Homemade Chicken Vegetable Soup

With the weather getting colder, there's nothing like a pot of soup on the stove to make you feel all warm and fuzzy (inside and out.) I've been playing around with this recipe for a while now and think I've finally tweaked it enough that it's just the way I like it. My sweet hubby says it's perfect and so I've decided it's time to post it.

I'm going to be trying it "Vegetarian" style next time around -- white beans instead of chicken and low-sodium vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. I might also add some escarole at the end instead of spinach. And actually, I'm not sure if I'll keep the orzo or not since it might be a bit much with the beans. Maybe I'll try it once with beans and once with orzo and see which we like better ... hmmm. Lots of potential variations here!

Anyway, without further ado ...

Homemade Chicken Vegetable Soup

2 – 3 boneless and skinless Chicken breasts (cut into bite-size pieces)
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
4 stalks Celery, sliced on diagonal
1 medium Onion, roughly chopped
4 Carrots, cut in thin slices
1 package sliced Mushrooms, chopped
1 Tablespoon Parsley Flakes
1 teaspoon dried Thyme
1 teaspoon dried Rosemary
½ teaspoon freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar
1 cup Orzo (wheat preferred)
64 ounces Chicken Broth (low-sodium, fat free)

Heat olive oil (or use spray oil) in sauté pan and add chicken, cooking until no longer pink. Remove from heat and set aside.

Place celery, onions, carrots, and mushrooms into a large pot. Add just enough broth to cover. Cover and cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the remaining broth, spices, and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil and add orzo. Cook until pasta is tender and then stir in chicken. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until chicken is heated through.

Serves 6

Notes: I often add a handful of chopped spinach at the end when adding the chicken. Will probably need to add more broth to leftover soup as pasta soaks up the moisture.