Chicken Florentine Soup

Total Time Prep: 15 min. Cook: 25 min.

Yield 6 servings (2 quarts)

Chicken Florentine soup is just as comforting as a cream soup, but tastes (and is!) much lighter. Filled with lean chicken breast and baby spinach, it's as good for you as it is for your taste buds.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
6 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1/4 cup half-and-half cream
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a Dutch oven or large sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery; cook and stir until tender, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
Add broth; bring to a boil. Stir in orzo and cooked chicken. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until orzo is al dente, 8-10 minutes. Stir in spinach, half-and-half and lemon juice. Serve soup in bowls topped with Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition Facts

1-1/3 cups: 300 calories, 9g fat (2g saturated fat), 44mg cholesterol, 848mg sodium, 34g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 3g fiber), 21g protein.

Simmer orzo and cubed cooked chicken in a light and mildly spicy broth, then add a healthy amount of spinach, a little half-and-half and a squeeze of lemon. It's a quick-cook soup with bright and beautiful flavors. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen

Recipe Creator