Description
A comforting and flavorful chicken soup with toasted orzo, topped with a zesty homemade chili oil. This hearty soup is perfect for a cozy night in or when you need a warm pick-me-up.
Ingredients
For the Soup:
- 1-2 Chicken breasts or 3-4 chicken thighs
- 1 cup orzo
- 2 tbsp butter
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 3 cups water
- Olive oil
- ½ onion (chopped)
- 1-2 stalks of celery (sliced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- Juice of lemon
For Aunt Lily’s Chili Oil:
- Chives
- ½ cup red chili flakes
- 1.5 cups neutral oil
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tbsp diced ginger (minced)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 cinnamon stick
Instructions
- Toast the Orzo: In a large pot, melt butter over low-medium heat. Add orzo and cook until golden. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same pot, sauté onion, celery, and garlic in olive oil until softened.
- Cook Chicken: Add chicken stock and water to the pot. Simmer and cook chicken until done.
- Prepare Chili Oil: Combine chili flakes, sesame seeds, garlic, ginger, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Heat oil and pour over the mixture to infuse.
- Shred Chicken: Remove cooked chicken, shred it, and set aside.
- Finish Soup: Add toasted orzo back to the pot. Once tender, return shredded chicken, lemon juice, and adjust seasoning.
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and top with Aunt Lily’s Chili Oil, chives, and extra lemon juice.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: Approx. 400 kcal
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
