Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

This was a delicious soup a mild lemon flavor.  This recipe is a keeper!

Ingredients:

16 oz orzo pasta
1 t olive oil
4-5 carrots, chopped
4 ribs, celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t dried thyme
1/2 t dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
5-6 C chicken broth
1/2 C fresh lemon juice
1 lemon, zested
1 C cooked chicken breast, chopped
1 (8 oz) package of baby spinach leaves
1 lemon, slices for garnish (optional)

Directions: 

 Step 1
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.

 Step 2
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.

 Step 3
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.

 Step 4
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.

We omitted the spinach due to some dislikes in the family.  But my husband and I added chopped yellow and orange peppers along with yellow squash to our soup as a garnish and it was delicious.  The extra veggies bulked up the soup and flavor.