We were first introduced to this soup at our niece's birthday party last year. She was born in the winter and there is always a huge family and friend's party in December for her (there is also one for her brother in August). Scaled up to serve 20, the recipe as given to us calls for quite a bit of ingredients. We scaled it back down to a more managable 6-8 servings and enjoy every bite. The orzo does continue to soak up the broth so leftovers either become "not" soup or need additional broth added.
- 9 C. chicken stock
- 2 t. olive oil
- 1 1/3 C. carrots, chipped
- 1 1/3 C. onions, chopped
- 1 C. celery, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 t. fresh thyme
- 2 t. salt
- 1 C. shredded cooked chicken
- 8 oz. orzo pasta, uncooked
- 1/4 C. fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 2 1/2 t. lemon rind, grated
- 1/4 C. fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 t. fresh ground black pepper
- 1/4 C. romano cheese, grated
- Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven.
- Add carrot, onion, celery, garlic, thyme, lemon rind, and salt. Saute over medium heat until vegetables begin to soften.
- Add chicken stock and lemon juice. Bring to a boil.
- Add chicken and orzo. Simmer until orzo is cooked through.
- Just before serving, add parsley. Garnish with black pepper and romano cheese.
Enjoy every last tasty drop of soup that night or as leftovers. Yum!