernels (drained weight; reserve 120 g whole kernels for texture)
• 240 mlHeavy cream (at room temperature)
• 12 gCornstarch (mixed with 30 ml cold water to make a slurry)
• 1 gBlack pepper (freshly ground)
• 15 mlLemon juice (optional, for brightness at the end)

Instructions

1. 1

   In a medium pot, combine chicken breasts, 900 ml of the chicken broth, and 4 g of the salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low and cook 12–15 minutes, until the thickest part reaches 74°C/165°F. Remove chicken to a plate to cool 10 minutes, then shred into bite-size pieces.

2. 2

   In a large soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter (about 2 minutes). Add onion, carrot, and celery, then cook 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until the onion turns translucent and the vegetables soften without browning. Add minced garlic and cook 45–60 seconds, just until fragrant.

3. 3

   Add the drained corn, keeping 120 g aside for later. Pour in the remaining 300 ml broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to release any flavorful bits. Simmer 8 minutes over medium-low so the corn warms through and the vegetables become very tender.

4. 4

   Blend the soup base until smooth: use an immersion blender directly in the pot, or carefully transfer to a countertop blender in batches (do not fill more than halfway). Blend 1–2 minutes per batch until velvety, then return to the pot. Keep the heat on low to prevent splattering.

5. 5

   Stir in the shredded chicken and the reserved 120 g whole corn kernels. Simmer gently for 5 minutes. Add black pepper and the remaining 4 g salt, then taste and adjust seasoning. Keep the soup at a low simmer; avoid a hard boil once it is blended.

6. 6

   Reduce heat to low. Stir in the room-temperature heavy cream slowly over 1 minute. Add the cornstarch slurry and cook 3–4 minutes, stirring, until the soup lightly thickens and coats a spoon. Turn off heat, stir in lemon juice if using, and rest 5 minutes before serving.