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My Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Is So Good!
The base for my Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is made with homemade chicken stock (ps you’ll reuse the chicken) and it’s totally worth it. It’s also a great way to make the most of the scraps – like the outer layers of the carrots and onions and the leafy ends of celery sticks – that you would otherwise throw away. Once the stock is done, you cook the orzo right in it to absorb all of that delicious flavor, and some fresh lemon juice to brighten things up.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Ingredients
- Chicken breast: I prefer using boneless, skinless chicken breast for this soup. If you’re not in the mood for chicken, try turkey. You can also use diced tofu, chickpeas, or cannellini beans for a vegetarian version of this soup.
- Veggies: Also known as mirepoix, the combination of onions, carrots, and celery is a must when making a flavorful homemade stock. Save the scraps, like the outer layers of the onions, carrots, and celery leaves from other recipes too.
- Orzo pasta: I love the texture that this tiny pasta adds, but you can replace it with rice, quinoa, or gluten-free pasta if you have an intolerance. You may need to adjust the cooking time, though, if you do substitute it.
- Butter: Go with unsalted butter since you can always add more salt if needed. Or use olive oil.
- Seasonings and spices: Along with salt and pepper, I season the soup with minced garlic, dried rosemary, bay leaves and turmeric. If you don’t have fresh garlic, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder per clove can be used instead. Thyme or tarragon can be swapped in for rosemary.
- Lemon: Be sure to use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor! You can also add some lemon zest for a sharper citrus flavor. Here are different ways to juice a lemon.
- Parsley: Look for a bunch with bright green leaves and no dark or yellow spots. Check out my guide on how to chop parsley. Mint also works nicely with this soup.
Popular Additions
- Add veggies: 1 cup of chopped zucchini, peas, kale or spinach are all great additions if you want a veggie boost.
- Make a creamy version: Stir in a splash of cream or a little Greek yogurt just before serving for a creamy chicken orzo soup.
- Kick up the heat: Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes or stir in ½ teaspoon harissa for some spice.
How to Make Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
My Best Easy Chicken Orzo Soup Tips
- Use whole chicken or chicken thighs for best flavor. This will add more calories and fat overall to the soup, but it definitely adds a lot more flavor.
- Season the chicken well before making the stock. I can’t stress how important it is to season your ingredients in layers as you cook. This allows the salt to penetrate the chicken thoroughly from the beginning of the cooking process. And that means the flavor is better this way than it would be if you seasoned after shredding the chicken.
- Keep the stock clear by skimming if you notice any cloudy appearance. This is pretty common when making chicken broth from scratch, but it can be unattractive. So just make sure to use a large spoon and skim off any foam that rises to the top of the pot.
- Add the orzo towards the end of cooking. This will ensure that they don’t get too soggy in the broth while you’re cooking the vegetables. It has a fairly short cooking time, and I recommend keeping it al dente.
Serving Ideas
More Chicken Soup Recipes:
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
- Chicken Lemon Rice Soup
- Easy White Chicken Chili
- Chicken Barley Soup
- Red Lentil Chicken Soup
- Chicken Vegetable Soup
- Creamy Broccoli Soup with Chicken
If you try this Chicken Lemon Orzo Soup recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
I created this blog post first on May 8, 2017. I am updating it today to include improved new step-by-step images, more detailed recipe information and a video tutorial.
Chicken Lemon Orzo Soup Recipe
This Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup starts out with homemade chicken stock using the chicken breasts, which are then shredded and added back with the orzo and lots of lemon flavor.
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 onion diced
- 3 large carrots peeled, halved lengthwise and finely sliced
- 3 celery stalks small diced
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 3/4 cup orzo pasta
- 1/8 teaspoon turmeric optional
- 1-2 lemons juiced, to taste
- Fresh parsley
Instructions
- Place chicken and scraps from the outer layers and ends of the onions, carrots, celery and bay leaves in a large stock pot. Add 8-10 cups of water and season with 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until chicken is fork-tender, about 30 minutes.
- Remove chicken and shred; then strain the chicken broth using a fine-mesh sieve and discard the vegetable scraps and bay leaves.
- Heat butter (or oil) in the same pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and remaining salt and cook until tender, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the shredded chicken, orzo, rosemary and turmeric (if using). Then return the broth to the stockpot and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer until the orzo is cooked, about 20 minutes.
- Stir in the lemon juice. Serve immediately with fresh parsley or mint, if desired.
Notes
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. The soup will stay fresh for about 4-5 days.
Freezing Instructions: You can freeze the soup, but the texture of the orzo may change slightly. So if you are making this to freeze, it’s best to leave the pasta out of the dish and then add freshly cooked pasta when you reheat it.
Make Ahead Tips: You can make the homemade chicken broth ahead of time and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use the broth, just thaw in the fridge overnight or for at least 4-6 hours.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g, Calories: 206kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 77mg, Sodium: 693mg, Potassium: 407mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 6108IU, Vitamin C: 13mg, Calcium: 36mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Cuisine American
Course: Soup
Yumna, this soup is great! I planned ahead and made the broth the day before so I could chill thoroughly and skim the fat. I used bone-in chicken parts since I think that makes a more flavorful broth. The turmeric adds a beautiful color, and I found the juice of one lemon was plenty of lemon for us. This would be so perfect for sick days, so into the freezer some will go. I am really enjoying your recipes. They’re excellent.
Thanks so much, love your tip for making it ahead.
Excellent soup! My husband said he could eat it every night! I made without salt, he has to add some, but still loved it.
Thank you so much! That’s such a compliment!!
This was absolutely beautiful! I was stupid and poured after the stock down the sink but luckily I had stock in the cupboard. Still beautiful though. Another amazing recipe Yumna!
I’m glad it still worked out in the end! Thank you so much!
Super yummy! I didn’t have orzo so I used little pasta shells! I loved the broths too, I just use any veggie scraps that I have from my other meals and freeze until I’m ready to make a broth!
So glad you loved the broth! Agree it’s a great idea to make your own broth from veggie scraps!
I absolutely love this soup! I added in a bit of kale for some more veggie. I really appreciate how easy to follow all your recipes are.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks so much!
I first saw this recipe on Instagram – which looked so appetizing for a winters day – so I knew I had to try it out. After days of looking for celery under lockdown, I finally got to make it with all the listed ingredients. Instead of using boneless-chicken, I used chicken-breast on the bone which gave the broth extra flavour. I would definitely recommend this recipe for a cold day indoors.
Thanks so much for sharing Nurah! I love that you used bone-in chicken breast…I think that definitely gives it more flavor. Glad you liked the recipe!
Great soup! Made it this morning with a whole organic chicken! The lemon is such a nice addition! Hubby loved it too! Comfort food!
So glad to hear it. Thank you so much!
Would like to know if I’m using organic low sodium chicken broth do I use the same amount of cups as for the water? Also I’m using chicken breasts instead of thighs.
Yes, you would use the same amount of broth as water. And since you’re using breast, you can cook the chicken for 20 minutes instead of 30 minutes.
This was delicious! Made it while sheltering at home during Coronavirus crisis. My husband loved it! He said it was as good as the Greek soup avgolemono that he used to get from the caterer at his workplace. It was easy and I had all the ingredients in my fridge and pantry.
Aww I’m so glad to hear that. There’s nothing better than a comforting warm bowl of soup these days honestly! Thank you for sharing!
Made this for the first time and the husband loved it and it’s approved by 3 year olds (an awesome way to get them to eat veggies)!! Super delicious and easy to make!
So glad to hear that! Thanks so much for sharing!
Very good. Feels so healthy with just a hint of (1) lemon, lots of veggies, and turmeric – and the orzo helps thicken the broth perfectly. Thanks.
So happy you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for sharing!
Made this tonight for dinner and it was delish! Simple and easy. Will definitely make again. I used my pressure cooker make the recipe and it worked out great! Thank you!
Awesome! So glad to hear it, and that’s smart using a pressure cooker for the recipe 🙂
Just made this and it makes me want to stay home all day and cozy up with this delicious soup!!
I have tried all your delicious soup recipes. Yet this Orzo lemon has exceeded my expectations. Super delicious.
Thank you! It’s one of my favorites too!