Lemony Chicken & Orzo Soup

This Lemony Chicken & Orzo Soup is light, brothy, and super cozy!  Enjoyed with a crusty French baguette on the side for dipping, this simple soup makes for a warm and comforting lunch or dinner during the late winter and early spring season.

I made this soup on a chilly rainy evening in early March, and it couldn’t have been more fitting!  The weather was still cold enough to fall into soup season, but the lemony flavor, veggies, and herbs in the soup were a nice little preview of approaching spring days.  It tastes a bit like chicken noodle soup’s citrusy counterpart! 

The ingredient preparations are the only steps in this recipe that require any time.  Once everything is ready to cook, it comes together in the pot incredibly quickly!

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RECIPE NOTES:

Leftovers: This soup is best enjoyed the day of cooking!  If you’ve ever made a soup with orzo before, then you know that it tends to absorb a significant amount of the broth around it while in storage!  That said, we were also totally able to enjoy the leftovers of this soup in the 1-2 days after cooking it.  Simply add a splash of extra chicken broth to the leftovers before you reheat them to return enough liquid to the soup!

INGREDIENT NOTES:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: The olive oil is used to cook the garlic and carrots together in the pot before adding the rest of the ingredients.

Garlic: I like to mince the garlic with a garlic press for this recipe to keep things quick!

Carrots: Peel the carrots, then slice them into small thin rounds.  Feel free to halve any large ones.

Chicken Broth: Be sure to use a traditional, not a “low sodium”, variety of chicken broth…The salt is a must for flavor!

Orzo: Follow the package instructions, and cook your orzo in the soup for the recommended amount of time!

Pre-cooked Chicken Breast: No need to cook chicken from scratch!  Save time and grab a pre-cooked variety.  I use one prepared with just olive oil, salt, and pepper!  I like to partially chop/partially shred it into bite-sized pieces.

Lemon Juice: To get the 1/2 Cup of lemon juice needed, you’ll need around 3-4 lemons, depending on the size!

Fresh Spinach: The cup of spinach adds so much freshness to this soup, and pairs nicely with the lemon and chicken flavors.

Half & Half: The quantity of half & half used in this recipe is just enough to add a hint of creaminess to the broth, while not turning it into a thick soup.  It’s still very light and brothy, but this is a must for balanced flavor.

Fresh Basil: Finely chopped fresh basil adds additional freshness and subtle flavor complexity to the soup.

Dried Parsley: Nearly everyone has some dried parsley in the pantry!  It compliments the other flavors perfectly.

Black Pepper + Salt: These are both added to taste!  I recommend being generous with the black pepper, adding more to taste when serving if you’d like.  For salt, only a very small dash is needed, so add it slowly! 

Cayenne: Only the tiniest pinch of cayenne is needed for a bit of oomph.

(TO SERVE) French Baguette: Perfect for both dipping in the soup and enjoying bites side by side, serving this soup with a baguette is an absolute must!

Kitchen Equipment:

• Garlic Press

• Peeler

• Knife & Cutting Board

• Lemon Squeezer

• Colander

• 1 Large Dutch Oven Or Pot (I used a 5.25 Quart Dutch Oven)

Servings: Approx. 6

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 Cloves Garlic, pressed
• 5 Medium Carrots, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
• 8 Cups Chicken Broth
• 1 Cup Orzo
• 11 oz Pre-cooked Chicken Breast**, chopped/shredded into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 Packed Cup Fresh Spinach
• 1/2 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Half & Half
• 2 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Fresh Basil
• 1/8 Teaspoon Dried Parsley
• Black Pepper + Salt, to taste
• Pinch Of Cayenne, to taste

**see Ingredient Notes above

TO SERVE

• French Baguette(s), to dip and to pair

Directions:

In a large pot, over medium heat, warm up the olive oil and pressed garlic

Add the prepared carrots, and cook until the carrots are tender (Stir very consistently to ensure that your garlic doesn’t burn)

Pour in the chicken broth, then bring it to a boil

Add the orzo, and cook it for the amount of time on the package (stirring occasionally) – When there is a small amount of time left on the orzo, stir in the chicken, lemon juice, and spinach

Lower the heat, then stir in the half & half, fresh basil, and parsley

Season with black pepper (generously) and salt (lightly) to taste, followed by the tiniest pinch of cayenne pepper

Remove from heat

Serve with additional black pepper to taste along with the French baguette

Enjoy!