A heartwarming and delicious lemon chicken orzo soup recipe that happens to be healthy. Made in one pot, this easy soup recipe is made with every day ingredients and comes together in 45 minutes.
Ingredients
2tablespoonsolive oil
1smallonion, chopped
3mediumcarrots, peeled and cut into small pieces
2stalkscelery, cut into small pieces
3clovesgarlic, sliced thinly
2tablespoonsall-purpose flour, gluten-free, if needed
1 ½lbboneless skinless chicken thighs, or chicken breasts
1teaspoonKosher salt
½teaspoonblack pepper
1cuporzo, gluten-free, if needed
2tablespoonslemon juice, freshly squeezed
¼cupfresh parsley, roughly chopped
Lemon wedges, to serve with
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large heavy bottom skillet over medium-high heat. Add in onion, carrots, and celery. Sautee, stirring occasionally, for 6-7 minutes or until all the vegetables are softened. Add in garlic and saute for another minute.
2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 small onion, 3 medium carrots, 2 stalks celery, 3 cloves garlic
Sprinkle the flour into the pot and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute. The flour will coat the vegetables creating a glue-like paste around them, which is normal.
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pour in the chicken stock and add in the chicken, salt, and pepper. Put the lid on, bring to a boil, turn the heat down to medium-low, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes.
7 cups chicken stock, 1 ½ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
Add the orzo and cook for another 10 minutes or until it is cooked through. Stir frequently to make sure that orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
1 cup orzo
Remove the now-cooked chicken from the pot and shred into smaller bite-sized pieces. Put it back into the pot and bring it to a boil to one last time.
Stir in the lemon juice and fresh parsley right before serving. Serve with lemon wedges and crusty bread on the side.
2 tablespoons lemon juice, ¼ cup fresh parsley
Notes
Storage: You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. When ready to serve, heat on the stove. You may have to add half a cup of water to thin it out if it is too thick.
Freezing Instructions: This soup freezes well. However, reserving the portion you plan to freeze before adding the orzo works best as freezing soup with pasta makes it mushy. Place the soup in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
Thawing Instructions: Thaw the frozen soup in the fridge a day before you are ready to serve. Bring the soup to a boil on the stovetop and add in the orzo. Cook until the pasta is cooked through. Add in lemon juice and parsley right before serving.