RecipesLunch
Lunch
Italian Chicken and Orzo Soup
Shredded chicken thigh and orzo in a lemon broth with carrot and celery, scattered with parsley. Warming on a cold day.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 15min
- Cook
- 35min
- Total
- 50min
Programs: Fat Loss, Muscle Gain, Lean Bulk and Recomp, Maintenance, Blood Sugar, Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, Cardiometabolic
Per serving
- Calories
- 331kcal
- Protein
- 29.8g
- Carbs
- 30.6g
- Fat
- 9.5g
- Fibre
- 2.7g
Ingredients
For 4 servings · MetricUS
- 500gchicken thigh fillets, skinless
- 1 tbspolive oil
- 1onion, finely diced
- 2carrots, diced
- 2 stalkscelery, diced
- 3 clovesgarlic, minced
- 1.2 litreschicken stock, from 1.5 stock cubes
- 1bay leaf
- 1 tspdried oregano
- 120gorzo
- 1lemon, juiced
- 3 tbspparsley, chopped
- salt and black pepperto taste
- 17½ ozchicken thigh fillets, skinless
- 1 tbspolive oil
- 1onion, finely diced
- 2carrots, diced
- 2 stalkscelery, diced
- 3 clovesgarlic, minced
- 5 cupschicken stock, from 1.5 stock cubes
- 1bay leaf
- 1 tspdried oregano
- 4.2 ozorzo
- 1lemon, juiced
- 3 tbspparsley, chopped
- salt and black pepperto taste
Method
Build the base.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Cook the chicken.
Pour in the chicken stock and add the bay leaf and oregano. Season with salt and pepper.
Slide the whole chicken thighs into the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer, then partially cover and cook for 18 to 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily.
Lift the chicken out onto a board. Shred it into bite-sized pieces using two forks while the broth keeps simmering. This is easier while the meat is still warm.
Cook the orzo.
Add the orzo to the simmering broth and cook for 8 to 9 minutes, stirring now and then so it doesn't settle and stick to the base of the pot.
Finish and serve.
Return the shredded chicken to the pot and heat through for 2 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the lemon juice and half the parsley. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Ladle into bowls and scatter the remaining parsley over the top.