Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
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Chockfull of hearty veggies and tender chicken in a refreshing lemony broth. It is PURE COMFORT in a bowl!
Featured Comment
No matter what the weather is outside, I can always use a bowl of chicken noodle soup. It doesn’t even matter if I’m sick with the flu or if I have the cleanest bill of health – this soup can be eaten any day of the week, any time of day for an all around feel-good warm hug in a bowl.
reasons to make lemon chicken orzo soup
- Best kind of vibrant, lemon-y broth
- Fun, different twist from traditional chicken noodle soup, maybe even better
- Easy to make and comes together very quickly in one single pot (even the dried orzo)
- Freezes beautifully, perfect for those busy weeknights and lazy weekends
what is orzo
Orzo is a short-cut type pasta, similar in shape to a long grain of rice. Orzo can be added to soup, helping to thicken the soup naturally by releasing starch as it cooks in the broth, yielding a richer, more velvety consistency.
tips and tricks for success
- Use good-quality stock. The better quality your stock, the better your soup. Many brands love to pack in the salt so always opt for unsalted or a lower-sodium variety. Homemade stock is even better.
- Add freshly squeezed lemon juice. Lemon juice will elevate your chicken soup, adding a fresh, bright flavor and balancing out all the saltiness and richness of the soup.
- Make it vegetarian. Skip the chicken, use vegetable stock and add 1 can cannellini beans.
- Make it gluten-free. Lemon chicken orzo soup can easily be made gluten-free by using gluten-free orzo or swapping out the orzo for rice.
- Serve with crusty bread. Serve with all the homemade crusty bread for dipping, sopping and dunking!
pro tip
Make ahead of time and store the orzo separately.
Because the orzo will continue to soak up the broth, cook and store the orzo separately if making this ahead of time.
what to serve with lemon chicken orzo soup
Tools For This Recipe
Dutch oven
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup: Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, chicken breasts can absolutely be used here but chicken thighs have more dark meat and a higher fat content which will yield juicier, more flavorful chicken.
You can use either chicken broth or chicken stock but always season, to taste, as store-bought broth is often saltier than store-bought stock. Broth is made from meat and vegetables while stock is often lower sodium and thicker than broth, and is made from bones and vegetables.
The orzo is cooked directly in the soup, absorbing all the flavorful broth. But if you are planning for leftovers or freezing, the orzo should be cooked and stored separately.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, adding a splash of water or stock as needed.
Yes! You can freeze the leftovers without the orzo pasta (or else they will get mushy) in individual freezer bags, thaw overnight, and reheat on the stovetop, adding freshly cooked orzo pasta when serving.
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- ¾ cup orzo pasta
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Equipment
Instructions
- Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chicken to the stockpot and cook until golden, about 2-3 minutes; set aside.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the stockpot. Add garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in chicken stock, bay leaves and 1 cup water; bring to a boil.
- Stir in orzo, rosemary and chicken; reduce heat and simmer until orzo is tender, about 10-12 minutes.
- Stir in lemon juice and parsley; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Did you make this recipe?
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Making this for the second time in as many weeks. Yummy! Only thing I’ve added this time is a little sweet corn. The whole family loves it, especially on a rainy day with TS Alberto bearing down. Thanks!
That’s a great addition! Sounds so yummy!
This looks really good! Do you think I could sub Israeli couscous (pearl couscous) for the orzo? I have a bunch leftover that I’ve been wanting to use…do you know if I’d have to change the amount or cooking time?
Yes, pearl couscous would be a great substitute! But please keep in mind that cooking time can vary.
Hello!
Can this be done in a slow cooker? Thanks 🙂
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Made this today. Added chick peas and zucchini! Great recipe.
Do you think this would work in the crockpot? I need something I can put together and walk away from tomorrow!
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Wanted to pop in and let you know I made this soup last weekend and it’s AMAZING. So quick and easy to put together. I grew fresh rosemary for the first time this summer and have been looking for recipes using it. That sprig simmering in the soup really takes the flavor to a whole new level. I took the pot of soup to my daughter’s to share with her and her family-we all loved it. I’ll be making this recipe a lot down the road. Thanks so much for sharing it!
Mmmmmm Chungah !!! This soup looks so good …. I can’t wait to make it . Looks
like the perfect supper for these colder days ! Thank you !!!
How should I cook the orzo if I do it separately? Just water or should I cook it with the ck stock ?
Thank you!
Either should work just fine!
What size is your dutch oven?
3.5 qt.
My husband and I love, love, love soup anytime of the year. We live in Florida. I just made this soup and couldn’t believe how good it is. This will be one of my go to soups. Thank you so much for this great recipe.
Beautiful one pot wonder dish! Still haven’t used orzo before but I want to try (:
A local restaurant in san leandro makes this, their Greek Lemon Chicken Rice soup, a few times a week and it is also delicious. I’m gonna try this version. Looks wonderful!!
NOTE: vid went too fast for me, had to replay a bunch of times and go back and look at somethings. ALSO, the font used in the vid was too hard to read (i.e. # cups of chicken broth, and it said “1 lemon” but it’s ‘juice from 1 lemon’ …) Please use a clearer font for easy reading. Thx.
This soup was so good! Perfect thing on a cold day. Only thing I did differently was add a little more orzo.
This soup is my favorite chicken soup ever! The lemon and parsley at the end give it a super fresh taste and it’s pretty easy to put together. Love it!
Can you use rotisserie chicken?
Yes, absolutely.
This was just outstanding! Had leftover rotisserie chicken and homemade chicken broth on hand. I’d saved this recipe on Pinterest and pulled it out today. I made it almost to recipe, just a couple of changes. Rotisserie chicken and homemade broth, basmati rice instead of the orzo, added the zest of the lemon, and 1/2 the juice. I added 1 can of cream of chicken soup just to give it a little more creaminess. Made some rosemary focaccia to serve alongside with some fresh veggies. The lemon makes this recipe! Thanks for the fabulous recipe!
yummm!!!
This recipe has become our family favorite! I use ground chicken instead as I can get it from the farmers market. ..no chopping of chicken makes it even easier! S
What is the exact serving size?
Sorry I don’t see it above. The serving size was noted as 1-2 cups.
No worries at all! There’s a lot of comments to sift through.
I just had the soup it is fantastic and is my new favorite. I didn’t have any lemons so I used a lime instead and it was really good. Also I just measured out 6 servings and it was 1 1/2 cups and if anyone does weight watchers the smart points is 8. Thank you for the recipe. I will be making again!
Excellent recipe! I made it for my husband because he had a cold. He love it so much that he asked me to make it again the following day. Damn delicious!
Everything I make of yours is damn delicious! This recipe is no different. Finally a chicken soup that taste like chicken soup should taste. I made it as written and would not change a thing.