Have you ever bought a whole chicken from the grocery store or made one and then wondered, what am I going to do with the rest of this chicken?  Well I have the perfect recipe for you!  We were in this same predicament this weekend and I pulled out my inspirational recipe book (also known as magazine torn pages in one big heaping pile waiting to be organized) and found a delicious soup.  We gobbled this healthy soup up in minutes!  Easy to make and easy for the whole family to enjoy.

Recipie provided by Cooking Light – October 2009

• 1 (32-ounce) container fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 1/2 cup uncooked orzo
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2/3 cup coarsely chopped carrot
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes  (or remainder or whole chicken)
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 3 fresh parsley sprigs (I used dried)
• 1 fresh thyme sprig (I used dried)
• 4 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

1. Bring 1 3/4 cups broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add orzo; cook 10 minutes or until done. Drain.
2. While orzo cooks, heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add carrot, celery, onion, and chicken; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in remaining 2 1/4 cups broth, 1 1/4 cups water, parsley, and thyme; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Discard herb sprigs (or keep in if you added dried herbs). Add orzo, spinach, juice, salt, and pepper; simmer 1 minute.

The Mama’s Guide to Soup

Soup! We all have our favorites. We all have our quick and easy soup recipes, our family favorites, the ones only you know about, and the side dishes that perfectly pair with that warm bowl yummy. Today’s Mama wanted to share all of the soup recipes, tips, secrets, and hacks we’ve come to love and enjoy. The Mama’s Guide to Soup is packed with recipes, tips, tricks, resources, and more! To learn more, check out our extensive guide to soups.