
I love orzo pasta. It seriously is amazing, not only because of the great texture and flavor, but because it is a sneaky little guy who fools you in to thinking he is rice. You bite down into it and what-ho?! It's pasta in a rice-shaped package - fantastical!
I was in the mood for orzo when planning my menu and grocery list for this week, so I hunted down a recipe for Chicken Orzo Soup. It is really a very simple chicken soup recipe, but the orzo and fresh baby spinach really bring it up to the next level. I upped the veggie content and served it with some yummy wholegrain artisan bread I found hiding in the grocery store and will definitely be making this dinner again.
The ingredient list may look a little long, but I swear you have most of these items lurking in your pantry and fridge, don't be intimidated! It only took me about 30-40 minutes to whip this together. It probably would have taken even less time if I hadn't been distracted by watching Ina Garten's show on Food Network while I was cooking - what can I say, I love her recipes!
Chicken Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 32 oz. of chicken broth (for soup)
- 1 3/4 cups chicken broth (to cook the orzo)
- 1/2 cup uncooked orzo pasta
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 medium-sized carrots (diced)
- 2 large celery stalks (diced)
- 1 diced white or yellow onion
- 2 crushed and diced cloves of garlic
- 2 cups water
- 1 lb. boneless/skinless chicken breasts or tenders
- 1 tbsp. dried parsley
- 1 tbsp. dried thyme
- 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 3 cups baby spinach (FRESH!)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Bring 1 3/4 cups broth to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Once boiling, add the orzo and cook for 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.
2. While the orzo is cooking, add the olive oil to a large pot and heat over medium. Add in your onions and garlic, stirring occasionally until soft (about 5-8 min.). Next add in the carrots, celery and chicken. Be sure to chop the chicken into small, rustic, bite-sized pieces. Add a liberal sprinkle of salt and pepper to the pot and let it cook for about 5 more minutes.
3. Stir in your 32 oz. of chicken broth, 2 cups of water, parsley and thyme. Bring the soup up to a boil, cover it and let it simmer for a good 10-15 more minutes. This will ensure the chicken is cooked all the way through and meld the flavors.
Tah Dahhhhhh - a fabulously tasty soup full of chicken and veggies...and more importantly ORZO! This is also a pretty healthy dish, lots of protein and fiber and hardly any fat, so you can feel really good eating it. Enjoy!
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