Delicious Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Recipe

A easy but scrumptious Lemon Hen Orzo Soup recipe that everybody within the household will love. In lower than 1 hour, you possibly can have this flavor-packed dish in your dinner desk.

Mild, Zesty, and Comforting

I’ll all the time cheer for the mix of lemon and hen. That is fairly apparent from my favourite lemon pepper wings recipe to the easy lemon hen piccata.

When you love heat and comforting soups, you’ll undoubtedly take pleasure in this Lemon Hen Orzo Soup. It’s gentle, tasty, and full of straightforward components. The lemon provides a recent, zesty taste, and the hen and orzo pasta make it filling with out being too heavy.

Whether or not you’re cooking for your loved ones or simply for your self, this straightforward soup is ideal for any time of 12 months. I’m excited to share this recipe with you!

What’s Orzo and Why Use It in Soup?

Lemon Hen Orzo Soup is a flavorful dish that packs a punch on the subject of textures and tastes. It’s a refreshing twist on traditional hen soup, this lemony model with orzo pasta is each hearty and vivid.

Orzo is a sort of pasta formed like rice. It’s nice in soups as a result of it cooks rapidly and provides a beautiful texture with out making the soup too heavy. When you favor a gluten-free choice, you possibly can substitute orzo with quinoa, rice, or small gluten-free pasta.

The bottom of Lemon Hen Orzo Soup is tasty and is commonly made with hen broth/inventory. Tender items of hen are added, giving the soup a scrumptious, protein-packed factor. The soup itself is hearty, and the distinct characteristic of the Orzo pasta is every little thing. It contributes largely to the flavors and chewiness of this flavorful soup. 

This soup is actually a delight, particularly because the lemony taste caps all of it. I make use of lemon juice and zest to attain this tangy taste. Let’s get into the meal!

Why Lemon Makes Lemon Hen Orzo Soup Particular

The addition of lemon on this soup offers it a recent, tangy kick that balances the savory flavors of the hen and greens. The lemon juice provides brightness, and the zest intensifies the citrus taste, making the soup refreshing and distinctive. When you love gentle, zesty flavors, this lemon twist is what makes the soup stand out.

Components for making lemon hen orzo soup

• Olive oil: Used for frying and including taste to the dish.
• Hen breasts: cooked and shredded
• Onion: Gives taste and aroma to the soup base
• Hen broth: This kinds the liquid base and offers the primary taste basis.
• Veggies (Carrots, Celery, Spinach): Provides sweetness, delicate natural notes, leafy inexperienced element, and a texture to the soup.
• Garlic: Use this to reinforce the general taste and aroma of the dish.
• Dried Oregano: this provides the dish a Mediterranean herb taste
• Dried thyme: Enhances the flavour of the soup
• Salt and pepper to style
• Lemon, juiced and zested: Provides a vivid and tangy citrus factor to the soup.
• Raw Orzo: That is fairly vital within the recipe because it contributes the pasta factor to the dish and provides substance to the recipe. 
• Recent parsley and grated parmesan for garnish (optionally available)

Find out how to make Lemon Hen Orzo Soup

I like how straightforward this recipe is! Simply comply with these easy steps, and in underneath an hour, you’ll have a flavorful meal on the desk:

• Warmth olive oil in a big soup pot over medium warmth. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery till softened, about 5-7 minutes. 
• Add garlic, oregano, and thyme, stirring for 1 minute.
• Pour in hen broth and produce to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add orzo and cook dinner for 10 minutes till tender.
• Shred cooked hen breasts with a fork.
• Stir in shredded hen, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Warmth by means of.
• Garnish with parsley
• Serve scorching and revel in!

What to serve with lemon hen orzo soup

• Garlic Bread: If in case you have questioned what kind of bread you possibly can serve with lemon hen orzo soup, Garlic Bread is an ideal traditional alternative. It enhances the soup’s flavors effectively. 
• Mild Salad: A lightweight and refreshing inexperienced salad with a lemony French dressing additionally balances the meal. Arugula salad or Caesar salad are good pairings with Lemon Hen Orzo Soup. The recent and peppery flavors of Arugula will go effectively with the soup. Identical with the creamy and tangy flavors of the Caesar salad pairing effectively with the citrusy taste of the soup.
• Cheese Platter: A number of cheeses, crackers, fruits, and nuts can provide a wide range of textures and flavors to take pleasure in alongside the soup.
• Grilled or Roasted Greens: Serving roasted veggies like bell peppers, and eggplant offers a savory and smoky aspect to this already tasty recipe.
• Roasted Potatoes: Pair roasted potatoes with this soup for a filling and delectable meal. 

On Leftovers

You’ll be able to undoubtedly retailer the lemon hen orzo soup as leftovers for future meals. It’s an amazing dish for meal prepping and having fun with over just a few days. What you’ll must do is: 

• Permit the soup to chill down barely earlier than storing it. I like to recommend that you simply refrigerate or freeze it inside 2 hours of cooking to make sure meals security. Make sure that to make use of hermetic containers to retailer the soup. Refrigerated lemon hen orzo soup can usually be consumed inside 4-5 days whereas sustaining its high quality.
• Reheat the refrigerated soup. You’ll be able to warmth in microwave-safe containers, stirring in between, to keep away from uneven heating. When reheating, you may want so as to add a splash of extra water to take care of the soup’s consistency, as liquids are inclined to thicken as they cool and are reheated.
• Add extra liquid & recent components: You’ll be able to add extra broth or water to take care of the soup’s consistency. To clean up the leftovers, you possibly can add some recent greens similar to diced carrots, celery, or spinach. Sauté them individually after which add them to the reheated soup.
• Freeze for later: If in case you have a considerable amount of leftovers and don’t plan on consuming them inside just a few days, you possibly can portion out the soup and freeze it for later. Retailer it in hermetic containers or freezer luggage, leaving some room for enlargement. Thaw and reheat when able to take pleasure in.

FAQs

Can I take advantage of vegetable broth as an alternative of hen broth?

Sure. If you need a vegetarian model, you should use vegetable broth. It’s going to alter the flavour profile barely however ought to nonetheless be scrumptious.

Can I substitute the orzo with a unique sort of pasta?

Definitely! You should use different small pasta like mini penne, and even damaged spaghetti. Simply be certain to regulate the cooking time in response to the pasta sort. 

How do I forestall the orzo from overcooking?

To forestall overcooking, cook dinner the orzo individually, after which add it to the soup simply earlier than serving. This helps you keep management over the pasta’s texture.

How can I thicken the soup if it’s too skinny?

If the soup seems thinner than you’d like, you possibly can combine a small quantity of cornstarch with chilly water after which stir it into the simmering soup. Permit it to cook dinner for just a few extra minutes to thicken.

What bread ought to I serve with lemon hen orzo soup? 

Garlic Bread, Crusty Baguette, or French Bread are the right varieties of bread you possibly can serve with lemon hen orzo soup. The crusty exterior and smooth inside present a contrasting texture to the citrusy soup. 

Fast Tricks to be aware

• Prep your components: Chop and cube all of your greens, mince the garlic and shred the hen earlier than you begin cooking. This may make the cooking course of smoother.
• Don’t overcook the pasta: Observe the package deal directions for cooking the orzo. Be conscious to not overcook it, as it can proceed to soak up liquid within the soup.
• Use good high quality hen broth for the perfect taste. Chances are you’ll contemplate low-sodium choices to regulate the soup’s general saltiness.
• Season with salt and pepper fastidiously. Do not forget that the broth may already comprise salt, so style and regulate as wanted.

Different lemony recipes to check out 

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