Yummy Soup Dinner

There aren't many cookbooks that fascinate me anymore. Now that I have access to thousands of recipes for free online, regular cookbooks don't do much for me. Now, give me a cookbook that teaches me about food or nutrition and I will devour it (pun intended). There is an awesome cookbook by one of my Food Network faves Ellie Krieger called The Food You Crave. It is one of those cookbooks that teaches me about food and how to make lighter meals that still make you want to come back for more! Here's a recipe I tried from it tonight.

Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo
4 tsp olive oil, divided
8 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into small chunks
Pinch of salt, plus more to taste
1 med onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 stalks celery, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 medium carrot, diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 cup orzo, preferably whole wheat
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat 2 tsps oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt, add it to the pot, and cook stirring a few times, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a dish and set aside. Add the remaining 2 tsps oil to the pot. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and thyme and cook, stirring over medium-high heat until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add 5 cups of the broth and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and let simmer until tender, about 8 minutes. Turn the heat down to low to keep the soup hot but not boiling.
Warm the remaining 1 cup broth in a small saucepan until it is hot but not boiling. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Gradually whisk the lemon juice into the eggs. Then gradually add the hot broth to the egg-lemon mixture, whisking all the while. Add the mixture to the soup, stirring well until the soup is thickened. Do not let the soup come to a boil. Add the cooked chicken to the soup. Season with salt and pepper and serve.