Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
for the chicken:
- 2 lbs (900g) boneless and skinless chicken thighs
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons frying oil
- salt and pepper to taste
for the soup:
- 1 medium/large onion
- 2 celery ribs
- 2 carrots
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 8 cups (2 litres) chicken broth
- 1 cup (180g) orzo pasta
- cooked chicken see above
- 1 small zucchini optional
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes optional
- 1/4 cup (22g) grated parmesan cheese +more for serving
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the chicken: Rub the chicken with spices and season with salt and pepper.2 lbs (900g) boneless and skinless chicken thighs, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the chicken and cook on both sides over medium-high or high heat until browned. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked at this stage; it will finish cooking later in the soup. Cook it in batches (I cooked it in three batches) to avoid overcrowding the pot, allowing the chicken to brown properly.2 tablespoons frying oil
- When the chicken is browned, remove it to a plate and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare the remaining ingredients: dice the onion, finely chop the garlic, cut the celery in half lengthwise, then slice it. Cut the carrots and zucchini into very small cubes (carrot about 1/3 of an inch or 7mm and zucchini 1/2 of an inch or 1 cm). Grate the parmesan using the small holes of a grater, juice the lemon, and chop the sun-dried tomatoes into smaller pieces.1 medium/large onion, 2 celery ribs, 2 carrots, 4 cloves garlic, 1 small zucchini, 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, 1/4 cup (22g) grated parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Add the onion, carrot, and celery to the pot. Cook for a few minutes over medium heat until softened. Add more oil if necessary.
- Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and flour, and cook for 1 minute.1 tablespoon flour, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Add the broth and bring it to a boil.8 cups (2 litres) chicken broth
- Add the cooked chicken (if using chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken, add it at the end of the cooking time), uncooked orzo, and zucchini. Cook until orzo is al dente, following the package instructions (8 minutes for me).1 cup (180g) orzo pasta
- Stir in the Parmesan and cook until melted. Add the heavy cream.1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
- Season the soup with lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- If you won’t be eating the soup right away, it’s better to cook the orzo separately; otherwise, the soup will become very thick, and the orzo will turn soft and mushy as it absorbs the liquid over time.
- Calories = 1 serving (1/6 of the recipe). This is only an estimate!
Nutrition
Calories: 558kcal