45 minutes
A bright and comforting soup featuring lemon, thyme, chicken, and orzo.
tablespoons
Small Onion, finely chopped
each
cups
sprigs
teaspoons
teaspoons
Orzo
cups
each
tablespoons
Chopped Fresh Chives
tablespoons
1. Melt Butter and Cook Onion
Start by melting the unsalted butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the finely chopped onion and cook it for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it becomes soft and translucent.
2. Add Broth, Thyme, Salt, Pepper, and Orzo
Next, increase the heat to high and add the chicken broth, fresh thyme sprigs, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, add the orzo and cook it for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the orzo is tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
3. Remove Thyme and Temper Egg Yolks
As soon as the orzo is cooked, remove and discard the thyme sprigs. While the orzo is cooking, whisk together the egg yolks and lemon juice in a bowl until they are well combined. This step is crucial to achieving a smooth and silky soup.
4. Temper Egg Yolk Mixture
Now, to prevent the egg yolks from curdling, you need to temper them. With one hand, whisk the yolk mixture constantly, and with the other hand, slowly pour a ladleful of the hot soup into the bowl. Continue to whisk until the mixture is smooth. Gradually pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan, whisking constantly. This step ensures the soup remains smooth and creamy.
5. Add Chicken and Let Sit
Stir in the shredded rotisserie chicken, cover the saucepan, and let the soup sit for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
6. Serve
Just before serving, sprinkle the chopped fresh chives over the soup for a burst of freshness. Serve the soup immediately, savoring the bright and comforting flavors of lemon and thyme. Enjoy!
Keep chicken in thinly sliced form, swap orzo for rice noodles or keep, add ginger and swap thyme for cilantro or Thai basil, use lime, use chicken broth with soy sauce and sesame oil, include bok choy, mushrooms, and green onions, garnish with cilantro and chili oil.
Replace chicken with Italian sausage, keep orzo, add fennel seeds, use a splash of balsamic vinegar and lemon, use chicken broth and tomato sauce, include zucchini and bell peppers, garnish with fresh basil and grated parmesan.
Use salmon instead of chicken, keep orzo or try farro, swap thyme for dill, keep lemon, use fish or vegetable broth, add asparagus and peas, finish with crème fraîche and fresh dill.
Replace chicken with chickpeas, keep orzo or use pearl couscous, add oregano and basil, keep lemon and consider white wine, use vegetable or chicken broth, add spinach and diced tomatoes, top with feta cheese and extra virgin olive oil.
Keep chicken, preferably thigh meat, keep orzo or use rice, add cumin, coriander, and cilantro, keep lemon or try lime, use chicken broth with tomato puree, include corn, black beans, and diced tomatoes, top with avocado, cheese, and tortilla strips.
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