Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup

Name: Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 medium leek, white and pale-green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced crosswise 1/2-inch thick; 1 celery stalk, sliced crosswise 1/2-inch thick; 12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken thighs; 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth; Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper; 1 /2 cup orzo; 1 /4 cup chopped fresh dill; Lemon halves (for serving)

3 steps

Prep:15minCook:45min

This is Lemon Orzo soup is our families favorite dish. It isn’t fancy nor is it decadent. But somehow we all love this soup it is a staple for us all year. It is so incredibly simple and quick to make. I love this one because EVERY time we make it becomes a family affair, somehow even as simple as it is the recipe pulls all of us in the kitchen at one time - someone is chopping or trimming the chicken or gathering the ingredients! Maybe that is part of the love of the soup the bond it created. We serve with warm crusty bread and make a double batch because leftovers are the best!!! Like withal the best recipes – I modify a bit 😊 I always add a little extra chicken and lemon (I like it very lemony so always add extra to my bowl as our son prefers as the recipe calls) and do 1.5X orzo as I want more ingredients and less broth!! This is my go to when I take a meal to a friend if they need a meal- post surgery , baby etc! Your perfect comfort food that is not heavy and overly filling! Enjoy and let me know if you love it as much as we do!

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 10:32:13 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Great

Glycemic Index

Low

Glycemic Load

Moderate

Nutrition per serving

Calories371.4 kcal (19%)

Total Fat12.4 g (18%)

Carbs37.3 g (14%)

Sugars4.1 g (5%)

Protein30.4 g (61%)

Sodium447.4 mg (22%)

Fiber6.6 g (24%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

4 servings

1 tablespoonolive oil

1leek

medium, white and pale - green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced crosswise 1/2 - inch thick

1celery stalk

sliced crosswise 1/2 - inch thick

12 ouncesskinless boneless chicken thighs

6 cupslow-sodium chicken broth

kosher salt

freshly ground pepper

1 ½ cuporzo

¼ cupfresh dill

chopped

0.5lemon

for serving

Instructions

Step 1

Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add leek and celery and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are soft, 5-8 minutes. Add chicken and broth; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 15-20 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate. Let cool, then shred chicken into bite-size pieces.

Step 2

Meanwhile, return broth to a boil. Add orzo and cook until al dente, 8-10 minutes.

Step 3

Remove pot from heat. Stir in chicken and dill. Serve with lemon halves for squeezing over.