Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is a hearty and comforting soup featuring savory chicken and tender orzo pasta in a zesty lemony broth. The subtle tang of lemon creates a well-balanced and satisfying bowl of soup, perfect for soothing the soul any time of year!
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The Best Lemon CHicken Orzo Soup
This lemon chicken orzo soup is one of my favorite go-to soup recipes, especially during winter! It is creamy and cozy, without being overly heavy. It features a zesty broth that is packed with flavor and the tender orzo pasta makes it more filling!
Orzo looks like rice, but it is actually pasta! The great thing about orzo is that it cooks super fast. Don’t let it go for too long or it will get too soft! You want it to be nice and al dente.
Ingredients Needed
- Butter & Olive Oil: Use a combination of butter and olive oil to cook the veggies and flour!
- Veggies: As with classic chicken soup, you need celery, onion, carrots and garlic for this soup!
- Flour: Flour is added to thicken the soup a little bit. This will create a creamier texture!
- Chicken Broth: Use your favorite chicken broth!
- Bay Leaves: Make sure your bay leaves aren’t expired. Fresher bay leaves will lend more flavor!
- Lemon Peel: I like to add some lemon peel to the soup to really start building a lemony flavor.
- Chicken: You can use chicken thighs or chicken breast, whichever you prefer!
- Spices: I like to add fresh oregano and fresh thyme along with dried dill. If you only have dried oregano and thyme, that will also work but add a little bit less to start with!
- Orzo: Orzo pasta is shaped like rice, but it is actually pasta! You can also use any other small shape of pasta that you have on hand.
- Lemon Juice: Add some lemon juice at the end for a bit of tangy flavor.
- Fresh Parsley: Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
How to Make lemon chicken orzo soup
- Heat Oil & Butter: Heat olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium high heat.
- Add Veggies: Add in celery, carrots, and onions and sauté for 4 minutes or until they start to get golden brown and tender. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Cook Flour: Add in flour and cook, stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes.
- Start the Soup: Slowly pour in the chicken broth, bay leaves, lemon peel, chicken thighs, oregano, thyme and dill.
- Simmer: Cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and reaches 165 degrees. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred with two forks.
- Add Orzo: Meanwhile, add in the orzo and cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Remove the bay leaves and lemon peel. Add the shredded chicken back into the pot.
- Remove from Heat and Garnish: Remove the soup from the heat and stir in lemon juice and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Tips for Success
- If you have leftover chicken or a rotisserie chicken on hand, shred it up and use it here for ease! Add it in at the same time you add the orzo so it doesn’t overcook.
- If using a low sodium chicken broth, check the soup for salt at the end and add more if necessary.
- You can adjust the amount of lemon juice you add here depending on your taste. Some people like it a little bit more tangy, so you can serve with extra lemon wedges when serving!
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I serve lemon orzo soup?
You can serve lemon chicken orzo soup on its own or with a slice of crusty bread on the side to soak up that delicious broth. If feeding a crowd, serve with a salad like white bean salad or an Italian chopped salad along with garlic bread or easy focaccia
Can I make this soup ahead of time?
You can technically make this soup ahead of time, however the orzo will start to soak up all of the broth as it sits in the fridge. If you are making this to have leftovers, I recommend boiling the orzo in a separate pot and adding in cooked orzo to the soup as you reheat it!
How should I store this chicken soup?
Store any leftover chicken orzo soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave until heated through! You may need to add a bit more chicken broth if the orzo has soaked a lot of it up.
More Soup Recipes to Try
- Cheeseburger Soup
- Lasagna Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Chicken Tortellini Soup
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 strips lemon peel
- 1 lb chicken thighs or breasts
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 1 tsp dried dill
- 1 cup uncooked orzo
- 1 medium lemon, juiced
- 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium high heat.
- Add in celery, carrots and onions and saute for 4 minutes or until they start to get golden brown and tender.Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Add in flour and cook stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes.
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth, bay leaves, lemon peel, chicken thighs, oregano, thyme and dill.Cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and reaches 165 degrees. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred with two forks.
- Meanwhile add in the orzo and cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender.Remove the bay leaves and lemon peel. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot.
- Remove the soup from the heat and stir in lemon juice and parsley.Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
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