Winter Warm–Up Days

Italian Chicken Orzo Soup

Total time: 40 minutes (with pre-cooked chicken)

(Serves: 6)

Add plant protein by substituting some beans in place of half the chicken. You can also use turkey instead

of chicken! Adjust all ingredients to your desired taste. This recipe will make a thicker soup. If you want

more liquid texture, adjust levels of diced tomatoes, spices, and broth or vegetables and meat. Use frozen

and pre-sliced/ diced vegetables/meat or combine steps 4 and 5 to make this recipe quicker on a weeknight.

2 tablespoon vegetable oil (half for carrots, half for sautéing) 1.5 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon butter/margarine ~12 ounces (1 can) fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1 large yellow onion, diced 1/3-1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

2 large carrots, sliced in 1-inch rounds 1/3-1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

3 celery stalks, sliced 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/3 tsp garlic powder OR use 3 cloves fresh garlic 1.2L low sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1-1.5 cup orzo pasta

2-3 cups cooked and diced chicken meat 1 bay leaf

½-1 box/bag of spinach

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Bake carrots covered in oil on a sheet pan at 350oF for 20 min. Carrots should be soft (prick through

with a toothpick, but not discoloured/charred). This step can be skipped if short on time (Just add

carrots before celery and sauté for 2-3mn first).

2. Heat oil and melt butter/margarine in a large stock pot over medium-high heat.

3. Add onion (and garlic if using fresh) and sauté for 2 min.

4. Add celery and parsley and sauté for around 3 min

5. Stir in chicken, garlic powder (skip if using fresh garlic), salt, and pepper (all to taste – TIP: use less

now and add more at the end!) and cook for 2 more min, stirring occasionally.

6. Mix in tomato paste and canned tomatoes, thyme, oregano, and rosemary and cook for 2 min.

7. Add broth, orzo pasta, and bay leaves. Stir and bring soup to a boil.

8. Lower heat to a simmer for 5 min, stirring occasionally

9. Add carrots and simmer for another 5 min, until pasta is done!

10. Stir in the baby spinach and remove from heat. Spinach should wilt naturally in a few min.

11. Taste the soup and adjust seasonings as needed.

12. Serve with a toasted bun (Optional: remove bay leaves beforehand)

Submitted by Alina Chen, Dietetic Intern