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Bowl of lemon chicken soup.
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Recipe for Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup for Two

Panera-bread-inspired soup with lemon, chicken, orzo pasta, tender chicken, vegetables, and a lemony chicken broth.
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Budget Frugal
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 2
Calories 351kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Large pot

Ingredients

For the soup:

  • 1 tbs Olive oil
  • 1 medium Carrot
  • 1 stalk Celery
  • 1 small Onion or onion powder
  • 2 cloves Garlic or garlic powder
  • 1 Bay leaf or 2 small bay leaves
  • 3 cups Chicken broth - low sodium or chicken stock
  • ⅓ cup Orzo pasta uncooked
  • 1 Juice of a lemon fresh squeezed
  • 1 cup Chicken white or dark meat, diced or shredded
  • ½ teaspoon Chicken base
  • 1 Zest of a lemon
  • 1 cup Baby spinach fresh
  • 1 sprig Fresh thyme
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • ¼ teaspoon Black pepper freshly ground

For the garnish:

  • 2 Tbs Parmesan cheese grated
  • 4 Lemon slices
  • Crusty bread on the side

Instructions

  • Place a large soup pot over medium heat, and add a tablespoon of olive oil to the bottom of the pot. Add the diced carrot, celery, and onion.
  • Cook, stirring frequently until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic and bay leaf and cook for an additional minute. You do not want the vegetables to caramelize, you are just looking to soften them.
  • Over medium-high heat add four cups of broth (or stock) to the pot with the vegetables. Bring to a rolling boil then reduce the heat to medium-low.
  • Add the orzo pasta, the chicken base, and the lemon juice to the pot. Cook for 10-12 minutes.
  • Add the diced or shredded chicken. Reduce the heat to low. Add the fresh thyme, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Cook for an additional two minutes.
  • Add the baby spinach to the pot and stir until the spinach is wilted. Taste the soup then season with salt and pepper as needed.
  • Serve the fresh soup immediately in bowls, garnished with lemon slices and Parmesan cheese, with a slice of crusty French bread on the side.

Notes

Nutritional calculation does not include bread.

Nutrition

Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 994mg | Potassium: 829mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 6726IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 142mg | Iron: 3mg