I’ve got one of the easiest soup recipes for you today…Chicken and Orzo Soup. Not only is this one super hearty, but it contains veggies—bonus! So, it can easily be a one-dish dinner that leaves you with only a cutting board, knife, and pot to clean—exactly what we all need this time of year.
Plus, I have a tip for you. If you make the chicken in your slow cooker the day before, you can also make Overnight Chicken Stock in there to use in the soup as well. Not only will it taste SO much better than store-bought broth, but it will save you money and be better for you. What more could you ask for this holiday season? Haha! Well, probably more than just that, but STILL. Not bad, right? I think I’ll double this recipe next time I make it so that I can stash some away in the freezer.
I’ve been wanting a new soup recipe to add to my repertoire for some time now and this one exceeded my expectations! Enjoy.
Quick Chicken & Orzo Soup
Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 onion, minced
- 5 carrots, peeled, trimmed, and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, double if you like a little kick
- 6 cups chicken stock/broth
- 3/4 cup whole-wheat orzo pasta, uncooked
- 3 cups shredded/chopped cooked chicken, I used The Best Whole Chicken in a Crockpot, but you could also sub rotisserie
- 3 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
Instructions
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Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion and the carrots (while stirring) until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and the red pepper, and cook for another minute.
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Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until al dente, about 6 minutes.
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Stir in the chicken, spinach, cream, lemon juice, salt, and dill, and simmer until heated all the way through. Ladle into bowls and serve.
Recipe Notes
Great chicken recipe for this - Best Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot
We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
Holiday Gift Guide 2018 (with some great deals!)
My husband was recently under the weather + it’s cold out = this soup is absolute perfection. We also made enough to have leftovers for lunch at school the next day (we are teachers)! So good. #nomnom
Wow! You did an incredible job with this recipe! It’s delicious! My entire family loved it. Thanks so much for sharing!
Does this soup freeze well?
Jennifer, yes it does. -Nicole
My family loved this soup! I’m glad I doubled the recipe! ;)
This was delicious!! I didn’t have dill but had everything else and it was perfect for the freezing weather today in Chicago!
My whole family really liked it! I had to add a few more cups of broth to make it “soupy”.
Just made this tonight and my 4 littles devoured it!! Asked for seconds and thirds! Omitted the fresh dill but left everything else as is!! Yum!