Gazpacho isn’t the only summer soup. I like a chicken soup, pretty much any time of the year. It’s hearty enough to fill you up, but the broth gives it a light feel. When you serve it with a biscuit, and possibly a local honey or jam…it’s so very summery. I make a very simple chicken soup and this time I tried to change it up a bit by adding orzo. Orzo is a pasta that masquerades as rice. It soaks up the savory liquid, but isn’t as cumbersome as your typical noodle. I’m a fan!
This recipe has a case of ‘no specific measurements.’ Here’s how it all goes down. I buy a roasted chicken at Costco (or the local market.) I roughly chop the meat after it’s been taken off the bone. Take what’s left and through it in a big pot. Add water to cover it. Boil it for a little as an hour or as long as 4. See, NO specifics! But, the beauty of it is…you can’t mess it up! I don’t add any flavoring or vegetables. The seasoned skin is enough. I strain the broth into another bowl and set it aside. Using the same pot, I chop whatever vegetables happen to be lingering in the fridge. In this case, I used 1/2 an onion, a few celery stalks and a handful of baby carrots. Add a little bit of olive oil to the pot and saute the vegetables. Add the broth and chopped chicken back into the pot. You may not need all the broth, depending on how much chicken and vegetables you are using. Simmer the soup until 10 minutes before you are ready to serve and then add a handful of orzo. Again, the amount is going to depend on: A) how much of the soup you made B) how much you love orzo and C) how much leftover orzo you have in your pantry. In the 10 minutes it takes the orzo to cook, you can pop some biscuits in the oven, because this soup shouldn’t be served without them!
