Chicken Orzo Vegetable Soup with Lemon

• 160 g (1 raw boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 2 cm pieces) — Boneless skinless chicken breast, raw
• 45 g (1/4 cup dry orzo pasta) — Dry orzo pasta
• 70 g (1/2 cup, cut into 1 cm dice) — Raw carrots
• 50 g (scant 1/2 cup, cut into 1 cm dice) — Raw yellow onion
• 20 g (1 tbsp plus 1 tsp fresh lemon juice) — Fresh lemon juice
• 1 g (1 tsp dried thyme) — Dried thyme leaves
• 7 g (1 3/4 tsp extra-virgin olive oil) — Extra-virgin olive oil
• 350 g (1 1/2 cups potable water) — Potable water

Method

1. 1Cut chicken and vegetablesCut the chicken into 2 cm pieces on a dedicated board, then on a sanitized board dice the carrots and yellow onion into 1 cm pieces.3 min 30 secLook for: The chicken and vegetables are evenly cut and held in separate clean containers.Safety: Wash hands and sanitize the knife and board after cutting raw chicken.
2. 2Soften the vegetablesHeat the extra-virgin olive oil in a lidded saucepan over medium heat, add the carrots and yellow onion, and cook for 5 minutes while stirring every minute.5 minLook for: The onion is translucent and the carrot has begun to soften without browning.Safety: Keep the saucepan handle inward and reduce heat if the vegetables color.
3. 3Start the orzo brothStir in the dry orzo, dried thyme, and potable water, then bring the mixture to a steady simmer.5 minLook for: The orzo moves freely in the bubbling liquid and none is stuck to the pan bottom.Safety: Stir from the bottom and keep your face away from rising steam.
4. 4Cook the chicken and orzoAdd the chicken pieces, lower the heat, cover partially, and simmer for 10 minutes while stirring after 5 minutes.10 min · 165°FLook for: The orzo is tender and every chicken piece reaches 165°F at its center.Safety: Verify 165°F in the largest chicken piece before proceeding.
5. 5Rest and add lemonRemove the saucepan from the heat, rest the soup for 3 minutes, then stir in all the fresh lemon juice.3 minLook for: The broth lightly coats the tender orzo and tastes bright with lemon.Safety: Keep the saucepan on a heat-safe surface and stir with a long-handled spoon.
6. 6Ladle and serveStir from the bottom once, ladle the complete chicken, orzo, vegetables, and broth into one large bowl, and serve steaming hot.30 sec · 165°FLook for: The serving contains chicken and vegetables throughout with no orzo left in the saucepan.Safety: Serve only after the chicken has reached 165°F and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.