Quick Chicken & Orzo Soup

Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine, this is one of the easiest soup recipes for you today…Chicken and Orzo Soup. Not only is this one super hearty, but it contains veggies—bonus! So, it can easily be a one-dish dinner that leaves you with only a cutting board, knife, and pot to clean—exactly what we all need this time of year.

Ingreadient

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 onion (minced)
• 5 carrots (peeled, trimmed, and diced)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (double if you like a little kick)
• 6 cups chicken stock/broth
• 3/4 cup whole-wheat orzo pasta (uncooked)
• 3 cups shredded/chopped cooked chicken (I used The Best Whole Chicken in a Crockpot, but you could also sub rotisserie)
• 3 cups fresh spinach leaves (chopped)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 lemon (juiced)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill (chopped)

Step by step

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion and the carrots (while stirring) until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and the red pepper, and cook for another minute.
2. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until al dente, about 6 minutes.
3. Stir in the chicken, spinach, cream, lemon juice, salt, and dill, and simmer until heated all the way through. Ladle into bowls and serve.