“I initially sought out this recipe when I was doing an Italian-themed week, then later realized that this recipe is actually Greek. But there does tend to be a lot of overlap in flavors in these cuisines, so let’s just call it ‘Mediterranean’! This is a rich, full-flavored soup. If using Meyer lemons like I did, you may need more lemon juice to get that nice tang.” – April Ferre
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 3 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
- Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 1 Onion Chopped
- 2 Stalks Celery Chopped
- 2 Large Carrots Diced
- 3 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1/4 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 2 Tablespoons Flour
- 6 Cups Chicken Broth Plus More As Needed
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 3/4 Cup Uncooked Orzo
- Juice of 1 Lemon Or To Taste
- 1 Tablespoon Parsley Chopped
Instructions
- Slice chicken breasts into bite-sized cubes and season generously with salt and pepper.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Working in batches as to not crowd the pan, brown chicken. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
- Add butter to remaining oil and brownings and sauté onion, celery and carrots until onions are translucent.
- Add garlic and Italian seasoning and sauté 1 minute. Add flour and cook 1 minute more.
- Add chicken broth and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add orzo and chicken and simmer 15 minutes more or until pasta is cooked through. The orzo will soak up quite a bit of broth, resulting in a thick soup. If desired, add additional chicken broth to adjust the consistency to your liking.
- Remove from heat and add lemon juice and parsley. Taste and adjust any seasonings as necessary.
2022 Adapted Recipe – April Ferre – Adapted from Salt & Lavender