Lemony Chicken Soup With Farro

I know what you’re thinking: A soup recipe? Did she miss the part where it was 90 degrees? Now is the time for smoothies and salads and froyo duh.

You’re right. Those foods are totally appropriate for when the sun is shining and it’s scorching out. But out is the operative word. And while it’s been balmy the past few days (today notwithstanding *tear, tear*), sitting in my office has been like sitting in a freezer, minus the perk (I’d imagine) of being surrounded by innumerable cartons of ice cream.

For whatever reason, my office (and most restaurants, movie theaters, airports, and other public places) feel the need to crank up the air conditioning well beyond the necessary amounts in summer. It leads to an inevitable dilemma for me each morning: do I dress for the weather outdoors, meaning a sundress and sandals, or for my office, meaning a snowsuit and furs? I’ve even had to abandon my standing desk for this slightly less ergonomic seated posture.

So while I’m all about salads and chilled vegetables for dinner in my overheated apartment, I’ve resorted to bringing hearty, rib-sticking winter food to work for lunch, hoping that the warming dishes will thaw my fingers enough to type. This lemony chicken soup with farro is actually on the lighter side, with the citrus and fresh spinach easing the heft of the hearty grains and root vegetables. Leeks, a spring staple, also add a nice touch. While the original recipe called for orzo, I didn’t have any on hand so I swapped in my new favorite, farro, instead.

To be honest, I actually made this a few weeks ago, when I was completely leveled by a bad cold. I’d like to think it helped me recover, and since this makes a huge batch, I froze the leftovers which came in handy during the weeks I was traveling. So this soup is doubly clutch, and may end up threatening this carrot-ginger soup for the title of best soup on this site.

Lemony Chicken Soup With Farro
Adapted from Bon Appetit

– 1 tablespoon olive oil

– 1 medium leek, white and pale-green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced crosswise 1/2″ thick

– 4 thin celery stalks, sliced crosswise 1/2″ thick

– 2 thin carrots, scrubbed and sliced into 1/2″ pieces

– 2 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved

– 1 tablespoon lemon pepper

– 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

– 1/2 cup quick-cooking farro*

– 3 ounces fresh baby spinach

– salt and pepper, to taste

– lemon wedges (optional)

*The farro I had is parboiled, so it cooks in 10 minutes. If you have traditional farro, you will need to cook it for 30-40 minutes (you should parboil it separately, and then cook it for 10 minutes in the soup, to avoid turning the vegetables to mush). Alternately, you could use orzo pasta, which cooks in the same time as quick-cooking farro. In any case, add the spinach 5 minutes before your grain will finish cooking.

1) In a large heavy pot, heat the oil on medium heat. Add the leeks, celery and carrots and cook 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are slightly soft.

2) Season the chicken on both sides with the lemon pepper, then add the chicken and the broth. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken has cooked through, 15-20 minutes. Remove the chicken and let cool, then shred into small pieces.

3) In the meantime, return the soup to a boil. Add the farro and cook for 10 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and the fresh spinach. Season to taste and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve, with lemon wedges if desired.