Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup

When it comes to comfort food, chicken noodle soup reigns supreme. It’s a cure-all for the sick & tired and guaranteed to warm you up on blustery winter days. But, if the cold weather classic is comfort food royalty, consider this Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup the heir apparent.

This soup has all of the belly-warming characteristics of a classic Chicken Noodle. It’s filled with tender veggies (think carrots, celery, onion & lots of garlic), flavorful chicken, tasty noodles and a light & satisfying broth. What sets this one apart is the burst of tangy lemon juice and fresh dill that go in at the end of cooking and brighten up the flavors perfectly!

To keep this recipe on the simpler side, use chicken breasts or tenderloins and your favorite brand of low-sodium broth or stock. You can add some extra love to this soup and make your stock from scratch. By cooking down a whole chicken, along with some veggies, herbs & spices, you’ll get loads of juicy white and dark meat to add to your soup and a big pot full of homemade stock. Flavor-wise, it’s a step that’s worth taking, but for the sake of saving time, there’s no shame in the “semi-homemade” game.

As for the noodles, we’re using Orzo, a pint-sized pasta made from semolina flour. Orzo has all the makings of delicious pasta, but bears a striking resemblance to a grain of rice. Think of it as pasta in rice clothing! The tiny noodles are perfect for soups & salads (like this Greek Orzo Salad) and make a great addition to so many other dishes.

This recipe will make a big ol’ pot of soup that’s great for getting you through the week, feeding a handful of people, or storing in the freezer for the next lazy winter day. And of course, it tastes best served with a big chunk of toasty bread, so be sure to grab your favorite loaf before digging in!

Author: the Craft Chew

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Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup

A light & satisfying soup, loaded with orzo, tender veggies & flavorful chicken, brightened up with fresh squeezed lemon juice and fresh dill. The perfect twist on a classic chicken noodle soup!

ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. avocado oil (divided)
• 3 cups chicken (1½ - 2 lbs. or 2-3 chicken breasts)
• 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 3 stalks celery, sliced or diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 8-10 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
• 1 cup dried orzo
• Juice from 2 lemons
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• kosher salt & black pepper
• dash cayenne pepper

instructions:

How to cook Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup

1. In a large pot, heat 1 tbsp. avocado oil over medium heat.
2. Arrange chicken in pot and season with a couple pinches of salt, a few cracks of black pepper, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder and a dash of cayenne pepper. Cook through, flipping halfway. Once cooked, remove and set aside.
3. In the same pot, add another tbsp. avocado oil, followed by carrots, celery, onion and another few pinches of salt and pepper. Sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add bay leaves and broth. Taste and add any additional seasonings and bring to a low simmer. 
5. Add orzo and cook until tender.  While orzo cooks, shred chicken into small, bite-sized pieces. Once orzo is cooked, reduce heat to low and add shredded chicken back into pot. Finish with lemon juice, dill, and parsley. Remove bay leaves and turn off heat for a few minutes before serving.
6. Eat it hot with toasty bread.

NOTES:

Look for low-sodium or unsalted broth so that you can control the level of saltiness in your soup and taste along the way! This way, you can build the layers salt & pepper by adding pinches of each throughout the cooking process.

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