CHICKEN AND ORZO RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook orzo in the boiling water until partially cooked through but not yet soft, about 5 minutes; drain and rinse with cold water until cooled completely.
• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir carrots, celery, and onion in hot oil until the vegetables begin to soften and the onion becomes translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Season mixture with thyme, oregano, salt, black pepper, and bay leaf; continue cooking another 30 seconds before pouring chicken broth into the pot.
• Bring the broth to a boil. Partially cover the pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the vegetables are just tender, about 10 minutes.
• Stir orzo, lemon juice, and lemon zest into the broth; add chicken. Cook until the chicken and orzo are heated through, about 5 minutes. Add baby spinach; cook until the spinach wilts into the broth and the orzo is tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls; garnish with lemon slices and Parmesan cheese.

Steps:

• In an 8-quart soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the celery, carrots, garlic and shallots, and saute until just tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Deglaze with the sherry, and then add in the stock, bay leaves and thyme. Add in the chicken, bring to a simmer and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the chicken and let it cool. Simmer the soup for 10 minutes more. Season, and remove the thyme and bay leaves.
• Shred the cooled chicken. Add any accumulated juices from the chicken plate back to the pot along with the lemon zest and juice. Add in the butter and adjust seasoning.
• Portion the orzo and shredded chicken into 4 bowls. Ladle the soup over and garnish with the tarragon and a lemon wedge. Serve with a ton of butter crackers.