Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo

This is another of Ellie Krieger's recipes from her book The Food You Crave. It is really one of the best soups I've had in a while.

4 teaspoons olive oil
8 oz. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into small chunks
Pinch of salt, plus more to taste
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 stalks of 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 of fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat 2 teaspoons of olive 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 a side.

Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pot. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and thyme and cook, stirring over medium-high heat until the veggies are tender, about 5 minutes. Add 5 cups of broth and bring to a boil. Add 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 of broth in a small saucepan until hot but not boiling. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Gradually whisk the lemon juice into the eggs. Then 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 the salt and pepper and serve.

Serves 4, serving size 1 1/2 cups. Calories per serving 280. Total fat 10g; mono 6g; poly 1g; sat 2g. Protein 26g. Carb 22g. Fiber 2g. Chol 39mg. Sodium 291mg.
From Hilary.