Description
A comforting chicken orzo soup with fresh vegetables, herbs, and lemon.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 medium yellow onion (small-diced)
- 2 medium carrots (diced)
- 3 celery stalks (diced)
- Olive oil (for sautéing)
- 5 cloves fresh garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 5 cups chicken broth (plus more as needed)
- 2 cups water (balances the concentration of the broth)
- 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon (roasted chicken base flavor)
- 2 sprigs fresh Italian parsley (plus garnish)
- 2 sprigs fresh dill (plus garnish)
- 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (or leftover chicken)
- ¾ cup dried orzo pasta
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lemon (I used 1 small lemon, plus more for serving)
Instructions
- Sauté vegetables: In a large 6-quart Dutch oven or pot, heat a few generous drizzles of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add aromatics and flour: Stir in the minced garlic and Italian seasoning, and sauté for another 1 minute until fragrant. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute to cook off the raw flour taste.
- Add broth: Slowly pour in chicken broth, stirring to avoid lumps. Add the water, Better Than Bouillon, as well as the parsley and dill sprigs. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add chicken and simmer: Add the shredded chicken, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes to let the flavors develop.
- Stir in orzo: Stir in the orzo and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until tender.
- Finish the soup: Stir in fresh lemon juice to taste. Remove and discard the herb sprigs. To serve, garnish with more chopped herbs, plus an extra squeeze of lemon juice to taste. Enjoy!
Notes
- This soup can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- You can add other vegetables like spinach or kale for added nutrition.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: soups
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg