Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
This lemon chicken orzo soup is comfort in a bowl! It is so flavorful with tender pieces of chicken in a lemony broth with orzo pasta, carrots, onions, celery, and baby spinach. This has quickly become one of my family's favorite soup recipes.
This lemon chicken orzo soup is comfort in a bowl! It is so flavorful with tender pieces of chicken in a lemony broth with orzo pasta, carrots, onions, celery, and baby spinach. This has quickly become one of my family's favorite soup recipes.
Ingredients
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8 ounces orzo pasta
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1 teaspoon olive oil
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3 medium carrots, chopped, or more to taste
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3 ribs celery, chopped
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1 medium onion, chopped
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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½ teaspoon dried thyme
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½ teaspoon dried oregano
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salt and ground black pepper to taste
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1 bay leaf
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3 (32 ounce) cartons fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
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½ cup fresh lemon juice
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1 lemon, zested
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8 ounces cooked chicken breast, chopped
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1 (8 ounce) package baby spinach leaves
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1 lemon, sliced for garnish (Optional)
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¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (Optional)
Method
- 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.
- Meanwhile, 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, about 5 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.
- Bring broth to a boil. Partially cover the pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until vegetables are just tender, about 10 minutes.
- 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.
- Enjoy!
