Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 20-24 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs Diced into 1 inch chunks or left whole. See notes.
- 1/2-1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning I used 1 teaspoon.
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning Optional for more lemon flavor.
- salt to taste
- 1/2 cup diced onions
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 1/2 cup diced carrots
- 2-3 garlic cloves Minced
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Start with 1 tablespoon and adjust to suit your taste.
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest Omit if you don’t want immense lemon flavor.
- 1 cup dry orzo
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, lemon pepper seasoning (optional), Italian Seasoning, salt and pepper to taste, and cook until browned on all sides, about 4-5 minutes.
1 teaspoon olive oil,20-24 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs,1/2-1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning,1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning,salt to taste
- Remove the chicken and set it aside. Leave the chicken drippings in the pot for flavor.
- In the same pot, add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.1/2 cup diced onions,1/2 cup diced celery,1/2 cup diced carrots,2-3 garlic cloves
- Sprinkle the flour throughout and stir well to combine. Add the flour in stages to avoid excess drying.3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir repeatedly, ensuring there are no lumps. Deglaze the bottom of the pan using your spoon.Leave the brown spots you scoop up in the pot. These will provide flavor from the cooked, seasoned chicken.6 cups chicken broth,2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice,1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and add in the cooked chicken to the pot. Cover the pot with the lid and lower the heat to low to let the soup simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove the lid from the pot and add to the orzo. Allow it to cook on low heat (without the lid on the pot) for about 10 minutes or for however long it takes for the orzo to become al dente.1 cup dry orzo
- Taste the soup repeatedly and adjust the spices as necessary to suit your taste. Cool before serving.
- Notes
- The recipe makes 8-9 cups.
- Read the cooking instructions on the orzo you purchase to assess the appropriate cook time for it.
- You can use butter or any oil instead of olive oil.
- Browning the chicken first will allow the spices to penetrate the meat for ultimate flavor. This also helps produce juicy chicken. You can skip this step if you wish and simply add raw chicken to the pot to simmer.
- I prefer shredded chicken vs cubed chicken, so I keep the chicken thighs intact (vs slicing it into chunks first) while cooking. While the soup simmers, the chicken will become really tender and break down and shred easily on its own.
- I use 6 cups of broth in this soup and that produces the thick texture I am going for. You can always add more broth or water later to thin out the soup, if you don’t want a thick consistency. I always recommend and caution to start on the low end, because it’s much easier to thin out a soup, than it is to thicken it if you add too much liquid.
- Rotisserie chicken is convenient, already cooked, and adds a depth of flavor from the seasoning and roasting process. You have to be careful not to overcook it. If you plan to use pre-cooked chicken, you don’t need to add it until the end, cook it just long enough to get it warm.
- To make this a creamy soup, add 1 cup of heavy cream or half and half when you add the orzo.
- The soup will thicken as it stands and after it has been refrigerated. Add broth or water to thin out the soup if necessary.
How to Prevent Mushy Orzo
- Always add it during the last 10 minutes of cooking. This will prevent it from overcooking and becoming mushy. Chicken will take longer to cook and get tender than it will to cook orzo. You can’t cook them together for the same time.
- Avoid keeping the soup at a rolling boil once the orzo is added. Low heat and gentle simmer is what you need to cook the orzo without making it mushy.
- If you still run into trouble, try cooking it separately from the soup. Boil it in salted water until al dente (firm to the bite), then drain and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process. Add the cooked orzo to the soup just before serving.
