High Protein Lemon Orzo Soup

High Protein Lemon Orzo Soup

It's been over 5 years, and Becca has been asking me to make lemon orzo soup since we got together.

And since my newest hyper fixation is high protein soup, this is my upgraded take on the classic. It packs 40g of protein a serving, it's bright and zesty and a complete meal.

It's safe to say Becca is very happy with my newest obsession.

 

Ingredients

• 8g olive oil
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic (20-25g), minced
• 6 cups no sodium chicken stock
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1.5 lb raw chicken breast
• 168g (1 cup) dry orzo
• 16 oz silken tofu, puréed
• Zest + juice of 1 lemon
• 10g fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

 

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add celery, carrots, and onion. Cook 10-15 minutes until softened, and onions & celery are translucent. Add garlic and cook for 5 minutes until a fond forms on the bottom of the pot.

2. Pour in chicken stock and stir in Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Slice chicken breasts in half (filleting to cook faster). Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook 10-12 minutes, until chicken is 75% cooked through. Remove chicken, let cool, then cut into cubes.

3. Add dry orzo directly to the soup. Simmer 5 minutes, then add chicken back in. Cook for another 5-7 minutes until orzo is tender.

4. While orzo cooks, blend silken tofu until completely smooth. Turn off the heat, remove the pot from the burner, and let let cool slightly. Stir blended tofu into the soup, fresh parsley, lemon zest and lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt/pepper as needed.

 

Nutrition & Macros Per Serving (1/6th of recipe)

• Calories: 350
• Protein: 40g
• Carbohydrates: 30g
• Fat: 8g
• Fiber: 2g