Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Chimichurri Drizzle

Ingredients :

·       1 tablespoon olive oil

                 ·       ½ medium yellow onion, finely     chopped

·       1 medium leek, finely chopped

·       2 stalks celery, finely chopped

·       1 medium carrots, finely chopped

·       4 large cloves garlic, minced

·       3 eggs

·       8 cups low-sodium chicken broth

·       ½ cup miso paste

·       1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or a rotisserie chicken, it saves time and already has flavor

·       2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

·       3 bay leaves, 2 sprigs of thyme 

·       1 cup orzo, uncooked

·       ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

·       zest of one large lemon

·       kosher salt & black pepper, to taste

·       chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

·       Drizzle with Green Curry Chimichurri

INSTRUCTIONS

·       Chop carrots, leeks and celery and thyme

·       Heat olive oil medium heat in a large pot or Dutch oven.

·       Add chopped onions, leeks, celery, and carrots. Sauté until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

·       Stir in minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.

·       Pour chicken broth into pot

·       Add chicken breasts (wait till later to add in if using rotisserie), miso, Italian seasoning, and bay leaves. Bring mixture to a simmer. Cover pot, reduce heat, and let chicken cook in simmering broth for 20 minutes, or until cooked through and reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. 

·       Transfer cooked chicken to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Then shred chicken into bite-size pieces or chop it. Or skip this step if you are using rotisserie

·       While chicken is cooking, crack 3 eggs into a medium sized bowl (we are going to temper the eggs to thicken the soup)

·       Once eggs are mixed in the bowl, slowly pour some of the hot soup broth in while constantly stirring it! (you don’t want to scramble your eggs)

·       Once tempered (usually a cup of liquid should do the trick) pour the mixture into the soup to thicken it!

·       While waiting for chicken to cool, stir orzo into the soup and continue simmering until orzo is cooked to al dente, usually about 8-10 minutes.

·       Add shredded chicken to the soup. (This is when you’ll add in the rotisserie chicken if using)

·       Season soup with salt & pepper to taste, some chicken bouillon powder if you have it, then stir in fresh lemon juice and zest. Once soup is all warmed, it's time to serve.

·       Ladle hot soup into individual bowls and garnish with fresh parsley. Offer additional fresh lemon slices if desired, for even more lemon flavor.

·       Drizzle with Green Curry Chimichurri