Orzo, the rice shaped pasta, replaces traditional noodles in this light and luscious version of chicken noodle soup, brightened by the addition of fresh lemon juice and dill.
Prep Time10mins
Cook Time15mins
Total Time25mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 201
Author: Martha McKinnon | Simple Nourished Living
Ingredients
4cupsreduced sodium chicken broth
1/2teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
1/4teaspoonblack pepper (or more to taste)
2mediumuncooked carrots, sliced into thin rounds
1smallfennel bulb, thinly sliced and then chopped
1/2cupuncooked orzo pasta
1cupchopped cooked skinless chicken breast
2tablespoonsfresh lemon juice
2tablespoonsfresh dill (or more to taste)
Instructions
In a large soup pot, combine broth, salt and pepper; bring to a boil over high heat.
Add carrots, fennel and orzo; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer, with a lid partially covering the pot, until orzo and vegetables are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir in chicken; cook until heated through.
Remove pot from heat; stir in lemon juice and dill. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt, pepper, dill, and/or lemon juice as necessary to suit your tastes.
Recipe Notes
I added 1/2 cup of frozen peas for more color and bulk.
Orzo, the rice shaped pasta, replaces traditional noodles in this light and luscious version of chicken noodle soup, brightened by the addition of fresh lemon juice and dill. If you don't have orzo, any small cut of pasta would work.
Fresh dill and lemon juice add delightful brightness. But any fresh herb such as parsley, basil or cilantro would work well.
I had leftover cooked chicken breast tenderloins in the fridge. Any cooked chicken breast, including rotisserie chicken, would work.
The recipe calls for fennel. If you are not familiar with it, fennel is a bulbous vegetable with a stalks that look like celery and a wispy, fronded top that looks like dill. The fronds can be used in salads, but the main part of fennel is the bulb itself. It's very firm and crunchy, and it tastes a little bit like licorice or anise. It has a fresh, bright taste and is used a lot in Italian and Mediterranean cooking.
If you don't have fennel, substitute 2 stalks of thinly sliced celery instead.