Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best. This light, yet rich Chicken Soup with Lemon and Orzo, is one of them. Make it in 30-minutes and sit down to deliciousness. Citrus is still in season, so load up!
Tips for making this soup:
- fresh lemon juice. I’ll say it again, fresh lemon juice
- if you have the rind of a chunk of parm, throw it in the soup. It’s one of those things that is subtle, but really bring umami (read about it!) and richness to this light soup.
- make extra, share with a friend
- use leftover roasted chicken, or a rotisserie, whatever works for you!
Other ways to use the rind of Parmesan (best tip eva!)
- Tuscan Bean Soup
- any tomato sauce you make, or doctor up a jarred sauce, just let it simmer away
- it doesn’t make a dish parmesan-y, so add it to just about any soup or stew
- don’t forget to take it out before serving
Chicken Soup with Lemon and Orzo
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 30
- Yield: 4+ 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
This is a soup to warm the soul. It’s light, quick and super clean eating. You can certainly leave the orzo out if you like. I use whole-wheat orzo, and I’m okay with that! 🙂 Do I really need to remind you to use fresh lemon juice for this? If so, then use fresh lemon juice. There are no exceptions. (another :).
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large leek, well cleaned, quartered lengthwise, and sliced (white and light green only) about 1+ cups
- 6 medium carrots, thinly sliced, about 1–1/2 cups
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups chicken stock (homemade would be great, or use low-sodium)
- Rind from Parmesan*
- 3/4 cup orzo pasta (I like the whole wheat variety) or any tiny pasta
- 3 cups chicken, roasted** and shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken would work great here)
- 3–4 lemons, juiced (about 1/2 cup)
- One 5 oz. bag fresh spinach or arugula
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- Kosher salt (affiliate link) to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Heat a dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil, leeks, and carrots, add a pinch of salt. Saute until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for about 30 seconds.
- Add the stock and Parmesan rind, bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Add the orzo and cook for a few minutes until tender. Stir in the chicken and lower the heat.
- Stir in lemon juice, spinach, and parsley. Season with kosher salt (affiliate link) and fresh cracked pepper to taste.
Notes
*why parm rind? It’s adds a depth of flavor that makes this soup rich but still light. Omit if you don’t have one, but start saving them in your freezer!
**Roasted Chicken is definitely something to add to your repertoire!
Make this vegetarian by using white beans (see tuscan bean soup for how to use dried beans) in place of the chicken.
Use cooked brown rice in place of the orzo for a gluten-free soup.
Please use fresh lemons, the bottled stuff needs to just stay in the bottle.
Recipe doesn’t state when to add the lemon juice
Thanks so much for bringing this to my attention. Add in the lemon juice with the spinach and parsley. You don’t want to cook it, or it will lose its punch.