Orzo Soup with Chicken & Lemon

Makes 6 servings

The perfect alternative to boring chicken noodle soup, this recipe uses a slow cooker to prepare the soup for up to 8 hours, drawing all the flavors of the chicken and vegetables into the broth. Orzo soup is an essential healthy, family-friendly winter meal. Plus, it’s mostly hands-off, so you won’t have to worry about spending a lot of time or effort in the kitchen. Easy and delicious? It’s a win-win!

INGREDIENTS

4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups chicken broth
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
¾ tsp. dried Italian herbs
½ tsp. dried basil
2 dried bay leaves
1 cup orzo
1 handful minced fresh parsley
Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tbsp.)
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a 4-quart slow cooker, combine the two broths, chicken, carrots, celery, garlic, Italian herbs, basil and bay leaves. Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours.
2. About 30 minutes before serving, remove the bay leaves. Shred the chicken with two forks. Add orzo, parsley, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and continue to cook on low, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent the orzo from sticking, for 30 minutes.
3. Serve immediately and enjoy!

NUTRITION • PER ONE SERVING

Calories 310
Total Fat 4.5g (6%)
Saturated Fat 0.913g (5%)
Trans Fat 0g
Total Carbohydrate 28g (10%)
Dietary Fiber 4g (14%)
Total Sugars 4g
Includes 0g
Added Sugars (0%)
Cholesterol 90mg (30%)
Sodium 1380mg (60%)
Protein 40g (80%)
Vitamin D 1.6mcg (8%)
Calcium 62mg (4%)
Iron 3mg (15%)
Potassium 748mg (15%)
Phosphorus (35%)

This AMAZING Recipe can be found in my Mediterranean Meals on a Budget cookbook here