Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is so light we eat it year round. Usually, people associate soups with cold, dreary, wintry days but our soup has a bright lemony taste. Chicken noodle soup is probably the tops in comfort food and who doesn't need a little comfort throughout the year?
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Chicken soup ultimate comfort food
This is simply a version of that soup.
It's funny, but when I was growing up, some kind of soup bubbling on the stove was a constant in our Italian home. At that time I didn't appreciate all the wonderful benefits of it.
Simmering some meat with vegetables and flavorings in water then adding a starch would go a long way to feeding the four of us.
Simmering some meat with vegetables and flavorings in water then adding a starch would go a long way to feeding the four of us.
It was nutritious; it was economical.
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup First Step
An economical soup
My parents watched every penny . . . nothing was wasted! It seemed chicken was a staple in our house and Sunday was my mom's specialty, her chicken broth with gnocchi. My brother and I would sometimes complain "Zuppa, di nuovo"? {Soup, again?} Mamma would just smile and say, "Mangia!"
And we would, reluctantly at first, but because it tasted so good, we eagerly finished the entire bowlful.
It was definitely comforting!
Every time mamma served anything . . . it was made with love. She believed good food was the magic elixir to good health.
Even today there is something very comforting about sipping Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup. There's a satisfaction, a contentment.
Two day recipe cut down to one
This recipe is not difficult although it does take two days. We make the broth from a whole chicken the first day, remove the chicken from the broth and let the liquid cool.
The chicken and broth are refrigerated overnight.
Then, the next day we assemble the Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup. It comes together fairly quickly since the main ingredients are already cooked.
The diced vegetables cook in about 15 minutes and the pasta is cooked separately then added to the soup.
Chef Tip:
QUICK RECIPE ALTERNATE:
If you don't have time for making the homemade broth, use the chicken from a store bought rotisserie chicken and make up the 9 cups of broth with an excellent quality packaged broth.
- We sometimes add 1 ½ cups baby spinach along with the parsley, rind, and juice.
This is one of our family's favorite soups as you can tell by the different photographs-- we hope it will become one of yours.
Mangia bene; Sta bene { Eat well, be well }
If you like the chicken and lemon flavor combination, this Lemon and Garlic chicken recipe makes a quick and easy dinner.
Tutti a tavolo è pronto!
Un caro saluto e alla prossima.
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Many times instead of water we use a good quality chicken stock or broth. We find that we get so much flavor and taste from the broth or stock. See if it doesn't make a difference in your cooking!
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Recipe
📖 Recipe
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- o1 4-pound whole chicken
- 2 carrots peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 celery stalks cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium onion peeled and sliced
- 6 garlic cloves crushed
- 4 sprigs fresh Italian parsley
- 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 cups water
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ⅓ chopped carrot
- 1 ¼ cups chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 Box 32 oz. Chicken Broth or Stock
- 8 ounces uncooked orzo rice-shaped pasta
- ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
- 2 ½ teaspoons grated lemon rind
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- Lemon wedges optional
- Coarsely cracked black pepper optional
Instructions
- Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Place chicken in a large Dutch oven. Add the 2 chopped carrots, 2 chopped celery stalks, sliced onion, 6 garlic cloves, 4 sprigs parsley, whole black peppercorns, and bay leaves to pan. Add 6 cups water; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour.
- Remove chicken from pan; place chicken in a colander over large bowl. Let it cool and drain for 20 minutes. Discard skin; remove chicken from bones, discard bones. Chop chicken into bite-size pieces; cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight. Strain broth mixture through a sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. Cool broth mixture to room temperature then cover and refrigerate overnight. Next day skim fat from surface and discard the fat.
- In the Dutch oven heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the chopped carrots, onions and celery. Saute the vegetables in the oil for 2 to 3 minutes. Measure the broth and add enough of the boxed chicken broth to measure 9 cups and add the salt. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add reserved chopped chicken and simmer 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Keep warm.
- Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt. Add pasta to pan with chicken and broth mixture; stir in parsley, rind, and juice.* Garnish and each serving with lemon wedges and cracked black pepper if desired.
Notes
- *We sometimes add 1 ½ cups baby spinach along with the parsley, rind, and juice.
- Adapted from a Cooking Light recipe - December 2008
Nutrition
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