Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Mark Twain is often credited with saying, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” Some sources say these words were in fact uttered by Samuel Clemens. There are others that claim it was actually Oscar Wilde. Regardless of who said it, this is a very accurate statement. Summer in San Francisco is cold! As a result of the cold evenings, I wanted something nice and warm for dinner… Soup!

Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Serves 4

1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter

1 Yellow Onion, finely chopped

2 stalks Celery, thinly sliced

2 Carrots, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons Basil, minced

8 cups Chicken Broth

3/4 cup Orzo

8 oz Spinach

18 oz Chicken, cooked** and sliced into small pieces

Salt and Pepper, to taste

**Chicken recipe available at bottom of page

Vegetables all ready for use!

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, and saute 3-4 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and basil. Saute about 3 minutes, until vegetables are softened. Pour in the broth and raise the heat to medium-high. Allow to simmer for 8 minutes.

Sauteed Vegetables

Add the orzo and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the spinach and chicken, cooking until spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among 4 bowls.

Mmmmm

Baked Chicken

18 oz Chicken Breast

1/8 cup Olive Oil

2 tablespoons Herbs, chopped (I used Basil)

Salt and Pepper

Chicken marinating

Combine the olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper in a plastic bag. Carefully place the chicken inside the bag, coating with the oil mixture. Allow the chicken to marinate in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.

Chicken, fresh out of the oven

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking dish with foil, and transfer chicken to dish. Bake 35 minutes. Flip chicken over, basting with excess liquid in the dish. Return to the oven for an additional 20-30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then cut to desired size.

Chicken, cut into thin pieces

This was the first soup I’ve made in a very long time. It was just what I needed– warm, light, and delicious. Sometimes it’s really nice to go back to the basics! I completed my meal with half of a baguette.