I really love soup. I like to make it on the weekend, and then take it for lunch during the week. It’s filling and satisfying - and most of the time calorie friendly. I’ve seen a couple of recipes for Lemon Chicken Orzo soup and created this version as a combination of all of them. It’s easy and the extra work of roasting the chicken pays off with the extra rich flavor of the homemade chicken stock.
Ingredients:
1 roasting chicken, cut into pieces
Seasoning salt
4 celery ribs cut in half or thirds
2 carrots cut into half or thirds
3 garlic cloves, crushed
7 cups water
1 onion cut in half
1 cup water
1 cup orzo
1 celery heart, chopped
½ onion, finely chopped
1 ½ cup of baby carrots, cut into thirds
1 lemon, zested
1 lemon, juiced
Directions:
Cut the chicken into pieces – 2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks, 2 wings, and back. Remove the skin from the thighs and drumsticks; season with seasoning salt. Place on a baking sheet with sides or in a baking dish. Cook in 400 degree oven for 1 ½ hours – turning every 30 minutes.
Remove chicken from oven. After removing the chicken pieces from the roasting pan add the one cup of warm water to the roasting pan. Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. I allowed the warm water to sit in the pan while I worked on the next step. I came back every few minutes and scraped the bottom of the pan with a spatula. You want to get all of that brown goodness to add to your soup.
Place chicken back, and wings into a soup pot. Remove the chicken meat from the breasts, thighs and drumsticks. Place bones in soup pot as well. Add water, 4 celery ribs, 2 carrots, onion cut in half and garlic cloves. Add water from roasting pan as well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours.
Strain the chicken stock into a clean soup pot. Add the chopped celery heart, onion and carrots to the soup pot, along with a bit more water – if needed. Cook for about 45 minutes.
Cut the chicken meat into bite sized pieces, add to the soup pot along with the orzo. Continue cooking until the orzo is done.
Ingredients:
1 roasting chicken, cut into pieces
Seasoning salt
4 celery ribs cut in half or thirds
2 carrots cut into half or thirds
3 garlic cloves, crushed
7 cups water
1 onion cut in half
1 cup water
1 cup orzo
1 celery heart, chopped
½ onion, finely chopped
1 ½ cup of baby carrots, cut into thirds
1 lemon, zested
1 lemon, juiced
Directions:
Cut the chicken into pieces – 2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks, 2 wings, and back. Remove the skin from the thighs and drumsticks; season with seasoning salt. Place on a baking sheet with sides or in a baking dish. Cook in 400 degree oven for 1 ½ hours – turning every 30 minutes.
Remove chicken from oven. After removing the chicken pieces from the roasting pan add the one cup of warm water to the roasting pan. Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. I allowed the warm water to sit in the pan while I worked on the next step. I came back every few minutes and scraped the bottom of the pan with a spatula. You want to get all of that brown goodness to add to your soup.
Place chicken back, and wings into a soup pot. Remove the chicken meat from the breasts, thighs and drumsticks. Place bones in soup pot as well. Add water, 4 celery ribs, 2 carrots, onion cut in half and garlic cloves. Add water from roasting pan as well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours.
Strain the chicken stock into a clean soup pot. Add the chopped celery heart, onion and carrots to the soup pot, along with a bit more water – if needed. Cook for about 45 minutes.
Cut the chicken meat into bite sized pieces, add to the soup pot along with the orzo. Continue cooking until the orzo is done.
Add the lemon zest and lemon juice to the soup. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.
When you serve you could sprinkle with some fresh parsley, or basil, or dill. Delish!
When you serve you could sprinkle with some fresh parsley, or basil, or dill. Delish!
