Sweet potato, chicken & orzo soup with sage
Soup season is here! You will want this one on regular dinner rotation, it is easy easy easy.
This recipe is December 7 in my “Soup of the Day” cookbook. In the book, I call for delicata squash and yellow onion but I had sweet potatoes and a red onion on hand. That’s the beauty of soup. It’s so easy to swap things out.
I served this with a warm baguette and an arugula salad with pumpkin seeds, goat cheese and pink lady apples.
XO, km
THE DISH:
Sweet potato, chicken & orzo soup with sage | serves 4-6
THE STUFF:
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 (3/4) lb boneless/skinless chicken breast
EVOO
Kosher S+P
1 cup orzo
1 small yellow (or red) onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
5-7 sage leaves, torn
4-6 cups chicken broth
THE HOW-TO:
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. I like to create a little “boat” using aluminum foil for the chicken but this is just personal preference. Place the sweet potatoes in a single layer on the parchment and the chicken on the aluminum. Drizzle with EVOO and season generously with S+P. Roast until chicken is opaque, about 30 minutes. Leave the sweet potatoes in longer if needed (you want them nice and browned on the edges). Shred the chicken when it is cool enough to handle. Set aside.
Boil a pan of salted water and cook the orzo for 7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
In a large, heavy pot, warm 3 tablespoons EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the onion, season with S+P and sauté, stirring often until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sage and cook for 2 more minutes. Add 4 cups chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the orzo, shredded chicken and sweet potatoes and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, then season to taste with S+P.
If you are not serving right away, the broth will disappear rather quickly. Add more broth as needed. I usually add at least 2 additional cups when I reward and then I check for seasoning with S+P again.