I cannot say enough good things about this soup!! It's fresh, clean and just scrumptious. 🙂 Perfect for spring and summertime! 🍋🍋🍋 ~ really any time!
You can find this one as well as 59 more AMAZING recipes in our Slow Cooker Meal Plans! Also included is a shopping list for each of the 12 weeks and a private facebook group to cheer you on! Take a peek over HERE!
Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
I'm not the biggest fan of soup in the warmer weather, but this Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is a great one to serve all year long.
I'll admit, my hubby was a bit skeptical when I told him I was making a soup that had, ummmmm……lemon juice in it and had lemon in the main title. But, if you've ever had a similar soup at Panera then you'll be sooooo happy you've found this jewel of a recipe.
Now, let's get to it and by the way, my whole family loved this one and gobbled it right down! Even the hubby! 🙂
prep time 20 minutes | cook time 6-7 hours | serves 12 | 175 calories per serving
ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb pkg carrots, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 32 oz cartons low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 8 oz orzo pasta
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 lemon, zested
- 5 oz pkg baby spinach leaves
- shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
directions
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté carrots, celery and onions in hot oil until vegetables begin to soften. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to slow cooker.
- Add thyme, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, bay leaf, chicken broth and chicken to slow cooker; stir.
- Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours or on high 3-4 hours.
- Remove bay leaf and chicken; shred chicken and return to slow cooker.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, squeeze lemons for juice and zest.
- Add cooked pasta, lemon juice, zest and baby spinach to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low about 5 minutes or until spinach wilts into the broth.
- Ladle into bowls and top with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
This recipe includes basic calorie counts. If you’re adhering to a specific diet and would like exact calories and nutrition information on a certain recipe, use an online calorie counter like My Fitness Pal, Lose It or Very Well Fit.
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