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SPRING CHICKEN SOUP LEMON ORZO recipe, served and ready to eat, easy homemade dinner
Olivia Farnsworth

Spring Chicken Soup Lemon Orzo Cozy Perfect Weeknight Meal

This Spring Chicken Soup Lemon Orzo is a bright, refreshing, and creamy without cream, making it an ideal easy dinner for a weeknight dinner or family dinner. Enjoy a flavorful one pot chicken soup featuring tender lemon orzo pasta and shredded chicken that warms you up and satisfies your cravings.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 hearty servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 carrots, peeled and diced
  • half of an onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8–10 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup whole wheat orzo
  • 3-ish cups cooked chicken (I use shredded rotisserie chicken)
  • 3 eggs
  • juice of 3–4 lemons (about 1/2 cup)
  • a handful of fresh spinach
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • lots of freshly ground pepper
  • as much fresh dill as you can handle

Method
 

  1. Warm a large soup pot over medium heat and drizzle in the olive oil. Toss in the diced carrots, onion, and garlic and cook gently until the veggies are soft and fragrant, about 10 minutes—just watch the garlic so it doesn’t brown too much.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth and bring everything to a simmer. Stir in the orzo and keep cooking until it becomes tender, then mix in the shredded chicken and take the pot off the heat.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and lemon juice. To prevent them from scrambling, gradually ladle some warm soup into the egg mixture while stirring.
  4. Slowly pour the egg mixture back into the soup pot bit by bit, stirring continuously to create a silky, creamy texture.
  5. Stir in fresh spinach, salt, freshly ground pepper, and plenty of dill. Taste the soup and tweak the seasoning if necessary before serving.

Notes

  • Use 8 cups of broth for a thicker, chunkier soup and 10 cups if you prefer it more brothy. This soup reheats well, but the orzo may absorb liquid, so add extra broth or water during reheating to loosen it up. Be careful when adding the egg mixture to avoid scrambling—add soup slowly and stir constantly. For a vegetarian version, substitute the chicken with white beans or another plant-based protein.