Escarole, Orzo and Chicken Meatball Soup

This recipe is adapted from Bon Appétit magazine; the soup is SO delicious. I like to fry the meatballs in a little bit of olive oil rather than bake them but the choice is yours. Serve with some crusty bread and a bit of parmesan cheese on the side.

For the meatballs:
1 egg
1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
1 lb ground chicken
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
2 T chopped parsley
1 t garlic salt
black pepper to taste

Mix everything together gently and form into meatballs approximately 1 1/2" in diameter.  Place the meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes to let them firm up a bit (to be honest, I usually don't do this). Fry them in a little bit of olive oil, turning gently on occasion until the outside is browned a bit (you don't have to worry about cooking them all the way through, they will finish cooking in the broth).

For the soup:
8- 10 cups chicken broth (homemade is best if possible)
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup orzo
4 cups coarsely chopped escarole
1 t (or to taste) vegeta or other good quality chicken bouillon seasoning

Bring the broth to a boil and add the carrots and simmer for 5 minutes; add the orzo and meatballs and simmer for another 10 minutes or so. Stir in the chopped escarole. Serve with parmesan cheese on the side.