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Original video by @applesauceandadhd — all credit to the creator.

Jessica Secrest

Creamy Chicken Lemon Orzo Soup

A cozy one-pot soup of seared chicken, garlicky buttered vegetables, and orzo simmered in a bright, lemony broth made rich with cream of chicken and a Parmesan rind. Spinach is stirred in at the end to finish it.

Americansoupchickenorzolemonone-pot

Ingredients

  • —chicken · seasoned on both sides
  • —oil
  • —butter
  • —garlic
  • —carrots
  • —onion
  • —celery
  • —salt · go light, since the bouillon adds salt
  • —black pepper · freshly cracked
  • —water
  • —chicken bouillon powder · or use chicken stock in place of the water and bouillon
  • —bay leaves
  • —cream of chicken soup mix · or a can of any cream-of soup
  • 1lemon · zest of the whole lemon, juice of half
  • 1Parmesan rind
  • 1 1/2 cupsorzo
  • 3 handfulsbaby spinach · torn

Steps

  1. 1

    Season the chicken. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large pot, place the chicken seasoned side down, and season the other side. Sear it, then set it aside. It will still be raw inside.

  2. 2

    Lower the heat and add butter to the oil. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.

  3. 3

    Add the carrots, onion, and celery. Season with black pepper and a little salt, then cook until softened.

  4. 4

    Nestle the chicken on top of the vegetables. Add plenty of water, the bouillon powder, and the bay leaves.

  5. 5

    Cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through.

  6. 6

    Take the chicken out and shred it into large pieces.

  7. 7

    Mix up the cream of chicken soup mix and stir it into the pot. Bring the soup back to a simmer.

  8. 8

    Add the zest of the lemon, the juice of half the lemon, and the Parmesan rind.

  9. 9

    Once the soup is simmering, add the orzo and return the shredded chicken to the pot.

  10. 10

    Before the orzo is fully done, tear the baby spinach into the pot. Keep cooking until the orzo is tender.

  11. 11

    Taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove the bay leaves and Parmesan rind before serving.

Creator's notes

Season every layer as you go. Go light on the salt, since the bouillon adds plenty. Save your Parmesan rinds, because they add nuttiness and depth. Only half a lemon's juice is used so the soup isn't too lemony. If you don't have cream of chicken soup, any canned cream-of soup works.

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