Chicken, lemon and risoni soup

28 June 2024

I threw this soup together on a cold, rainy day when I had random bits and bobs in my pantry and fridge – and, wow, it’s an absolute winner. Everyone who eats this instantly falls in love.

PREP TIME 15 minutes

COOK TIME 40 minutes

SERVES 6

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 golden shallot, finely diced

4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

275 g (1 1/4 cups) risoni (orzo) pasta

1.5 litres chicken stock

450 g chicken tenderloins

1 parmesan rind (see Tip)

400 g can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

90 g (2 cups) baby spinach leaves

zest and juice of 1 lemon, plus extra zest to serve

100 g (1 cup) freshly grated parmesan

pinch of salt flakes

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

chilli flakes, to serve (optional)

Recipe:

Let’s get started. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over low heat for 30 seconds. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until fragrant, then add the butter and let it melt. Add the risoni and stir to coat in the shallot and butter mixture for 2–3 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock and 500 ml (2 cups) water, add the chicken and throw in the parmesan rind. Increase the heat to high and bring to the boil.

Turn the heat down to low. Cover the pan with the lid and simmer the soup for 12–15 minutes until the chicken and risoni are cooked.

Bring it all together. Remove the chicken from the pan and shred it with two forks (be careful, it will be hot). Leave the soup to gently simmer while you do this. Place the shredded chicken back in the pan.

Remove and discard the parmesan rind (it will be gooey). Add the cannellini beans, spinach, lemon zest and juice and half the grated parmesan and stir for 2–3 minutes until heated through. Time to serve. Turn off the heat, stir through the salt and pepper, then add the chilli flakes, if using. Top with the remaining grated parmesan and serve.

TIP

Parmesan rinds are the hard part at the end of a wedge of parmesan. They add great flavour to soups and stews, and they freeze really well. When you have grated all the cheese from a wedge of parmesan, wrap and freeze the rind to use later.