This soup is hearty and comforting! It's something that I make often when one or all of my family has a cold , or it's just really cold outside and it feels like a soup day. It's got all the good stuff in it to help you get better when you aren't feeling your best and like I always say, the next day, it tastes even better!
Whenever I roast a whole chicken, ( or if I happen to pick up a Costco Roasted Chicken) I always save the carcass and freeze it in a ziplock bag along with any leftover meat to keep until I decide to make soup. You can always use a whole chicken from raw, but I prefer the flavors that come from the Roasted Chicken. It makes the flavor in the soup have that much more depth to it. Plus, it's a great use of the carcass ! If you don't think you have enough meat, you can add 2 or 3 medium chicken breasts into the soup and let it boil along with the carcass.
I always remember my Mom adding an egg into the soup which gave it that creamy texture , plus a little more protein never hurt anyone! So, that's what I do too, plus a Parm rind. Thanks Mom! You don't have to add in the egg & Parm rind, but I love the flavor it adds.
I like my soup hearty with lots of chicken and Orzo in it. If you prefer your soup more brothy, just use 1/2 cup Orzo instead of 1 whole cup.
INGREDIENTS:
1 TBS EVOO ( Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
1 Large Onion , diced
2 Medium Carrots , diced
1 Celery Stalk , diced
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
Chicken Carcass ( most or all of any remaining skin removed) with meat still on the bones and leftover chicken meat ( add 2-3 chicken breasts if necessary)
32 oz Chicken Broth , Plus 3 cups of water
2 Bay Leaves
2 TBS Flat Leaf Italian Parsley, minced or 1 tsp dried Parsley
2 TBS Fresh Basil , minced or 1 tsp dried Basil
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1 cup Orzo
1 cup Fresh Spinach, chopped
1 egg scrambled, plus 2 TBS water added
1 Parm rind
Heat the oil in a large pot on medium low and add in the Onions, Carrots and Celery stirring occasionally. Saute until translucent , about 6-7 minutes. Then, add in the Garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Clear a spot in the center of the pot for the chicken carcass and put that in, along with any extra meat.
Pour in the Chicken Broth and water. Then, add in the Bay Leaves, Parsley, Basil , Salt & Pepper. Cover and bring to a boil, then turn down heat to simmer for approximately 1 1/2 - 2 hours until the meat is easily coming off of the bones . About 45 minutes in, turn the carcass over with tongs so both sides get thoroughly cooked down. Remove carcass and any meat from the pot to a large casserole dish or large tupperware to cool enough so you can handle the chicken and shred it.
While the carcass is cooling, add in the spinach, Orzo and Parm rind and stir often so the Orzo doesn't stick to the pot . Meanwhile, you can shred your chicken ( or chop it up, however you like) I use 2 forks to shred and then put back into the pot as I make piles of the meat.
Once the Orzo is cooked through, scramble the egg in a small bowl with the 2 TBS of water. While stirring the soup with a large spoon to create a "whirl pool", slowly drizzle the egg into the center as you continue stirring and the soup starts to become a more creamy consistency. Once you've fully incorporated the egg mixture stir a bit more and your soup should be ready .
Make sure you remove the Parm rind before serving. No one wants to bite into the rind, it doesn't taste bad, just very weird consistency!
Ladle into bowls and enjoy with some fresh grated Parm to top it off, if you like! Enjoy!
Comments