Grate the onion finely and squeeze it in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth to remove excess liquid—this prevents soggy meatballs. Mince the garlic finely and combine it with the drained onion in a large bowl. Add the ground chicken breast, chopped fresh dill, chopped fresh mint, ground cumin, jasmine rice, sea salt, cracked black pepper, and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Mix gently with your hands until just combined, being careful not to overwork the mixture, which would make the meatballs dense and tough. I find that using a light touch here makes a noticeable difference in the final texture.

Using damp hands to prevent sticking, form the chicken mixture into 25-30 small meatballs, about the size of walnuts. Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, carefully add the meatballs in batches, working in a single layer without crowding the pot. Let each batch brown for 2-3 minutes on each side until lightly golden, then transfer to a plate. I like to brown the meatballs first even though they'll continue cooking in the broth—it adds a subtle depth of flavor that really elevates the soup.

Return all the browned meatballs to the pot. Pour in the 52 fluid ounces of water and add the roasted chicken base, stirring to dissolve it completely. Add the lemon peel (yellow part only), the large bay leaf, and the optional ground turmeric for a subtle golden hue. Bring the broth to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, allowing the rice inside the meatballs to cook through and the flavors to meld together.

While the soup simmers, prepare the avgolemono (lemon-egg) finish in a separate bowl. Combine the lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, room-temperature egg yolks, salt, and white pepper. Whisk these together until well combined. Sprinkle the corn starch over the mixture and whisk it in thoroughly—this helps stabilize the eggs so they won't scramble when added to the hot broth.

Once the soup has simmered for 25-30 minutes and the meatballs are cooked through, remove the pot from heat temporarily. Ladle about 1 cup of the hot broth into the lemon-egg mixture in a slow, steady stream while whisking constantly—this tempering process gradually brings the eggs up to temperature without scrambling them. Pour the tempered mixture back into the pot slowly while stirring gently to combine. Return the pot to medium heat and stir continuously for 1-2 minutes until the broth thickens slightly and becomes creamy, then immediately remove from heat before it comes to a boil.

Remove and discard the lemon peel and bay leaf. Stir in the finely chopped fresh dill. Taste and adjust seasoning with freshly ground black pepper as needed. Ladle the soup into bowls, making sure each serving gets several meatballs and plenty of creamy broth. Top each bowl with a thin lemon slice and a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. The lemon slice adds a fresh visual element and a burst of brightness when squeezed into the soup at the table.