Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup (Recipe 152 of 125)

Photo from Carlsbad
Cravings

Tonight is windy, rainy and stormy. A perfect night for soup. This particular soup has been in the rotation a couple of times, but I never made it for one reason or another. Tonight was the night for it's debut. 

The only thing that would have made this soup better is if I didn't have to go to work tomorrow. So delicious. Lemony flavor that isn't tart, but enhances the entire soup. 

I dropped in about 1 tsp of lemon pepper too. It sure did make it lemony. 

I'd make this again for sure. It hit the comfort spot tonight for sure.

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Recipe from Carlsbadcravings.com

Serves 6

2 T olive oil

2 T unsalted butter

1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs patted dry OR rotisserie chicken (see notes)

salt and pepper

1 onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

3 medium carrots, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

pinch -1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional for a kick)

10-12 c low sodium chicken broth

2 tsp chicken bouillon or better than bouillon

1 tsp EACH dried parsley, dried oregano

½ tsp EACH dried basil, dried thyme, rosemary

ADD LATER

1 c orzo pasta (uncooked)

1 zucchini, quartered, sliced thick

¼ c freshly grated Parmesan

2-3 T lemon juice, more or less to taste

2 T chopped fresh dill, more or less to taste

Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven/soup pot. Season chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper then sear until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate but leave drippings.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium low heat in drippings. Once melted, increase to medium-high heat and add onions, carrots and celery; sauté for 4 minutes scaping up the golden bits on the bottom of the pan. Add garlic and red pepper and sauté for 30 seconds.

Add chicken back to the pot along bouillon, all seasonings and chicken broth. Cover the soup to bring to a simmer, then displace the lid so it’s partially covering the pot, with about a one-inch opening. Simmer the soup for 12-15 minutes or until chicken is tender enough to shred, stirring occasionally and replacing the lid.

Once chicken is tender, remove to a cutting board and shred once cool enough to handle; wait to add back to the pot. Meanwhile, stir in the orzo pasta and zucchini to the soup and cook until the orzo is al dente, about 7 to 8 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and add Parmesan add shredded chicken to the soup. Stir until Parmesan is melted, then add lemon juice and fresh dill to taste. Stir in additional broth if desired for a less “chunky” soup. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired (I like more salt).