Heat olive oil in a large pot and sauté onion, carrots, and celery until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring so the vegetables don’t brown. Visual cue: onions turn slightly translucent and the pot smells fragrant.

Add garlic and dried thyme and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Visual cue: garlic becomes aromatic and light golden at the edges.

Add chicken broth and chicken breast, then bring to a steady simmer and cook for 18 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Visual cue: chicken reaches an opaque center and shreds easily.

Remove the chicken from the pot, shred it, and return the shredded chicken to the broth. Visual cue: chicken strands look tender and evenly distributed.

Add orzo to the pot and simmer until tender, 8-9 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Visual cue: orzo grains are plump and no longer chalky.

For avgolemono style, whisk eggs with lemon juice until smooth, then slowly ladle hot broth into the eggs while whisking. Visual cue: the mixture thickens slightly and looks creamy, not curdled.

Stir the egg-lemon mixture back into the pot and warm gently until combined. Visual cue: broth turns silkier with a pale, glossy look.

For regular style, stir in lemon juice and lemon zest directly into the soup. Visual cue: broth brightens and smells strongly of lemon zest.

Add baby spinach and cook just until wilted, then stir in chopped fresh dill. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Visual cue: spinach turns bright green and dill disperses across the surface.