Roast Chicken, Vegetable and Orzo Soup
Photography by Olivia Galletly.
This is the type of soup I like to make when I’m feeling under the weather or just need something really comforting. Using a store-bought rotisserie chicken makes the process a lot quicker.
Serves: 4-5
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
25 grams butter
1 large leek, trimmed and finely chopped
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
4 thyme sprigs, leaves only
6 sage leaves, chopped
3 litres chicken stock
2 dried bay leaves
1 rotisserie or roasted chicken
sea salt and cracked pepper
1 cup dried orzo
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons caster sugar
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
METHOD
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven. Add the leek, onion and carrot and fry over a low heat for 15 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme leaves and sage and fry briefly until aromatic, then add the stock and bay leaves.
Remove the meat and skin from the chicken and tear up into smaller pieces. Add to the soup, season with salt and cracked pepper and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes.
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the orzo until tender and cooked through. Drain and add to the soup.
Finish the soup off with lemon juice, caster sugar and the fresh parsley. Season again if needed.

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