Chicken Lemon & Orso Soup

The Perfect Soup Recipe for the Fall
From http://www.divinecaroline.com/33614/86941-perfect-soup-recipe-fall
By: Genny Heikka


This recipe I’m sharing hasn’t always been my favorite. In fact, I didn’t even know about it until a few weeks ago.

See, we have these great neighbors named Sam and Michelle (actually all our neighbors are great, but that’s another post).

And a few weeks ago, I woke up sick. Really sick, which is strange for me because I hardly ever get sick to the point where I have to cancel things and stay home.

When Sam found out I was sick, he offered to bring over some soup that he was making for Michelle and their girls that night.

It was magic soup, he said. (Well, not really, but he did swear by it, saying that any time someone who is sick eats it, they feel better the next day.)

Of course I accepted his offer.

And not only did I feel better the next day, I found my new favorite fall recipe.

The soup was delicious. I mean delicious. My daughter loved it so much, she even ate leftovers for breakfast the next morning. His is a soup you want to make on a cozy fall night. Especially if you aren’t feeling well.

No surprise, I asked for the recipe.

Here’s what Sam sent:

Greek Chicken, Lemon, and Orzo Soup
Ingredients:
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves pressed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
One 32 ounce carton chicken broth
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup of uncooked orzo
1 and 1/2 cups cooked diced chicken
1 cup chopped zucchini
1 tablespoon lemon juice-fresh squeezed
1/2block of feta cheese (3–4 ounce) crumbled for soup
Fresh snipped parsley for garnish

Preparation:

* Heat oil in 3 qt sauce pan over med heat until hot.
* Add onion, garlic, and oregano. Cook and stir for 3 minutes.
* Add broth, water, and black pepper and bring to a boil.
* Stir in orzo; cook stirring occasionally for 8 minutes or until orzo is tender.
* Meanwhile, dice up the chicken (I use chicken breast and if you have the chicken cooked up in advance you can save loads of time on this recipe)
* Chop the zucchini into 1 inch spears, then add to the broth, cooking for only one minute.
* Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice.
* Ladle soup into bowls sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of Feta cheese and parsley garnish, if desired. (If you really want to push the Greek theme, serve this soup with Baked Pita Chips.)

Notes and variations: I typically double or triple a soup recipe for multiple meals or guests dining. I always bolster garlic and lemon juice with this recipe. Feel free to experiment with your own preferences. Enjoy!

Final note: if you or a family member is ailing, the trick to a speedy recovery is to have this soup with one glass of red wine. Supposedly the synergistic effects are the cure-all. It has worked for me before.