Chicken and orzo never fails. It is a recipe that can’t go wrong. You can make the chicken and orzo into a tomato soup-like dish, and it will be a dinner everyone loves. It is almost SOS-level easy.
This soup is an essential pantry item. It only requires a few ingredients: tomato paste (orzo), garlic, broth, and broth. This is a case where simplicity wins.
This Soup Has a Delicious Flavor
You can customize the flavor of this chicken orzo soup to suit your tastes. The base is made by caramelizing garlic and tomato paste (idea from a Milkstreet recipe!). You can add as much spice as you like. For this recipe, I prefer to stick to the more mainstream flavors of Italian seasoning and tomato paste (which almost has a pizza flavor with the garlic and tomato paste). Still, smoked paprika is also a good option. In the Milkstreet Cookbook, the version that inspired me included mint among the herbs. I was not quite ready to make the mint leap, but you still have other options. Let your spirit guide you!
Orzo My Preferred
DeLallo Orzo is my go-to orzo. It’s made in Italy and has a bronze cut for a unique texture. The whole wheat and semolina varieties are both available, which is great. DeLallo has a great selection of whole wheat orzo, which is hard to find.
Pesto bread dip Situation
It should be noted that I’m a huge fan of homemade, delicious pesto. I think the best thing to do is to dip your bread first in it (it’s thick and flavorful) and then into the soup. SO GOOD.
Every nook and corner is bursting with flavor.
I have a lot of basil in my garden, but it is getting close to the end (aka winter will be here soon), so I’m excited to make some pesto now. The flavor is a real snooze. It’s fresh and delicious. I licked the leftovers right out of the processor.
This recipe is so simple that this extra step will not feel too much.
There are many variations to this chicken orzo soup
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Add some wilted leaves to the soup!
- White beans can be added to or substituted for chicken.
- Use ground Italian sausage instead of broth as your protein. Think Hamburger Helper, but homemade and Italian. Yum.
- Serve it as a bowl of old-school spaghetti soup without any protein! It’s truly magical.
- Cashew cream can be used in place of heavy cream.
- Pureed roasted peppers can be added to the recipe for a red pepper flavor.
What to Serve with This
Bread is an obvious choice. If you’re looking to make your bread, try this no-knead miracle loaf.
Salad would be nice to make it a “pick two” lunch or dinner. Yes, again, the simple green salad goes with everything.
If you’re looking for a truly exciting salad, Liz’s Roasted Broccoli Salad will not disappoint.
Ingredients
- Two tablespoons DeLallo Private Reserve Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 Cloves You can also find out more about the following: Thinly sliced or minced
- 1/4 DeLallo Tomato Paste
- Half a teaspoon of Italian seasoning
- Four chicken broth
- Salt is a taste.
- 1 DeLallo Orzo Pasta
- 2 Chop or shred Cooked chicken. I use the meat pulled from a rotisserie bird.
- 1/4 heavy cream
- 1 – 2 water as desired
- parmesan; you can find out more about this by clicking here. , Red pepper flakes. Lemon Serving
- You can also read about it here: Serving
- Pesto Notes on how to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oils in a soup pan over medium heat. See notes for the type of pan you should use! Add the garlic and sauté for 1-2 mins until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the tomato paste and Italian seasoning and cook for about 5 minutes until it caramelizes and becomes a dark red color.
- Add the broth slowly until it becomes a liquid. It is now time to add the salt. I suggest tasting the juice and adjusting it according to how salty it is. If you want to add salt, start with 1/2 teaspoon and then add more.
- Add the orzo, and simmer the mixture for 10 minutes or until the orzo has softened. Add more water or broth if necessary to achieve the desired consistency. Add heavy cream.
- Add the chicken to the pan and squeeze in some lemon juice.
- Serve with Parmesan cheese, herbs, and red pepper flakes. Also, serve hot crusty bread. Serve with a side of pesto to dip the bread into before dunking it in the soup. YUM. So good!