Equipment
- Soup pot
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dry thyme
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Pinch crushed red pepper
- 1 yellow onion (peeled and diced)
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms (wiped clean and sliced)
- 3 ribs celery (trimmed and diced)
- 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 6 cups water (or chicken stock, plus more if needed)
- 1 teaspoon sugar (more or less, depending on your preference)
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (if your balsamic vinegar is very acidic, use 1 tablespoon instead)
- 8 ounces whole wheat orzo
- 3 ounces baby spinach (roughly chopped)
- ¼ cup Italian parsley (loosely packed and minced; plus a pinch reserved for garnish)
- Shredded mozzarella cheese (optional, for serving)
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Fry the chicken:
- Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the ground chicken and cook for 5 minutes. Season with garlic powder, thyme, paprika, a big pinch of crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper. Continue sautéing, breaking up the chicken as it cooks, for 10 minutes until it is cooked through. Transfer to a bowl.
Cook the vegetables:
- Add another teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat if the pot seems dry. Add the mushrooms, onion, and celery. Sauté for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Simmer the soup:
- Return the chicken to the pot. Add the diced tomatoes, 6 cups water, sugar, and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
Cook the orzo:
- Return the soup to a boil. Add the orzo and cook for 7–8 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking. See note.
Finish the soup:
- Once the orzo is mostly tender, reduce the heat to low. Add the baby spinach and parsley. Simmer for 4–5 minutes until the orzo is tender. Taste and season.
To serve:
- Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish each bowl with more parsley and a handful of mozzarella on top. Enjoy!
Notes
If you want to avoid pasta swelling in the soup, cook the orzo separately. Serve only what you intend to eat with the soup and store the orzo separately in the refrigerator. You may wish to drizzle it with a touch of extra virgin olive oil before refrigerating to prevent it from sticking.
Nutrition
Calories: 453kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 14g | Sodium: 248mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin C: 13mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @triedandtruerecipes or tag #triedandtruerecipes so I can feature you in my feed!