Description
This chicken meatball soup is filled with tender meatballs, cozy orzo, and bright pops of fresh lemon in every spoonful. Comforting but light, simple but special, it’s the kind of soup that feels fresh, cozy, and completely satisfying all at once.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 egg
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 onion, shredded and divided (¼ for the meatballs, the rest for the soup)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
For the Soup:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Remaining shredded onion (about ¾ cup)
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1- 1.5 teaspoon salt (to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup orzo
- A few handfuls of fresh spinach
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Grated parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- To a large bowl add the ground chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, ¼ cup shredded onion, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon zest and parmesan. Use a fork or clean hands to mix until ingredients are well combined.
- Use a mini ice cream scooper or a 1 tablespoon measure to make small meatballs. Set aside or put in the fridge until ready to use.
- Preheat a large pot over medium/high heat. Add the olive oil and sauté the remaining onion, carrots, celery and a pinch of salt for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the broth, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Once boiling, bring down to a simmer and drop the meatballs in. Add the orzo and simmer until cooked through, about 12-15 minutes.
- Stir in spinach, lemon juice and more salt (maybe about ½ teaspoon) and pepper to taste. Serve as is or with a sprinkle of grated parmesan.
