January is Prime Soup Time

When we visit my parents, my husband is never shy to ask if there are frozen servings of my dad’s Chicken Orzo Soup to take home. Soup season is my favorite time of year, until spring starts to tease.

Make your own broth or use a good quality, low-sodium store brand chicken stock. It’s the lemon juice, tomatoes and herbs that make this soup special and a favorite in our family. I prefer to cut the vegetables in a consistent size when preparing the soup ingredients. That’s so the diner gets a spoonful of all the flavors, instead of one vegetable crowding out another.

Make a vegetarian version by substituting the chicken and chicken broth with 3 cups of prepared white beans and low-sodium vegetable broth. You'll need to rename the soup to something like Fabulous White Bean and Herb Soup. Or, you can try my vegetarian Tomato Orzo Soup.

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Dad’s Chicken Orzo Soup

Recipe: Phoebe Canakis, PhoebesPureFood.com

Yield: 8-10 servings

Keep in mind that the longer the soup rests, the more liquid the pasta or rice will absorb and it may become stew-like. Serve immediately or prepare the pasta separately and add to the soup just before serving.

Ingredients

• • 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• • 1 medium sweet onion (about 5 ounces), chopped

• • 2 tsp chopped fresh garlic

• • 2 ribs (about 4 ounces) celery, chopped

• • 2 medium carrots (about 10 ounces), chopped

• • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

• • 1 pound skinless chicken breast (whole)

• • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

• • 1/2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning

• • 2 tsp Italian herbs blend

• • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

• • 1/4 tsp rosemary powder

• • 1 dried bay leaf

• • 1/3 cup dry orzo noodles (substitute brown rice for a gluten-free soup)

• • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

• • Sea salt

• • Freshly cracked pepper

Instructions

1. 1. In a 3-quart pan, sauté the onions in olive oil over medium heat. Cook and stir the onions until they become tender; add the garlic, celery and carrots. Continue to cook for 8 minutes.

1. 1. Add the broth, chicken, tomatoes, lemon pepper, herbs, turmeric, rosemary and bay leaf; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes.

1. 1. Remove the chicken breast; shred chicken using two forks and add back to the broth.

1. 1. Add the orzo and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes.

1. 1. Season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper.