This bright, hearty soup is a quick and easy alternative to chicken noodle, perfect for weeknights when you’re craving something homey. Filled with a mix of veggies, chicken, beans, and orzo, there’s a lot of room in this recipe for improvisation. We break it all down below:
The broth:
We love store-bought chicken broth for convenience, but homemade chicken broth is always superior when it comes to flavor. Either works, as do bouillon cubes prepared according to the packaging, or vegetable broth, or even water. You’ll just have to season a bit more aggressively.
The veggies:
Fennel and onions are a nice combo, but many hearty root vegetables (like parsnips, carrots, or sweet potatoes) are perfect substitutes. Feel free to mix and match. As for leafy greens, any variety that wilts quickly in hot liquid will do: think kale, chard, or spinach. Frozen green peas would also work well.
The chicken:
Pretty much any cut of chicken will do here, with some adjustments to the cook time. Pieces of dark meat and pieces with bones require a longer cook time, but add extra flavor.
The pasta:
It wouldn’t be an orzo soup without orzo, but if you’re looking to use up another small pasta like ditalini or orecchiette, we certainly won’t stop you. In fact… you didn’t hear it from us, but pretty much any pasta would do the trick. Just know that cook times will vary from shape to shape.
Made this? Let us know how it went in the comment section below!
