Lynbrook | New Hyde Park | NY

orzo

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Chicken Vegetable and Orzo Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 large chicken breasts)
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
  • 2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 14 oz packaged, grated mixed vegetables (like corn, green beans, and carrots, or canned vegetables listed in Tips)
  • 1/2 cup whole-wheat orzo
  • 1 cup frozen spinach
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 3 cups water

Directions

  1. Add chicken broth, water, thyme, and dill into a large, heavy-duty pot. Bring to a boil over high heat.
  2. When boiling, use tongs to add chicken breasts into the water. Cover, lowering heat to medium or medium-low, so liquid is at a simmer. Cook until chicken is fully-cooked, about 15 to 20 minutes. (Cut into the chicken to check that it is fully cooked.) When chicken is done, use tongs to transfer chicken from soup onto a plate. Carefully, cut chicken into a few pieces to cool quickly.
  3. Stir in orzo, frozen vegetables, spinach, and lemon juice. Let soup cook over medium heat until orzo is cooked, about 10 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, when chicken has cooled down, cut into chunks. Add chicken to the soup when orzo has cooked its 10 minutes, stirring and cooking until chicken is warm, just a couple minutes. Remove soup from heat and serve.

You can find the original recipe from Recipes.heart.org here!

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Greek Lemon Chicken and Orzo

Prep: 15 MINUTES

Cook: 10 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound orzo, cooked according to package directions and drained
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil for pan + more for finished dish, as desired
  • 1 medium sweet Vidalia onion, diced small
  • 1.25 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces, seasoned with salt and pepper
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 to 4 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
  • 5 ounces fresh spinach (about 4 giant handfuls)
  • 1/2 English cucumber, diced small
  • 1 1/2 cups sliced cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest, or to taste
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
  • 6 ounces crumbled feta cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

  • To a large pot, add the orzo and cook according to package directions. Drain and return to pot.
  • While orzo is cooking, to a large skillet add 3 tablespoons olive oil, onions, and cook for about 3 minutes; stir intermittently.
  • Add the chicken, season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, oregano, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until cooked through; flip and stir frequently to ensure even cooking.
  • Add the garlic, stir to combine, and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant.
  • Transfer the chicken, onions, and any cooking juices to the large pot with the drained orzo.
  • Add the spinach (looks like a lot but it will wilt) and stir to incorporate. Stir for about 2 minutes, or until it begins to wilt.
  • Add the cucumbers, tomatoes, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and stir well to incorporate.
  • Add the feta and stir to combine. Tip – If you want the feta to remain more intact, don’t add it until the chicken and orzo have cooled down a bit, or it will melt, which is totally fine, you just won’t see the white crumbles.
  • Taste, and as desired, add additional salt. I added an additional approximately 2 teaspoons because it’s a very large quantity of orzo, chicken, and vegetables.
  • If desired, drizzle in additional olive oil. I recommend another approximately 2 tablespoons for both flavor and so that the orzo doesn’t stick as it cools. Serve immediately.

NUTRITION INFORMATION:

YIELD:

 8 

SERVING SIZE:

 1
Amount Per Serving:

CALORIES: 388

TOTAL FAT: 13g CARBOHYDRATES: 37g  PROTEIN: 31g

You can find the original recipe from Averie Cooks here!