Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
User Reviews
4.7
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Description
This soup features a base of sautéed carrots, celery, and onions with minced garlic, thickened lightly with flour and simmered in chicken broth. The addition of lemon juice and zest imparts a fresh, tangy note complementing the chicken and vegetables. Orzo pasta cooks in the broth to add a tender, slightly chewy texture. Shredded rotisserie chicken is folded in towards the end to warm through without drying out. Fresh parsley sprinkled at serving adds a fresh herbal accent.
The cooking method involves building flavor by sweating vegetables and garlic before adding broth and seasonings. The lemon and Italian herbs create a bright contrast to the hearty chicken and mild orzo. This soup can be served as a comforting meal on cool days and works well with crusty bread or a light salad.
If not serving immediately, cook orzo separately to prevent it from absorbing too much liquid and thickening the soup. Adjust thickness by adding more chicken stock as needed at reheating.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 1/3 /3 cups carrot about 2 large carrots, chopped
- 1 1/3 /3 cups celery about 2 large celery stalks, chopped
- 1 cup onion about 1/2 an onion, chopped finely
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 8 cups chicken broth low-sodium
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice fresh
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 /4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup orzo pasta uncooked
- 1 chicken rotisserie, shredded, about 3 cups
- 2 tablespoons parsley flat-leaf, fresh, chopped
- Parmesan Cheese or Romano cheese, grated, optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil and melt butter in a large Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the carrot, celery, and onion. Sautee for about 5 minutes or until veggies are soft. Add the garlic and cook for thirty seconds.
- Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and cook for one minute. Add the chicken broth, bay leaf, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and Italian seasonings.
- Add the orzo and simmer until orzo is cooked through about 10 minutes (see Note not serving soup right away). Stir in the chicken until heated through.
- Just before serving add parsley and remove bay leaf. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Add Romano or Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- When serving the soup right away, cook the orzo in the soup with the chicken for about 10 minutes until tender.
- If planning to serve later, cook orzo separately and add it just before serving to prevent over-thickening.
- Add additional chicken broth when reheating if the soup has thickened too much.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 320 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1/6 of the recipe | |
| Calories | 320kcal | 16% |
| Carbohydrates | 31g | 10% |
| Protein | 31g | 62% |
| Fat | 9g | 14% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 67mg | 22% |
| Sodium | 776mg | 32% |
| Potassium | 732mg | 16% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 4927IU | 99% |
| Vitamin C | 7mg | 8% |
| Calcium | 56mg | 6% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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