Try this Chicken, Butternut Squash, and Orzo Soup recipe
- Carbohydrate 39.76871103975 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 1.18394427786184 g
- Fiber 6.80388555 g
- Protein 3.401942775 g
- Saturated Fat 0.187945798324962 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (460g)
- Sodium 36.7847893331809 mg
- Sugar 32.96482548975 g
- Trans Fat 0.124907033259799 g
- Calories 161 calories
Step-by-step
- To a large soup pot over medium heat, add the oil.
- When the oil begins to shimmer, add the onion and butternut squash.
- Cook and stir for about 5 minutes, until the onions are softened but not brown.
- Add the fresh sage and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the water and simmer (adjust the heat, if needed, so that the water is gently boiling) until the squash is tender, 7-8 minutes.
- While the squash is cooking, bring another small pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orzo pasta just until tender.
- Drain and divide orzo between four serving bowls.
- When the squash is tender, add chicken stock and shredded chicken to the soup.
- Bring to a simmer and add salt and pepper, as needed.
- Ladle soup over orzo in prepared bowls.
- Serve immediately.
Traditional chicken noodle soups rely on direct starch release from boiling pasta to thicken the broth, but that technique creates cloudy liquids and overcooked noodles if held too long. Separating the cooking process protects texture by keeping the orzo firm until service. Sautéing the onion and cubed butternut squash in olive oil for 5 minutes initiates Maillard reactions on the vegetable surfaces, developing complex savory notes before the liquid is added. Sage contains essential oils like thujone and camphor, which are fat-soluble and release their aromatic compounds efficiently when exposed to heated oil for approximately 60 seconds.
Butternut squash contains high levels of natural sugars that caramelize slightly during the initial sauté, balancing the savory chicken stock. Cooking the orzo pasta in a separate pot of boiling salted water prevents excess starch from leaching into the main soup pot, which maintains a clear broth. Water added alongside the squash creates steam to soften the 1-inch cubes within 7 to 8 minutes without scorching the bottom of a large soup pot.
Altering the primary components changes the molecular balance of the bowl significantly. Replacing chicken stock with a rich vegetable broth reduces the overall umami profile, requiring additional salt or a splash of soy sauce to compensate for the missing glutamates. Swapping orzo for brown rice increases cooking times drastically and alters the starch ratio, demanding more liquid to achieve identical viscosities.
