This soup bowled me over, with its fresh lemony and rich chicken taste. It’s super easy to make, once you finish prepping the lemons. And the fresh spinach adds spots of deep color as well as nutritional value. It was created when Marjorie Druker was getting started, working as a private chef, and her clients would talk to her about their travels while she cooked in their kitchens. One woman raved about a light lemon chicken soup she had tasted during a trip to the Mediterranean, and Marjorie decided to create a recipe based on that conversation. (The woman still stops by Marjorie’s shop for this soup.)
Here’s the introduction Druker, executive chef and co-owner of New England Soup Factory, wrote in her first cookbook, New England Soup Factory Cookbook (2007):
This is by far one of the most requested soups from our store. Some customers actually get angry when they do not see it on the menu. What makes this Greek classic so appealing is its intensely rich chicken broth, infused with lemon juice and zest. It is also enhanced with threads of cooked eggs, vibrant leaves of fresh spinach and orzo. The soup is definitely a spirit lifter. I always like to see the response when I ladle out a sample for someone who admits to not feeling well. A smile – and an order for an entire bowl – usually follow. I also like to make this soup during Easter because it features eggs.
Greek Orzo, Lemon and Chicken Soup
Serves 6 to 8.
10 c. homemade chicken stock
¾ c. orzo*
4 eggs, lightly beaten with a fork
Juice of 3 lemons
Zest of 2 lemons
1 c. coarsely chopped cooked chicken
1 pound fresh spinach
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
- In a stockpot, bring the stock to a boil over high heat. Add the orzo and cook 5 minutes. While stirring constantly, drizzle in the eggs and continue stirring for at least 30 seconds, or until the eggs cook into threads.
- Add the juice, zest, chicken, spinach, salt and pepper. Return to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat and serve.
*Orzo is a type of pasta that looks like an overgrown grain of rice. It works well in soups because it adds starch without much bulk. It is a favorite in Italian and Greek soups, and has also made its way in to Middle Eastern rice pilafs. Look for it in the pasta section of a supermarket, or at a specialty Italian or Middle Eastern market.
Reprinted with permission from New England Soup Factory Cookbook, Marjorie Druker and Clara Silverstein (2007).
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