Hearty Chicken Soup with Orzo and Spring Vegetables
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 26, 2013
Time
2 hours
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds), breast removed and split, remaining chicken cut into 2-inch pieces1 medium onion, cut into medium dice2 quarts boiling water Table salt 2 bay leaves 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick1 medium rib celery, sliced ¼-inch thick1 medium leek, rinsed thoroughly, quartered lengthwise, then sliced thin crosswise¼ teaspoon dried thyme ½ cup orzo ¼ pound asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths¼ cup green peas (fresh or frozen)2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon Ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil in large soup kettle. When oil shimmers and starts to smoke, add chicken breast halves; sauté until brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add chopped onions to kettle; sauté until colored and softened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl; set aside. Add half of chicken pieces; sauté until no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with onions. Sauté remaining chicken pieces. Return onions and chicken pieces (excluding breasts) to kettle. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes. Increase heat to high; add boiling water along with both breast halves, 2 teaspoons salt, and bay leaves. Return to simmer, then cover and barely simmer until chicken breasts are cooked and broth is rich and flavorful, about 20 minutes.
- Remove chicken breasts from kettle; set aside. When cool enough to handle, remove skin from breasts, then remove meat from bones and shred into bite-size pieces; discard skin and bone. Strain broth; discard bones. Skim fat from broth, reserving 2 tablespoons. (Broth and meat can be covered and refrigerated up to 2 days.)
- Return soup kettle to medium-high heat. Add reserved chicken fat. Add carrot, celery, and leek; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add thyme, along with broth and chicken; simmer until vegetables are tender and flavors meld, 10 to 15 minutes. Add orzo, asparagus, and peas and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings, stir in tarragon, and serve.
Time
2 hoursYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds), breast removed and split, remaining chicken cut into 2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into medium dice
2 quarts boiling water
Table salt
2 bay leaves
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick
1 medium rib celery, sliced ¼-inch thick
1 medium leek, rinsed thoroughly, quartered lengthwise, then sliced thin crosswise
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
½ cup orzo
¼ pound asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
¼ cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon
Ground black pepper
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds), breast removed and split, remaining chicken cut into 2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into medium dice
2 quarts boiling water
Table salt
2 bay leaves
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick
1 medium rib celery, sliced ¼-inch thick
1 medium leek, rinsed thoroughly, quartered lengthwise, then sliced thin crosswise
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
½ cup orzo
¼ pound asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
¼ cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon
Ground black pepper
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds), breast removed and split, remaining chicken cut into 2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into medium dice
2 quarts boiling water
Table salt
2 bay leaves
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick
1 medium rib celery, sliced ¼-inch thick
1 medium leek, rinsed thoroughly, quartered lengthwise, then sliced thin crosswise
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
½ cup orzo
¼ pound asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
¼ cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon
Ground black pepper
Why This Recipe Works
For a full-flavored chicken soup recipe that could be made in less than 90 minutes, we borrowed an idea from an Edna Lewis recipe, beginning by sautéing a chicken, minus the breast (which we used later as meat for the soup), hacked into small pieces, rather than by simmering chicken bones, aromatic vegetables, and herbs for hours. The pot was then covered and the chicken and onion cooked over low heat until they released their rich, flavorful juices, 15 to 20 minutes. Only at that point was water added, and the broth was simmered just 20 minutes longer. Cutting the chicken into small pieces was the most difficult step in this quick chicken soup recipe. A meat cleaver, a heavy-duty chef's knife, or a pair of heavy-duty kitchen shears made the task fairly simple.
Instructions
- Heat oil in large soup kettle. When oil shimmers and starts to smoke, add chicken breast halves; sauté until brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add chopped onions to kettle; sauté until colored and softened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl; set aside. Add half of chicken pieces; sauté until no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with onions. Sauté remaining chicken pieces. Return onions and chicken pieces (excluding breasts) to kettle. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes. Increase heat to high; add boiling water along with both breast halves, 2 teaspoons salt, and bay leaves. Return to simmer, then cover and barely simmer until chicken breasts are cooked and broth is rich and flavorful, about 20 minutes.
- Remove chicken breasts from kettle; set aside. When cool enough to handle, remove skin from breasts, then remove meat from bones and shred into bite-size pieces; discard skin and bone. Strain broth; discard bones. Skim fat from broth, reserving 2 tablespoons. (Broth and meat can be covered and refrigerated up to 2 days.)
- Return soup kettle to medium-high heat. Add reserved chicken fat. Add carrot, celery, and leek; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add thyme, along with broth and chicken; simmer until vegetables are tender and flavors meld, 10 to 15 minutes. Add orzo, asparagus, and peas and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings, stir in tarragon, and serve.
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