This soup is super flavorful due to the variety of vegetables in the soup. It features fennel, garlic and leeks along with the standard of carrots and celery. Although the chicken is not cooked in the broth for this recipe, it has loads of great flavor. Cooked orzo and spinach is added at the end.
When it’s freezing out and in the middle of Winter as it is now, this soup is perfect to warm you up.
Although I forget to add the spinach to this soup at the end, it was super, super flavorful. I must admit I bought escarole to add to the soup instead of the spinach as I am not a fan of spinach when it is cooked. I can always saute the escarole in some garlic and olive oil for a vegetable side so it won’t go to waste. 
How do you make this great soup?
It’s super easy. It used chicken thighs which I already had in the freezer. I roasted the thawed chicken thighs with a little oil brushed on them in a 325 degree F oven for about 30 minutes. Cool and cut into a dice. Set aside.
While the chicken is cooking heat a pan of water to boiling. Add the uncooked orzo and cook until al dente according to package directions, or cook for about 10 minutes. Drain, and set aside. Drizzle with a little olive oil and mix together so it doesn’t stick.
In a stockpot, add oil and add the fennel, carrots and celery. Saute until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add leeks and garlic and saute until leeks look translucent.
Add the chicken stock and simmer for abbot 10 minutes.
Add chicken meat and orzo to soup. Saute for about 5 minutes. Add parsley and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Before serving, add spinach or other greens of your choice and simmer until cooked.
As you can see anyone can make this great soup! And the leek and fennel gives some great and unusual flavor. 
Next time you want a great comforting soup, you’ve got to try this soup!
Chicken, Vegetable, Orzo Soup
Equipment
- 1 Stockpot
- 1 Baking sheet lined with foil
Ingredients
- 1 lb Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1/4 cup or so olive or canola oil
- 1 tsp celery salt
- 1 tsp celery salt
- 1 cup uncooked orzo
- 1 small bulb fennel, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2-3 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
- 3-4 ribs celery, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 leeks, white parts diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 Tbsp garlic, chopped fresh
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 3 cups baby spinach leaves or other soup greens
- 1 Tbsp parsley, dried or 2 Tbsp fresh
- 2 Tbsp kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Line a sheet pan with foil and place chicken thighs on it. Brush with oil. Season with some celery salt and fresh ground pepper. Bake for 30 minutes, Remove from the oven and left cool. Cut into a dice and set aside.
- In a large stockpot, heat about 6 cups water to boiling. Add orzo and cook until al dente or about 10 minutes. Drain and lay out on a tray or sheet pan to cool. Drizzle with some olive oil and mix in, so the orzo doesn't stick together.
- In the same stockpot that you made the orzo in, heat remaining tablespoon or so oil over medium heat, and add the fennel, carrots and celery. Saute until the vegetables are soften, about 5-6 minutes.
- Add the leeks and garlic and cook until leeks are translucent or begin to soften.
- Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Add the diced chicken meat and orzo, and return to simmer. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Add in parsley, salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the spinach or other soup greens and simmer until cooked.
Notes
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