Description
A delightful and warming Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup with Spinach, perfect for chilly evenings or when feeling under the weather.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 chicken breasts (about 1 lb or 450 g), boneless and skinless
- 1 cup orzo pasta (about 200 g)
- 4 cups fresh spinach (about 120 g), roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 6 cups chicken broth (about 1.5 liters)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley or lemon slices for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the pot and cook for about 5-7 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and fully cooked. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to cool.
- In the same pot, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Add the orzo pasta to the pot and cook according to package instructions, usually about 8-10 minutes, until al dente.
- While the orzo is cooking, shred the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces using two forks.
- Once the orzo is cooked, stir in the shredded chicken, fresh spinach, and lemon juice. Allow the soup to simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes, just until the spinach is wilted.
- Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley or lemon slices if desired.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To reheat, warm on the stove over low heat.
- For freezing, do so before adding spinach to maintain texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup, Spinach Soup, Comfort Food, Healthy Soup