Easy Creamy Chicken Orzo Soup

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp Butter
• 1 Yellow onion (Medium, diced)
• 3 Carrots (Diced)
• 3 Celery stalks (Diced)
• 2.5 tbsp Jarred minced garlic (Use 2–3 tablespoons)
• 2 tbsp All-purpose flour
• 7 cup Chicken broth (Use 6–8 cups, depending on how thick you like the soup)
• 2 Potatoes (Peeled and diced)
• 1 Parmesan rind
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp Dried thyme
• 2 tbsp Dried parsley (Plus fresh parsley for topping)
• Salt (To taste)
• Black pepper (To taste)
• 1 tbsp Garlic powder
• 1 tbsp Onion powder
• 2 cup Cooked chicken (Shredded)
• 1 cup Orzo
• 1 cup Heavy cream
• Spinach (Optional; about 2 large handfuls)
• Fresh parsley (For topping)
• Grated Parmesan (For topping)

Steps

1. 1

   Melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.

2. 2

   Add the diced onion, carrots, celery, and jarred minced garlic. Cook for about 7–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and fragrant but not deeply browned.

3. 3

   Add the flour and stir thoroughly to coat the vegetables. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, so the raw flour flavor cooks away.

4. 4

   Pour in the chicken broth, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot to incorporate the flour and vegetables into the liquid.

5. 5

   Add the diced potatoes, Parmesan rind, Italian seasoning, dried thyme, dried parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.

6. 6

   Bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are almost tender when pierced with a fork.

7. 7

   Stir in the shredded cooked chicken and orzo.

8. 8

   Continue simmering for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the orzo from sticking, until the orzo is tender and the chicken is heated through.

9. 9

   Stir in the heavy cream and optional spinach. Cook for 2–3 minutes, until the cream is warmed and the spinach is wilted.

10. 10

    Remove and discard the Parmesan rind. Taste the soup and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.

11. 11

    Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with fresh parsley and extra grated Parmesan, and serve with homemade garlic bread.

Notes

Use 6 cups of broth for a thicker soup or up to 8 cups for a thinner consistency. The post suggests serving the soup with homemade garlic bread.

Nutrition per serving

• soup
• main dish
• cozy meal
• creamy
• chicken
• one-pot
• family dinner
• fall