Chicken Noodle Soup – Greek Avgolemono – Truly Addictive! – It does NOT get better than this!
My Best Winter Warming Cure All Greek Orzo Soup. Comforting Lemony Garlicky Goodness! – Pure Addiction in a Bowl! – My Top Favorite Soup! – It’s a Winner! – Just 30 minutes from start to finish!
I can absolutely live off this soup every day !
4 bowls of this soup amount to just 1, 118 Calories for the day – Great for weight loss !!
Orzo is rice-shaped pasta noodles but may be replaced with pasta or rice instead.
You may cut back on the calories by using skinless chicken fillets and adding a little butter or chicken schmaltz to compensate for the lack of chicken fat.
You may also include a tin of cocktail asparagus tips together with its brine/juice, which is another delicious addition that I love adding to this soup.
With boneless, skinless chicken thighs: 1,118 g Serving: 650 calories
With whole chicken thighs: 500 g Serving: 316 calories OR 1,118 g Serving: 707 calories.
Note: For South Africans, you may use (Pick ‘n Pay’s) 2-3 minute Asian Shrimp noodles or (Checkers) 2-3 minute Roca Prawn flavored noodles including the spice sachet with which it comes.
Do NOT use the others.
If you have some cucumber that is beginning to wilt you may whiz it up (metal blade on) in food processor chopped soup style and add it. It will not improve the flavor nor will it spoil the soup, but you will have the added benefits of extra nutrients.
If using a whole chicken you may pre-cook or steam, (no water added) covered in the microwave, but do not add the butter as there will be enough chicken fat already.
Chicken together with its juices is added just before serving.
I add 2 packets, chicken noodle soup, 2 chicken stock cubes, and 2 packets of dried instant ramen noodles of which you must use the “prawn or shrimp flavor” which are your 2/3 minute noodles including the little spice sachet with which it comes, plus a handful of broken up spaghetti (approximately 44 g).
7.5 ml fresh rosemary = 2.5 ml dried
Do NOT get any lemon or lime pips in the soup. It will turn it bitter!!
INGREDIENTS:
400 g chicken thighs, whole or boneless and skinless
Salt and freshly ground black pepper or cayenne pepper to taste
3 cloves garlic cloves, crushed
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced (leaves included)
2.5 – 3 liters water (depending on how thick you like your soup)
2 chicken bouillon (stock cubes)
2 packets of chicken noodle soup (follow the instruction on the packet. Any brand, but not Knorr, unless it has since improved)
2 bay leaves (You may leave this out if you don’t have it. It’s not a train smash!)
3/4 cup uncooked Orzo pasta or 1 handful broken up spaghetti – around 44 – 50 g in weight
Juice of 1 lemon or more to taste (Lime too is lovely!) Including zest
1 sprig rosemary
2.5 ml dried thyme
2 packets 3-minute Prawn flavor instant ramen noodles (Roca is a Checkers brand and is delish !)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (Not a train smash if you don’t have)
Method:
Pre grill whole chicken thighs or if using fillets, stir-fry in a mixture of half butter to oil or in chicken schmalz leftover from grilled chicken together with a sprinkling cayenne pepper and salt. Set aside to cool when juices run clear.
Prepare your soup: To a food processor, with a metal blade on, add whole garlic cloves on the bottom, followed by roughly chopped onions, carrots, and celery, and pulse until finely chopped.
Empty all veggies into a 5-liter wok or pot.
Swish out the food processor bowl with water included in the recipe and add to your pot together with the balance of ingredients in the given order.
Lastly, add your deboned , diced-up chicken.
Adjust seasoning. – Serve and enjoy with a garlic buttered French Loaf – Delish!