Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
This Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is packed with orzo, fresh vegetables and tender chicken along with fresh lemon juice. You will love this immunity boosting soup! It makes a great freezer friendly meal, just leave out the pasta and add it when you are ready to eat the soup.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 cups orzo pasta, cooked
- 2 tbsps. olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 3 stalks of celery, chopped
- 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
- 6 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 3 to 4 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced {I used a rotisserie chicken}
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp. oregano
- 2 bay leave
- 1 lemon, juiced and zested
- 2 cups of spinach
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Garnish with fresh dill or flat leaf Italian parsley
Instructions
- Cook the orzo pasta according to package until al dente. Remove and rinse under cold water and set aside.
- In a large pot heat the 2 Tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and saute the minced garlic for two minutes. Add the onion, carrots and celery and saute until soft, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, thyme, oregano, bay leaf and lemon juice and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the orzo pasta, chicken, spinach, salt and pepper to taste and continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes until the spinach is wilted.
- Garnish with fresh parsley, dill and serve with crust bread.
Notes
- If you make this ahead or plan to have leftovers then leave the pasta out and add it when you are ready to eat the soup to prevent the noodles from getting too soggy.
- This soup freezes great (once again I would freeze without the noodles).