Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

You’re going to love this easy recipe for Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup. Orzo is basically a cross between pasta and rice. My kids love it. This recipe is like a really easy, creamy version of a chicken noodle soup.

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It’s very much a comfort food, but without quite as much guilt. (There aren’t nearly as many calories as in some of my creamy favorites!) What gives this its creamy consistency is not cream, but eggs. And that’s where you really have to be careful to follow the directions–essential to this recipe’s success.

COOK’S NOTE: You cannot let the soup get too hot or get to boiling before you add the eggs. If you do, you will have scrambled eggs in your soup. (Trust me…)

I served this with cheese toast and the whole family loved it. You will too!

Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Recipe

 

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Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 6 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into small chunks (1 inch diameter)
• Salt (to taste)
• ½ cup onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried)
• 5 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup orzo pasta
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a pot over medium-high heat; season the chicken with salt and add it to the pot.
2. Cook and stir occasionally, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes.
3. Transfer the chicken to a dish; set aside.
4. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pot; add in onions, celery, carrot, and thyme.
5. Cook/stir over medium-high heat until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
6. Add in 5 cups broth and bring to a boil; add in orzo and let simmer until tender, about 8 minutes.
7. Decrease heat to low to keep the soup hot, but not boiling.
8. Warm the remaining 1 cup broth in a small pan until it is hot, but not boiling.
9. In a bowl, beat the eggs; gradually whisk the lemon juice into the eggs; then gradually add the hot broth to the lemon-egg mixture, whisking all the while.
10. Add the mixture to the soup, stirring well until the soup is thickened.

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This recipe is adapted from Ellie Krieger’s Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo.