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Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Prep
20 mins
Cook
1 hr
Servings
12
Difficulty
Hard
This bright and comforting lemon chicken orzo soup has become my go to weeknight dinner because it comes together in just an hour and uses simple ingredients I usually have on hand. The fresh lemon juice and zest give it such a vibrant flavor that makes you feel like you're eating something special without much fuss. I love that it's loaded with spinach, which is packed with iron and nutrients, and the lean chicken breast keeps it healthy without sacrificing taste. It's the kind of soup that warms you from the inside out while the citrus notes keep it feeling light and fresh, no matter the season.
Ella x
Ingredients
- 88 ounces orzo pasta
- 11 teaspoon olive oil
- 33 medium carrots, chopped, or more to taste
- 33 ribs celery, chopped
- 11 medium onion, chopped
- 22 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano, salt and ground black pepper to taste½ teaspoon dried oregano, salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 11 bay leaf
- 33 (32 ounce) cartons fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice½ cup fresh lemon juice
- 11 lemon, zested
- 88 ounces cooked chicken breast, chopped
- 11 (8 ounce) package baby spinach leaves
- 11 lemon, sliced for garnish (optional)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (Optional)¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)
Detail level
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Stir in orzo and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered until partially cooked through but not yet soft, about 5 minutes; drain and rinse with cold water until cooled completely.
- 2
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, and onion; cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften and onion becomes translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Season mixture with thyme, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper; continue cooking another 30 seconds before pouring chicken broth into the pot.
- 3
Bring broth to a boil. Partially cover the pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until vegetables are just tender, about 10 minutes.
- 4
Stir orzo, lemon juice, and lemon zest into broth; add chicken. Cook until chicken and orzo are heated through, about 5 minutes. Add baby spinach; cook until spinach wilts into broth and orzo is tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls; garnish with lemon slices and Parmesan cheese.
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