Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup

I’ve been cooking a lot of soups lately. They’re easy, you get several meals from one recipe, and you have only one pot to clean. This soup reminds me of a lemon orzo soup my Greek grandfather used to make many many years ago. Don’t be intimidated by the length of the ingredient list, the entire soup takes only 20 minutes to make because you’re using a rotisserie chicken. Try whole-wheat orzo instead of regular orzo for added fiber. I think you’ll find this soup to be a very satisfying meal.

Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup

Servings: 6
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Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 large carrots, about 1 cup

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

1 large clove garlic

3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

6 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup uncooked whole-wheat orzo

3 large eggs

Juice of 2 lemons, approximately 1/4 cup

3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

3 cups chopped baby spinach

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Directions

Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium-high. Add carrot and onion; cook, stirring often, until vegetables are softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add stock to Dutch oven; increase heat to high, and bring stock to a boil. Add orzo, and cook, uncovered, until orzo is al dente, about 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together eggs and lemon juice in a medium bowl until frothy. Once orzo has cooked 6 minutes, carefully remove 1 cup boiling stock from Dutch oven. Gradually add hot stock to egg-lemon juice mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs, about 1 minute. Pour egg mixture back into Dutch oven, and stir to combine.

Reduce heat to medium-low; stir in chicken, spinach, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until spinach wilts, about 1 minute. Divide soup among 6 bowls; sprinkle evenly with dill.

Judymatusky.com

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

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Judy Matusky, RDN, LDN