Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
by Chungah
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our privacy policy for details.
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
Video
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
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.
Equipment
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
Loving this soup. It’s become a regular on my rotation this fall and into the winter. I’ve been adding in a bit of heavy whipping cream at the end to make it creamy and rich. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I have a cold/sore throat/headache developing and loved that I could make this easily without sacrificing flavour! I also added some fresh ginger root to help with my sore throat and it was delish. I used dried parsley and celery since I didn’t have fresh on hand – still seemed great!!
thank you for sharing this amazing recipe! It turned out amazing!!!
The soup looks great, but most times Orzo is not Gluten Free. Did you find some that was?
Just made this for dinner and it’s absolutely delicious. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!
I made this last night for dinner. It tasted so amazing, I never want to eat canned soup again. (I have a horrible cold, and this is the only thing I ate this week that didn’t taste like the bottom of a pond).
I have made nearly half of your recipes… You are my go to guru every time I need a meal, snack, soup…I have N.E.V.E R. been disappointed. I’m sure you won’t let me down tomorrow when I make this…infact I know it!!!
This sounds delicious. My husband loves chicken noodle soup–mostly campbell’s!–and this would be such a great way to make it healthier and class it up! Maybe I can teach him a thing or two!
One question: does the dried thyme rehydrate? I often don’t use it just because I don’t like the way it’s “hard” when I bite on it and it gets stuck in my teeth. Does it soften in the soup?
I haven’t found the thyme to “harden” in the soup but if you’d like, you can substitute other herbs such as basil, parsley, oregano, etc.
Does this soup freeze well?
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself – there were no leftovers left to freeze! I recommend using your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
I’ve been making chicken soup for 30 years and this is the freshest, most delicious recipe I’ve ever made! Picky husband loved it. I’ll be making your copycat pasta fagoli this weekend as it’s one of my favorite soups. Thanks!
I’m making this soon for a weeks worth of soup for my work-lunches. Should I leave the bay leaf in for a while? Discard as I divvy up amongst my Tupperware? Do I also remove the sprig of rosemary- or does it break up and become part of the soup? (I’m used to cooking with dried rosemary). Thanks!
Yes, it is best to discard the bay leaf before dividing up among servings. I also recommend adding the sprig of fresh rosemary right before serving.
I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! So easy to out together and such a short cooking time, yet so flavorful! The addition of the lemon juice is genius and really makes the dish in my opinion. Thank you!
Sorry i meant lime for lemon! Oops
Can’t wait to make this! Can I sub lemon for lime?? Thx!
Of course!
Sure do wish it’d finally get cold so I can make this!!! *raises fists and curses the weather*
Just made this soup and brought some over for a sick friend. Awesome flavour! A definite keeper:)
I found this recipe over the weekend and have been looking forward to making it since! Trying it tonight
Such a good recipe. The lemon and rosemary flavor it so well. Thanks!
Why is there bacon in the pot in the first picture?
That is not bacon. It is uncooked chicken.
I thought it was bacon too, haha.
Made this earlier for my family and they all loved it. Seconds and thirds were had and it was delicious. I just browned some thighs and tore the meat off them. But it was still delicious! Keeper for sure