Chicken, Basil and Orzo Soup
My daughter woke up with a stomach ache, so I decided to make her a pot of homemade chicken, basil, and orzo soup for lunch. The soup needed to be nutritious and mellow on my daughter’s tummy. I had leftover chicken from the roasted lemon and basil chicken I made the other night; I also had some homemade chicken broth (made from the same chicken). The homemade broth was delicious, the pasta soft and creamy, and the fresh basil topped it off perfectly. This was a tasty and comforting chicken orzo soup recipe, for a sick child (and the rest of us), on a cold, cloudy day. This chicken pasta soup paired nicely with a loaded garden salad and some crusty bread.
Chicken, Basil, and Orzo Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 2 stalks of celery, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, diced finely
- ½ tsp dried basil
- Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp chicken bouillon
- 5-6 fresh basil leaves, chopped (chiffonade)
- 6 cups of homemade chicken broth
- 2 cups of roast chicken meat, diced into bite-sized chunks
- 4 oz dried orzo pasta, or whatever flavor you like
How to Make Chicken, Basil, and Orzo Soup
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the onion and stir for 1-2 minutes.
Add the carrots, celery, garlic, dried basil, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste, then stir for 60 seconds.
Stir in chicken broth, diced chicken, bay leaf, and chicken bouillon. Season it with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
Simmer the soup for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Bring the soup to a boil and add dried orzo pasta. Cook pasta until al dente, according to the package instructions.
Side Note: If you don’t plan on eating the whole pot of soup in one sitting, cook the pasta separately and add it to the bowls of soup when serving, which will prevent the pasta from soaking up all the broth.
Taste and re-season if needed. I served with fresh bread and butter. Enjoy!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 2 stalks of celery diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 3 cloves of garlic diced finely
- ½ tsp dried basil
- Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp chicken bouillon
- 5-6 fresh basil leaves chopped (chiffonade)
- 6 cups of homemade chicken broth
- 2 cups of roast chicken meat diced into bite-sized chunks
- 4 oz dried orzo pasta or whatever flavor you like
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the onion and stir for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the carrots, celery, garlic, dried basil, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste, then stir for 60 seconds.
- Stir in chicken broth, diced chicken, bay leaf, and chicken bouillon. Season it with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
- Simmer the soup for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- Bring the soup to a boil and add dried orzo pasta. Cook pasta until al dente, according to the package instructions.
- Side Note: If you don't plan on eating the whole pot of soup in one sitting, cook the pasta separately and add it to the bowls of soup when serving, which will prevent the pasta from soaking up all the broth.
- Taste and re-season if needed. I served with fresh bread and butter. Enjoy!
Great way to use up leftovers. What a good looking soup, I bet that hit the spot!
Pam,
I just came across your blog and am enjoying looking through it! This soup looks very homey and delicious – and you can’t go wrong with orzo, ever!
Oh, poor little mite! I hope she recovers quickly as it looks like our summer weather might actually arrive today and stick around for a couple of days! This soup looks totally comforting. I LOVE soup and the use of orzo here is brilliant! It stays on the spoon! Great idea to use your left over chicken and combine it here. Hope your little one is feeling better.
goodness. this looks yummy and healthy. i might have to make it this week.
mmmm.there is nothing more comforting than chicken soup! I hope your little one feels better!
Thanks for your comment on my Mustart Dill chicken!
I love a good bowl of home-made chicken soup, it’s simply the best! This looks really good, I love the use of the orzo and I never thought of adding fresh basil to chicken soup, great idea. Can I call you next time I’m not feeling well?
i’m always amazed at how a bowl of hot chicken soup can make a sickly person feel so much better. it’s a miracle food, and that’s all there is to it. i hope it worked for your gal. 🙂
an absolute comfort…sous chef was kinda sick…i should’ve made a pot of this goodness
Wow! That is the perfect cure for the ickies! What an awesome mom you are – it is like a hug in a bowl! 🙂
Great looking soup. If I don’t have any leftover chicken how would you recommend preparing fresh chicken for this soup?
Gary,
I would boil a couple of chicken breasts (skinless) with some garlic cloves, onion slices and a bit of salt and pepper for 20 minutes. Let it cool then cut into chunks or shred. Hope that helps – enjoy the soup!
Pam
Mmmmm, that looks so good. I bet your daughter is feeling a whole lot better today. 🙂
Looks absolutely divine.I love basil and orzo together…must try this one. Thanks!
This looks and sounds beautiful, I love chicken broth.
mmmm that looks really yummy.
I think I’m going to have to make that when it cools off outside!