Layer a rich stock with sweet onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms scented with sage and thyme. Simmer cuts of chicken, orzo pasta, and fragrant Jasmine rice until each morsel is tender and teaming with flavor. In no time, you’ve got a steaming hot, comforting bowl of soup!
This is a twist on a classic chicken and rice soup, pairing orzo pasta and Jasmine rice to create a subtle creaminess without a spec of cream.
Any good soup begins with a layering of flavors. Start with a trio of vegetables similar to a traditional mirepoix – onions, carrots, and celery. Toss in mushrooms along with savory herbs of sage and thyme.
Stir in orzo pasta and Jasmine rice and lightly toast in the medley of vegetables and herbs. Finish with a rich stock plus bay leaves to gently cook slices of chicken and a tad more orzo for an additional layer of texture.
And to speed things along, slice the chicken into thin strips before cooking and this soup will be ready in less than an hour.
Ladle it up and sprinkle this beautiful bowl with fresh chopped parsley. It’s a tasty bite, good for warming one’s soul!
Chicken Orzo Soup with Sage and Thyme
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-½ cups thinly sliced sweet onion, about 1 medium onion
1 cup thinly sliced carrots, about 2 to 3 carrots
1 cup thinly sliced celery, about 2 stalks
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves, or 1-½ teaspoons dried sage
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 cup thinly sliced button mushrooms, about 6 mushrooms
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
¾ cup orzo, divided
½ cup Jasmine rice
7 cups chicken broth, divided
2 pounds boneless chicken breast, sliced thin before cooking
2 bay leaves
1-½ to 2 teaspoons concentrated chicken base
2 tablespoons flour
Fresh chopped parsley for serving
Melt the butter with the olive oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery along with the sage and thyme. Cook until the vegetables are slightly tender, about 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Toss in the mushrooms and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Stir in the kosher salt, pepper, ½ cup of the orzo, and the rice. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes.
Pour in 6 cups of stock. Add the chicken, bay leaves, and the concentrated chicken base. Bring the stock to a simmer over medium heat, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking for about 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
Mix the flour with the remaining cup of chicken stock until well blended and pour into the soup along with the remaining ¼ cup of orzo. Raise heat to medium and cook for an additional 10 minutes uncovered. Check for seasoning, adding additional kosher salt and pepper if needed.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. Add additional chicken stock for reheating if needed.
Serves 6.
Chicken Orzo Soup with Sage and Thyme
Equipment
- Large stockpot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1-½ cups thinly sliced sweet onion, about 1 medium onion
- 1 cup thinly sliced carrots, about 2 to 3 carrots
- 1 cup thinly sliced celery, about 2 stalks
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves, or 1-½ teaspoons dried sage
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 cup thinly sliced button mushrooms, about 6 mushrooms
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ¾ cup orzo, divided
- ½ cup Jasmine rice
- 7 cups chicken broth, divided
- 2 pounds boneless chicken breast, sliced thin before cooking
- 2 bay leaves
- 1-½ to 2 teaspoons concentrated chicken base
- 2 tablespoons flour
- Fresh chopped parsley for serving
Instructions
- Melt the butter with the olive oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery along with the sage and thyme. Cook until the vegetables are slightly tender, about 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Toss in the mushrooms and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Stir in the kosher salt, pepper, ½ cup of the orzo, and the rice. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes.
- Pour in 6 cups of stock. Add the chicken, bay leaves, and the concentrated chicken base. Bring the stock to a simmer over medium heat, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking for about 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Mix the flour with the remaining cup of chicken stock until well blended and pour into the soup along with the remaining ¼ cup of orzo. Raise heat to medium and cook for an additional 10 minutes uncovered. Check for seasoning, adding additional kosher salt and pepper if needed.
- To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.
