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Chicken, Chickpea and Yogurt Soup with Toasted Orzo

Chicken, Chickpea and Yogurt Soup with Toasted Orzo

  • Makes
    4-6 servings
  • Cook Time
    1¼ hours
  • Slow Cook Time
    4¾ to 5¾ hours
  • Active time plus cooling
    40 minutes active
  • Rating

We learned about warm Persian chickpea and yogurt soup from cookbook author Yasmin Khan, who suggested preparing the dish as a simple weeknight meal. This version is made with butter-toasted orzo, which replaces the rice that Khan uses, and shredded chicken breasts makes the soup especially hearty. We use regular yogurt here, not Greek-style. It lends the broth a subtle creaminess and tang without making the soup heavy. The spinach and dill are added at the end, so to economize on time, prep these ingredients while the chicken is cooking.

Tip

Don’t use low-fat or nonfat yogurt as they lack richness and will curdle when stirred into the soup. Also, don’t add the yogurt until you have removed the insert from the Instant Pot housing. This will help ensure that the yogurt won’t curdle from overheating.

Ingredients
  • 2

    tablespoons salted butter, cut into 3 pieces

  • 1

    cup orzo

  • 1

    medium leek, white and light green parts halved, thinly sliced, rinsed and dried

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 3

    medium garlic cloves, chopped

  • 1¼

    teaspoons red pepper flakes

  • 2

    bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (10 to 12 ounces each), skin removed

  • 15½

    ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

  • 2

    cups lightly packed baby spinach, chopped

  • ¾

    cup plain whole-milk yogurt

  • ¼

    cup chopped fresh dill, plus more to serve

Step 1

On a 6-quart Instant Pot, select More/High Sauté. Add the butter and orzo, then cook, stirring often, until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

Add the leek, 1½ teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper to the fat remaining in the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leek is softened, about 6 minutes.

Add the garlic and pepper flakes, then cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 8 cups water and place the chicken breasts in the pot in an even layer.

Step 2

Press Cancel, lock the lid in place and move the pressure valve to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook or Manual; make sure the pressure level is set to High. Set the cooking time for 12 minutes.

When pressure cooking is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then release the remaining steam by moving the pressure valve to Venting. Press Cancel, then carefully open the pot.

Step 3

Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a plate. Select More/High Sauté and bring the broth to a boil. Stir in the toasted orzo and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, using 2 forks, shred the chicken into bite-size pieces, discarding the bones. Press Cancel to turn off the pot. Stir in the shredded chicken, the chickpeas and spinach.

Using potholders, carefully remove the insert from the housing and let cool for about 2 minutes. Stir in the yogurt and dill. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with additional dill.

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