Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
• 1 ½ cup carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more if desired
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1.5 lbs boneless chicken breasts
• 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta, whole-wheat or regular
• 4 cups curly green kale, chopped
• ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
• Juice of two lemons
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions:

Stove Top

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, add the oil and heat over medium-high heat to warm. Add the onion, carrots and celery to Dutch oven and sauté for about 7 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften. Stir intermittently. Add the garlic and sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add the chicken broth, bay in leaves, oregano, thyme, rosemary, pepper, salt, and chicken.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.
4. When chicken is fully cooked, remove from pot and shred using two forks.
5. Return soup to a simmer, add orzo, cook for 8-10 minutes stirring occasionally to prevent orzo from sticking. Want orzo to be al dente.
6. Add chicken back in along with kale, parsley and lemon juice.
7. Cook 3-5 more minutes until kale wilts.
8. Remove bay leaves, season to taste and add more liquid to reach desired consistency (I added 2 more cups).
9. Pour soup into bowls and serve with lemon wedges and crackers or bread, if desired.

Slow Cooker

1. Add everything except for the orzo, kale, parsley and lemon juice to slow cooker and cover with lid. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 7-8 hours.
2. Once chicken is cooked throughout, remove the chicken from the slow cooker to shred. 
3. Stir in orzo and kale, cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes or until orzo has cooked and kale has wilted. 
4. Remove bay leaves and stir in shredded chicken, parsley and lemon juice. Season to taste and add additional broth if desired.
5. Pour soup into bowls and serve with lemon wedges and crackers or bread, if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 soup Calories: 362kcal Carbohydrates: 40g Protein: 32g Fat: 7g Saturated Fat: 1g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 3g Cholesterol: 55mg Sodium: 744mg Potassium: 422mg Fiber: 7g Sugar: 9g