Chicken Soup with French Lentils, Arborio Rice and Vegetables
Lentils play well with nearly any spice and in so many dishes, from soups and curries to salads and pasta. This recipe is just right for fall nights when you long to warm yourself by the stove, stirring a soup pot packed with essential nutrients for health and plenty of home-cooked flavor.
Ingredients
PreparationIngredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil Add to list
- 1 onion, diced Add to list
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced Add to list
- 1 diced fennel bulb, or 3 stalks celery Add to list
- 1 medium zucchini, diced (if available, or other vegetables of your choice) Add to list
- 1 cup green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces Add to list
- 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley Add to list
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme Add to list
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano Add to list
- Salt and pepper to taste Add to list
- 6 cups chicken broth Add to list
- 1/4 cup French green lentils Add to list
- 1/3 cup Arborio rice Add to list
- 3 cups cooked chicken, diced Add to list
- 1 cup chopped spinach or kale Add to list
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano Add to list
Preparation
In a heavy saucepan, heat oil and then sauté onion until transparent. Add carrots and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes, then add fennel and cook until softened. Add the remaining vegetables and the seasonings and cook for a few more minutes. Add chicken broth, stir well and then add lentils and rice.
Bring to a boil and then simmer until lentils are softened and rice is cooked, 25 to 30 minutes. Add diced chicken meat and correct seasonings. Just before serving, add greens to the soup and stir in cheese, perhaps reserving some to pass with the warm soup.
Recipe by , PCC Deli Cook and PCC Cooks instructor
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