Greek Lemon Chicken and Orzo Soup

By NailCandy

Ingredients

• Soup
• 1 whole boneless chicken breast, halved and then quartered
• 1 small onion, quarted
• 3 whole garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 eggs, whisked and at room temperature
• 1 t. grated lemon zest
• 1/4 C. fresh lemon juice (adjust to taste)
• 3/4 to 1 C. orzo pasta
• chopped fresh parsley for garnish
• Fresh cracked sea salt and pepper to taste
• Feta Pita Crisps
• 3 slices pita bread
• 2 oz. crumbled feta cheese
• fresh cracked pepper
• olive oil for drizzling

Preparation

Step 1

Chicken and Broth Preparation
Season chicken breast pieces with salt and pepper and place in dutch oven along with the onion, garlic and bay leaf.
Cover with 8 cups chicken broth and gently poach over over medium to medium low heat for about 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (165 degrees).
When cooked, removed the chicken from the broth and set aside. Slice when cooled.
Pour the broth and vegetables though a cheesecloth lined strainer and gently press until all of the broth has been strained. Discard the vegetables.

Soup Preparation
Add the strained broth back to the dutch oven and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Add the orzo and boil until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium low.
In a separate bowl, slowly add 1 cup of the broth to the eggs, whisking gently. You want to temper the eggs, not cook them, so the slower the better.
Slowly add the egg and broth mixture back to the dutch oven. Again, slow slow slow. Whisk occasionally. The soup will begin to thicken and have a creamy consistency.
Add the chicken, lemon zest and lemon juice. Start with a little lemon juice and add more to personal taste.
Simmer until the chicken is heated though. Serve.

Feta Pita Crisps
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Divide each pita into 8 pie-shaped slices.
Arrange on a baking sheet, sprinkle with feta, cracked pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until feta is melted and pita slices are crispy.

Notes
Adjust the amount of salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.
Add more orzo if you prefer a heartier soup. Rice can also be substituted.