This deli-standard Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, a copycat recipe of the Corner Bakery soup, greatly improves upon the first version of the same.

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QTY	MEASURE	INGREDIENT	PREPARATION
2	rib	Celery	Diced
1		Carrot	Diced
1		Onion, yellow	Diced
1	lb	Chicken breasts
6	cup	Stock, chicken
1	cup	Orzo
½	tsp	Thyme
3		Lemon (juice)
2		Egg
		Oil, olive
		Pepper, black
		Salt

1 Lightly brown the chicken in oil over medium heat until just cooked through, about 5 min. Remove and set aside. When cool enough to handle, cut into ½-in. pieces. 

2 Sauté the onion, celery, carrot and thyme in the same pot with a little more oil until soft, about 5 min. 

3 Add 5 cup of stock and bring to a boil. Add the orzo, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until tender (about 8 min). 

4 In a separate pot, warm the remaining 1 cup stock. Beat the eggs together with the lemon juice, then gradually add the stock to the beaten egg mixture while whisking continuously. 

5 Off the heat, stir the warmed egg mixture into the soup along with the cooked chicken. Season to taste. 

Yield: 4 servings