Ellie Krieger's Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

I took Ellie Krieger's book out of the library, and it's really good. It's called The Food You Crave, and it's basically healthy, satisfying food without fake or substitute ingredients. I'm posting this soup today because my sister has one of her many New England weather-induced colds, and it's pure comfort food - restoring and nourishing.

The eggs disappear into the broth and thicken it. If you have leftovers, you'll need to add some broth.

Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo

4 teaspoons olive oil
8 ounces skinless -- boneless chicken breast halves, cut into small chunks
1 pinch salt -- plus more to taste
1 medium onion -- diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 stalks celery -- diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 medium carrot -- diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup orzo -- preferably whole wheat
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with the salt, add it to the pot, and cook, stirring, a few times, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a dish and set aside.

Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pot. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and thyme and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add 5 cups of the broth and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and let simmer until tender, about 8 minutes. Turn the heat down to low to keep the soup hot but not boiling.

Warm the remaining 1 cup broth in a small saucepan until it is hot but not boiling. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Gradually whisk the lemon juice into the eggs. Then gradually add the hot broth to the egg-lemon mixture, whisking all the while. Add the mixture to the soup, stirring well until the soup is thickened. Do not let the soup come to a boil. Add the cooked chicken to the soup. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Makes 4 servings, Serving size: 1 1/2 cups

Per serving: Calories 280; Total fat 10g (Sat fat 2g, Mono fat 6g, Poly fat 1g); Protein 26g; Carb 22g; Fiber 2g; Cholesterol 139mg; Sodium 291mg