Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

One of the many aspects of California that I never quite get used to is the abundance of citrus trees.  A few of my friends have these trees on their property and I am always trying to find ways to incorporate this fresh, free fruit into our meals.  I have made Ellie Krieger’s Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup countless times and it is absolutely delicious.  Honesty, I wasn’t sure how I felt about adding lemon juice to chicken soup, but after consuming the results I was completely impressed.  The use of eggs to thicken this soup is very interesting to me; the broth has a wonderful creamy texture.  Besides doubling the vegetables I make this recipe exactly as written and serve it with salad and bread.  After giving this recipe a try I can assure you that it will work its way into your winter meal rotation.

-Heather

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Ellie Krieger, The Food You Crave

4 teaspoons olive oil
8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into small chunks
Pinch of salt, plus more to taste
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 stalks celery, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 medium carrot, diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup orzo, preferably whole wheat
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with the salt, add it to the pot, and cook, stirring, a few times, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a dish and set aside.

Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pot. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and thyme and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add 5 cups of the broth and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and let simmer until tender, about 8 minutes. Turn the heat down to low to keep the soup hot but not boiling.

Warm the remaining 1 cup broth in a small saucepan until it is hot but not boiling. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Gradually whisk the lemon juice into the eggs. Then gradually add the hot broth to the egg-lemon mixture, whisking all the while. Add the mixture to the soup, stirring well until the soup is thickened. Do not let the soup come to a boil. Add the cooked chicken to the soup. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Makes 4 servings
Serving size: 1 1/2 cups

Per serving:
Calories 280; Total fat 10g (Sat fat 2g, Mono fat 6g, Poly fat 1g); Protein 26g; Carb 22g; Fiber 2g; Cholesterol 139mg; Sodium 291mg

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with the salt, add it to the pot, and cook, stirring, a few times, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a dish and set aside.

Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pot. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and thyme and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add 5 cups of the broth and bring to a boil.

Add the orzo and let simmer until tender, about 8 minutes. Turn the heat down to low to keep the soup hot but not boiling.

Warm the remaining 1 cup broth in a small saucepan until it is hot but not boiling.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs.

Gradually whisk the lemon juice into the eggs. Then gradually add the hot broth to the egg-lemon mixture, whisking all the while.

Add the mixture to the soup, stirring well until the soup is thickened. Do not let the soup come to a boil.

Add the cooked chicken to the soup. Season with salt and pepper and serve.