Zesty Chicken Soup with Orzo (Printable Version)
# What You'll Need:
01 -
1 tablespoon regular olive oil
02 -
4 medium carrots, cleaned and chopped (around 1 1/2 cups)
03 -
3 medium celery ribs, chopped (around 1 cup)
04 -
1 small yellow onion, minced (around 1 cup)
05 -
1 teaspoon dried basil
06 -
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
07 -
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
08 -
3 cloves garlic, crushed (around 1 tablespoon)
09 -
1 tablespoon plain flour
10 -
6 to 8 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
11 -
1.5 pounds chicken breasts, no skin or bones
12 -
1 cup raw whole wheat orzo
13 -
3 cups torn spinach leaves, loose measurement (around 3 ounces)
14 -
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 medium lemon)
15 -
2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
# Steps to Follow:
01 -
Warm the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Throw in carrots, celery, onion, basil, salt, and pepper. Cook until veggies get soft and start to brown, about 8 minutes.
02 -
Toss in the garlic and stir constantly for about 30 seconds until you can smell it.
03 -
Dust the flour over everything and stir till you can't see it anymore. Pour in 6 cups of chicken stock and mix until the flour fully mixes in.
04 -
Gently put the chicken into the liquid. Bring everything to a boil, then lower the heat, partly cover the pot, and let it bubble gently for 10 to 15 minutes until the chicken hits 165°F on a meat thermometer.
05 -
Take out the chicken, put it on a cutting board and cover it up. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes.
06 -
Get the soup bubbling again, then add the orzo. Let it cook for 7 minutes, stirring now and then so it doesn't stick, until the orzo is quite firm.
07 -
Cut or pull apart the chicken, then add it back to the pot.
08 -
Mix in the spinach, lemon juice, and dill. Pour in more chicken stock if you want it thinner. Cook another 3 to 5 minutes until spinach wilts and orzo gets tender but firm. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot.
# Additional Tips:
01 -
You can swap orzo for other tiny pasta shapes like mini shells or ditalini. Just follow the cooking times on the package.
02 -
Keep leftover soup in a sealed container in your fridge up to 4 days.
03 -
You can freeze this soup in a proper container for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in your fridge overnight before warming it up.
04 -
To warm up leftovers, put them in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat or just microwave them.