Chicken Orzo Soup

If you’re looking for a soup that you can get on the table fast, this is it! It is also a great and tasty way to up your vegetable count for the day.

With just a couple of chicken breasts and some chicken stock, you can whip up this soup in about 30 minutes. Add in any bits of frozen or fresh vegetables you have around to use up. Add some orzo (or other small pasta, or even rice) and you’ve got a hearty and healthy lunch or dinner soup. The splash of lemon juice added at the end brightens up the whole soup, so I’d highly recommend you don’t skip it.

This soup looks and tastes creamy but there is not a drop in it. By cooking the pasta in the soup, the broth thickens up nicely without the added fat and calories of cream. That means this soup is also a healthy choice for you and your family.

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Chicken Orzo Soup

Summary: This is a comforting and hearty soup that can be made in just about 20 minutes, so it’s perfect for a quick lunch or a dinner with a crusty bread. It cooks up creamy but there is no dairy in this soup. It’s chock full of vegetables, too.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 2/3 cup diced carrots
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 breasts)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup uncooked orzo (or other small pasta or even rice)
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cups water
• 1 fresh thyme sprig or a pinch of dried thyme
• 2 – 3 cups fresh baby spinach (or other green, such as chopped bok choy)
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Add oil to large soup pot or Dutch oven and heat over medium heat. Add the carrot, onion and chicken. Cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, water, parsley and thyme. Increase the heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and corn and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the orzo is cooked.
2. Discard thyme sprig, if used. Add the spinach and lemon juice. Cook for one minute to wilt the spinach. Taste and add salt, and pepper, if necessary. If soup is too thick, you can thin it with a bit more chicken broth or water, if necessary. Serve and enjoy!

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min

Number of servings (yield): 4

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• Summer Corn Soup
• Fall Vegetable Soup
• Paprika Spiced Cauliflower Soup