Cozy up with a bowl of this creamy chicken vegetable soup made with tender orzo and potatoes. A hearty and easy soup recipe to warm the soul!
Growing up a Southwest girl, winters are a little different in my neck of the woods. Winter to me, is switching from shorts to jeans and maybe a sweatshirt with my same favorite sandals. We just spent Saturday afternoon at the beach with hundreds of other beach goers. You’d have never guessed it was still January. Whether warm or frigid, I enjoy making batches of soup during these “winter” months. It’s the epitome of comfort food. There’s nothing better than a piping hot bowl of chicken soup to warm the soul.
While strolling through Whole Foods last week, a veggie I hadn’t used before caught my eye, the parsnip. They are unusually big, earthy looking and perhaps intimidating if you have never cooked with them before. This was my first go with parsnips and they were fantastic in this hearty warm soup. If you’ve never worked with parsnips before, HERE’S a step by step video to show you how. My boys and hubby had the soup for dinner then lunch the next day and never blinked an eye about the new vegetable Mom snuck in! Give them a go, I bet you love them too
Creamy Chicken Vegetable, Orzo and Potato Soup
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ Cups diced parsnips
3 large carrots, peeled and diced
3 large stalks of celery, diced
1 onion, diced
1 large red bell pepper
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
3 Tablespoons flour
3 14 oz cans chicken broth
1 Cup orzo
4 Cups diced potatoes
2 dashes of Tabasco hot sauce
¼ Cup grated parmesan cheese
1 14 oz can chicken broth
1.Heat oil into a large dutch oven over medium heat.Saute parsnips, carrots, celery, onion and bell pepper for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently.Add garlic, salt and pepper.Cook for 1 minute.Sprinkle in flour; stir and cook for 1 more minute.Slowly stir in chicken broth.Increase heat to high, until soup starts to boil.Add orzo and potatotes, reduce heat to medium high and let cook for 8-10 minutes or until orzo is al dente and potatoes fork tender.Reduce heat to low, Stir in another can of chicken broth, season with Tabasco, parmesan and additional salt and pepper to taste.Simmer on low until ready to serve.
Have a great week, see you soon with more comfort food!
Creamy Chicken Vegetable Soup with Orzo and Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups parsnips diced
- 3 large carrots peeled and diced
- 3 large celery stalks diced
- 1 onion diced
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp flour
- 4 14oz chicken broth
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 4 cups potatoes diced
- 2 dashes hot sauce (Tabasco or similar)
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat oil into a large dutch oven over medium heat. Saute parsnips, carrots, celery, onion and bell pepper for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add garlic, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle in flour; stir and cook for 1 more minute.
- Slowly stir in chicken broth.Increase heat to high, until soup starts to boil. Add orzo and potatoes, reduce heat to medium high and let cook for 8-10 minutes or until orzo is al dente and potatoes fork tender.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in another can of chicken broth, season with Tabasco, parmesan and additional salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on low until ready to serve.
I’ve ended up looking all about for this specific stuff. Fortunately I just seen it on Msn.
THIS would definitely warm my soul and the cockles of my heart!!!!!
Oooooh, this looks so great, just what we need during this cold, wet, yucky weather. Thank you!
I could eat soup at every meal. Sounds so yummy.
Jenny – this is a random comment but I found out that one of my best friends and old roommates from college, Dixie S., went to high school with you (was on the cheer squad). Anyway, she had you as a friend on facebook and I emailed her and said, “Did you know that Jenny has an amazing food blog and is famous…so if you know her and I know YOU, I must be famous, too!” I, of course, love your food blog and check it daily, so it was fun to see what a small world it is with you knowing my good friend.
Oh wow that looks nice and hardy Jenny! Fantastic!
That looks fabulous! I always love a new veggie that gets by the boys. 🙂 Orzo sounds perfect, too.
Mmm, this is perfect for winter! Looks fantastic.
I love orzo in soups! Pass the spoon!
Hey! I just saw YOU! in the commercial for Guy’s Ultimate Recipe Showdown! 🙂
This looks great, I love orzo in just about anything!
Looks so delicious and hearty! And I love parsnips!
parsnips and turnips are both so fabulous because they don’t have overpowering flavors.
We definitely need comfort foods over here! Despite the perfect weather, we’ve come down with nasty colds. Thank you for the tips on parsnips…I’m not sure if I’ve even eaten one before!
Great soup. I love parsnips but no one else here does. Once I tried to sneak parsnips in my mashed potatoes and my husband was not thrilled to say the least:)
Definitely looks like the perfect comfort food.
Oooohhh that looks so yummy! Especially on a cold night. I will give it a try.
Yumm it sounds really good and I always love how you sneak in the veggies!
What a fabulous looking soup, Jenny!
I’m very familiar with parsnips….my Dad always grew them in the garden. He’d leave them in the ground all winter and dig them in the spring-you wanna talk about sweet???? It was like eating sugar. Oh how I miss those fresh parsnips-nothing like them in the world!
I HAVE to try this soup soon!!!
Oh-and up here in MA…I won’t be seeing my sandals until July!!! 🙁
Ooooh, that looks good! Parsnips are a good time. 🙂
OMG!! This sounds (and Looks) fabulous. How do you come up with this stuff? Such talent to create your own recipes all the time. Thanks for the tips on parsnips!
Ohh I love the orzo in this. It’s my favorite pasta in soups!