Chicken Noodle Soup with Orzo and Lemon

Cold and flu season is definitely here.  I've been battling a cold the past few days and couldn't think of anything I'd rather eat than chicken noodle soup.  I add a whole rotisserie chicken and lots of lemon juice to give it a nice tang.  It's easy and delicious.  Here's how to make it:

What you'll need:

Extra virgin olive oil, as needed

1 large Onion, small dice

3 small Carrots, peeled and sliced thin on an angle

2 ribs of Celery, sliced thin on an angle

5 cloves of Garlic, minced

2 quarts (half a gallon) Chicken stock or broth

2 quarts of Water

2 Lemons, zest and juice

1/3 lb. Orzo pasta, (you can use any kind of pasta you'd like)

1 Rotisserie chicken, shredded

3 Bay leaves

1 bunch of Thyme

1/3 cup fresh Parsley, chopped

2 sprigs fresh Rosemary

Scallions, sliced thin

Salt, as needed

Black pepper, to taste

Heat a large pot over medium high heat and coat the bottom with olive oil.

When the oil is hot, add the onion, carrots and celery.  Season very generously with salt.  Cook until they start to turn translucent and soften.

When the vegetables have softened, add in the minced garlic.  Stir and cook a minute more.

Add the chicken stock and water.  Add the zest of the lemons then cut the lemons into 4 pieces each.  Squeeze in all of the juice, make sure you don't let any seeds fall in, then drop the lemons right into the soup.  This will let all of their flavor get into the soup.  

Bring to a simmer and add the thyme, rosemary and bay leaves.  Season with salt again.  Turn the heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes.

After the soup has simmered for a bit, bring back to a low boil and add the pasta.  Cook until the pasta is al dente.

Turn the heat back down to low.  Add the shredded chicken.  I used a lemon pepper rotisserie chicken but a plain one will be just fine.  Since there is lemon in the soup I thought it would be good!  Let the chicken heat through.  Taste for seasoning!

When you're ready to serve, remove the bay leaves, thyme and rosemary sprigs, and lemons.  Stir in the chopped parsley.

Ladle into big bowls and top with sliced scallions and lots of black pepper.

Malon being festive

Ms. Faron being cute as always

Snuggled up