We ate it all up! It was quick and easy and perfect. The lemon brightened it beautifully and as my husband said “the heavy cream really makes this dish.” Yum yum yum We added a handful of spinach which was easy and you couldn’t really taste it. Even my toddler ate this up. Can’t say enough good things. We will definitely make this again (soon)! comment icon 42 more comments This soup is a pantry essential with just a few ingredients coming straight out of the cupboards: tomato paste, garlic, broth, and orzo. And this is one of those cases where simplicity just wins.
The Flavor Of This Soup
This chicken orzo tomato soup can be a little bit of a chameleon – you can give it the flavors that you like. You build the base by caramelizing tomato paste and garlic (idea coming from a recipe in a Milkstreet cookbook!) and you can spice to your heart’s delight. I like to stay in the mainstream flavor zone for this one with Italian seasoning (almost has a pizza-like flavor to it with the tomato paste and garlic), but I feel like smoked paprika or other more zippy herbs could also be successful. The version I was inspired by in the Milkstreet cookbook had mint as one of the herbs! I wasn’t quite ready for the mint jump, but I’m just saying, you have options. Let the spirit lead!
In This Post: Everything You Need For Chicken Orzo Soup
My Preferred Orzo
I consistently use DeLallo orzo – it is made IN ITALY and it’s bronze cut, which gives it unparalleled texture. It’s available in both semolina and whole wheat varieties, which is just really wonderful. Whole wheat orzo can be almost impossible to find, so if you’re looking for a stock-up, DeLallo is your place. We’ve worked with DeLallo forEVER and we love their products.
The Pesto Bread Dip Situation
Let it be known that I am a big fan of homemade pesto here, and I find that the best way to do things is to first dunk your bread in the pesto (it’s thick, flavorful, and delicious) and then dunk your pesto-ed bread into the soup. SO GOOD. Fresh flavor in every nook and cranny. I still have a bunch of basil left in my garden that is nearing the end of its life (aka winter is coming), so I am excited to be making a bunch of pesto right now. And the flavor – ugh. It’s so fresh and so good. I was licking the remnants of it right out of the food processor. This recipe is so easy that I promise this extra step won’t feel like too much.
Variations On This Chicken Orzo Soup
Few ideas if you want to play around with it:
Get some wilted greens right up in the soup! Try white beans in addition to (or instead of) chicken. Reduce the broth and use ground Italian sausage for your protein – think Hamburger Helper but Italian style and homemade. Yum. Omit any additional protein at all and just serve it like a spaghetti-o’s old school bowl of soup! Truly so magical. Use cashew cream instead of heavy cream. Add some pureed roasted red peppers for a red pepper flavor.
What To Serve With This
I mean, bread is a given. A take-and-bake loaf is great – but if you want to make your own, you need to try this No-Knead Miracle Bread. Salad is nice – just something to really make this into a real you-pick-two lunch or dinner situation. And yes, once again, I would recommend the Simple Green Salad that goes with everything. And if you want to go all-out with your veggies, Liz’s Roasted Broccoli Salad is legitimately exciting every single time. This soup is cozy and comforting, easy and crowd-pleasing, and kind of just a love letter to all things simple and uncomplicated. Thank you, chicken and orzo! Thanks to DeLallo for sponsoring this recipe! 4.7 from 24 reviews For the pesto, I blitz 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 clove garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste), 1 cup packed basil leaves, and 1 cup packed other greens, like spinach (!), in a food processor until it makes crumbles; then I drizzle in about 1/4 cup olive oil until it comes together into a sauce. Finish with a bunch of lemon juice and you’re good to go! Perfect bread-and-soup dunking companion.
More Favorites with Orzo
Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo (fresh, filling, and so vibrant) Greek Baked Orzo (all baked in a skillet) Chicken Meatballs with Peppers and Orzo (this is the BEST combo)
