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Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Course Chicken, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American, Italian Inspired, Southern
Keyword chicken-soup-recipes, lemon-chicken-orzo-soup
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 346kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 medium carrots peeled and sliced
  • 2 ribs celery sliced
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 3 medium garlic cloves minced
  • 4 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 32 oz chicken stock
  • 1 Tbsp better than bouillon chicken base
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp lemon pepper
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp dried dill
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp lemon zest
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
  • 3 Tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
  • 2 medium green onions thinly sliced

Instructions

  • In a Dutch oven medium high heat cook the carrots, celery and onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add the garlic, cook for 1 minute longer.
  • To the large pot of vegetables add the flour and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Cook on low for 1-2 minutes until the flour absorbs the oil.
  • To the pot add the chicken, chicken stock, Better Than Bouillon, Italian seasoning, thyme, lemon pepper, dried dill, black pepper, red pepper flakes, salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and cook with the lid offset for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and easily falls apart.
  • Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it. Set aside. Add the orzo and 1 Tbsp parsley to the pot.
  • Cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until the orzo is fully cooked and tender. Add the chicken and remaining parsley back to the pot and stir to combine. Simmer just until the chicken is heated through. (The longer you cook the soup the thicker it will get.)
  • Serve immediately garnished with green onions or additional parsley.

Notes

If the soup simmers too vigorously you may need to add more stock to the pot after the orzo cooks. Have extra on hand just in case.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 346kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 260mg | Potassium: 667mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3756IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2mg