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You will love this light Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with small orzo pasta, vegetables and tender chicken. You will love this immunity boosting soup! It makes a great freezer friendly meal, just leave out the pasta and add it when you are ready to eat the soup.
I am a lover of lemons and a lover of soup. I love adding lemon to all kinds of recipes and soups is one of those that I especially love.
This Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is one I make on repeat in the cooler months. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good classic chicken noodle soup but sometimes I want to mix things up. One of my all time favorite soups is Avgolemeno which I had when I was in Greece. It is a Greek chicken and rice soup with a whole lot of creamy, lemony goodness. Today’s Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is similar in some ways. It mixes small orzo pasta with a lemony chicken broth. Many of us get colds this time of year and Chicken Noodle Soup recipes can be a great thing to eat when you are sick. It is perfect for sick days on a cold night. The garlic, lemon and chicken broth are a great way to boost your immune system. If you like this soup you should also add this Asian Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe and this Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Soup.
My love for lemon stems back to my childhood. My Mom has pictures of me with lemons in my mouth. I don’t know what it is about tart foods but I love them and lemons are no exception. Like Mother, like son! As you can see below Will was just a toddler then. I love this picture so much I decided to keep it here for all of us to enjoy! He loves this lemon chicken soup and it is a true comfort food.
This picture was taken in Florida at a restaurant where I got lemons with my water and Will insisted on eating them all. His face says it all…but he actually really loves them and goes back for more! Needless to say this soup was a big hit with him and the rest of my family. They love any type of chicken soup that I make but especially love this Chicken Orzo Soup.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken: There are a few options when it comes to the chicken in this soup. You can use chicken tenders, thighs or breasts and cook them as part of the process of making this soup. You can save yourself time by buying a rotisserie chicken and shredding that and adding it in to the soup.
- Vegetables: In this soup I added a variety of fresh vegetables including carrots, onion and celery. You can add other vegetables if you like. I think zucchini, peas, green beans and greens work nicely.
- Orzo: I love using tender orzo pasta in soups and in salads like this Summer Orzo Pasta Salad. It works nicely in this soup. Look for a whole wheat version at the store for a healthier soup!
- Herbs: As with most of my recipes I would suggest adding your favorite fresh herbs. I think that fresh parsley and dill work nicely in this soup.
If you like citrus in soups you also might like this Lemon Lentil Soup or this Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken Lime Soup.
Recipe Modifications
- Vegetables: Add additional vegetables to your soup including peas, green beans, zucchini and mushrooms.
- Greens: I also enjoy adding greens like fresh spinach, kale or swiss chard to this soup.
- Creamy: Make this soup a creamy one. You can add heavy cream to the soup to thicken it up and make it a richer cup of soup.
- Beans: If you want to add additional protein that isn’t meat, try adding beans. I like chickpeas or white beans.
- Pasta: You can swap the orzo for other pasta shapes like whole wheat orzo, penne, farfalle or fusilli.
- Grain: Use brown or white rice or quinoa instead of orzo.
- Spices: Add spices like paprika, cayenne pepper, turmeric or curry powder for a unique twist.
For the orzo lovers try my Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Recipe, Lemon Shrimp and Orzo or this Lemon Orzo Recipe.
How to Make Lemon Orzo Soup
Step 1. Cook the Orzo: Cook the orzo pasta according to package until al dente. Remove and rinse under cold water and set aside.
Step 2. Sauté the Vegetables: In a large pot or dutch oven heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté the minced garlic for two minutes. Add the onion, carrots and celery and sauté until soft, about 4-5 minutes.
Step 3. Add the Chicken Broth and Spices: Add the chicken broth, thyme, oregano, bay leaf and lemon juice and simmer for 15 minutes.
Step 4. Add the Orzo and Cook: Add the orzo pasta, chicken, spinach, salt and pepper to taste and continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes until the spinach is wilted.
Garnish with fresh parsley, dill, parmesan cheese and serve with garlic bread. Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Storage Tips
- I think this soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to meld. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- This soup freezes well. I would suggest keeping the orzo separate if you plan to freeze some because the orzo can soak up all of the broth and the orzo sometimes becomes mushy. I just add the orzo as I eat the soup.
Recipe FAQ
You can easily prep the ingredients for this soup ahead of time like chopping chicken, the vegetables and even cooking the orzo. Then when you are ready to make the soup you will cut the time in half.
Use a good quality chicken stock or broth to add flavor to your soup. I like to try and use homemade chicken stock when I can!
Other Side Dishes to Try:
Vegetarian
Oven Roasted Tomatoes
Vegetarian
Moroccan Roasted Carrots
Sides
Easy Bok Choy Recipe
Vegetarian
Bok Choy Stir Fry
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Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 2 cups orzo pasta, cooked
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 3 stalks of celery, chopped
- 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
- 6 cups chicken broth, low sodium
- 3 to 4 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced {I used a rotisserie chicken}
- 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 bay leave
- 1 lemon, juiced and zested
- 2 cups of spinach
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the orzo pasta according to package until al dente. Remove and rinse under cold water and set aside.
- In a large pot heat the 2 Tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and saute the minced garlic for two minutes. Add the onion, carrots and celery and saute until soft, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, thyme, oregano, bay leaf and lemon juice and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the orzo pasta, chicken, spinach, salt and pepper to taste and continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes until the spinach is wilted.
- Garnish with fresh parsley, dill and serve with crust bread.
Notes
- If you make this ahead or plan to have leftovers then leave the pasta out and add it when you are ready to eat the soup to prevent the noodles from getting too soggy.
- This soup freezes great (once again I would freeze without the noodles).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can I use chicken breast specifically for this dish?
Yes! Any chicken will work. I have used chicken breasts, tenders or thighs and sometimes just a rotisserie chicken shredded. If you want to cook the chicken as part of the soup I would cook it first and then pull it out and make the soup then add the chicken back in.
This looks wonderful! We will definitely be trying it! There will be plenty of damp rainy days yet ahead while we’re waiting for summer!
Thanks Michelle! Yes it is great for those rainy spring days!
The perfect soup for Spring as we continue to wait for the warm weather to stick around!
Totally agree Melanie!
Your son is so cute!! This soup sounds so nice and cozy right now. It’s been raining here the past couple of days and I could really use a huge mug of orzo chicken soup. Beautiful, lady!
Thanks Julia! Yes–it has been raining here the past couple of days but warm..I could still eat this soup though! 😉
Love the pics of Will eating your lemon! Sooooo cute! My son is the same way – even when he was a tiny little dude, he loved to suck on a lemon wedge (and would get that same happy/puckery little expression that Will has! 😀 ). This soup looks just fantastic, and I especially appreciate the make-ahead tip about freezing it and then adding the orzo when serving!
Thanks Shelley! That is funny about your son too!
Such a classy recipe. It sounds delicious! Perfect for a party.
I am a soup nut. I admit it. I love making soup and I love eating soup. I also like Greek food. So I tagged this recipe immediately.
Thanks Carol! I am a soup nut too! Even when it is hot out I love soup.
Thank you and have a wonderful day!
Even though it is in the 80’s here, I would love a bowl of this soup! Love the lemon flavor!
My daughter eats lemons like they are oranges! I love them too 🙂 This soup looks perfect!