Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
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
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?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
Fantastic!
soooo yummy and easy to make!!
One of our favorites. I don’t add much of the lemon to my kids soup. And I usually just use leftover chicken to make it simpler.
I’m 68 and I’ve never used lemon juice, or Orzo in chicken, soup. It was, amazing!
good
delicious and so easy to make
I’ve been making this recipe for years with some adjustments! I sub the chicken thighs for breasts and add a teaspoon each of oregano and red chili flakes with the thyme in step 2. Then add a bunch of spinach and the zest of half a lemon at the very end.
This soup is DELICIOUS! We make this all the time and everyone always raves about it! We make it all the time.
A couple tips… To save time, I use a store-bought rotisserie chicken and cut it up (chop up skinned breast meat), and add it to the soup toward the end. If you have leftover soup, the orzo tends to soak up the broth. You may need to add more broth, or you can cook the orzo separately before adding it to the soup.
Brought this soup to a work soup potluck and won first place – thanks for sharing such a great recipe!
I can honestly say this is the ONE recipe that I have gone back to over and over again. This will be my third winter making it (this specific recipe). When someone eats it for the first time, they then request the recipe! Such a delicious, healthy, soup recipe!
Time Savings Trick – a tub of Trade Joe’s fresh Mirepoix (chopped carrot, celery & onion) greatly reduces prep. I used a tub, and had a bit of extra chopped onion on hand which I also added. I did not rush sautéing the Mirepoix – i let this get very golden, almost caramelized (adding bit of broth as needed to prevent sticking), before adding the garlic. Also highly recommend Dorot Gardens FROZEN crushed garlic cubes….they are a bit pricey, but greatly reduce prep time and taste fresh (I do NOT care for the jars of minced garlic …much too strong a flavor for me). ONE TIP – add lemon juice incrementally. I happened too gave a very juicy lemon – had I added entire lemon, would have been overpowering. Also added a bit of chopped fresh kale for extra veggie and color. Will def make again!!! Thanks for another super recipe!!!
November 2022 – I’ve made this recipe twice now. I used the juice of 2 lemons and skinless chicken breasts instead of what was specified in recipe. It is incredibly easy to make and is delicious! Thank you.
We made this tonight and it was a hug in a bowl!
I used ground chicken, instead of chicken breasts and I would season them next time, but overall just a wonderful blend of flavors. Since there were only two of us eating, I am excited about leftover tomorrow and I am rarely excited about leftovers. Thank you!
When you use the chicken breast, did you boil them first and then add it to the soup towards the end?
We had a bag of orzo and didn’t know what to do with it. I looked up recipes on-line and saw DD had this one. Made it and it’s immediately become one of our soup favorites.
Absolutely delicious, comfort food at the finest!
Since learning this recipe and following it step by step it has become a family staple. My pickiest kid loves it so much. Thank you for sharing
I’m in love with this soup. But I am wondering how many calories there is in a portion?
I’ve made this many times; usually with Costco rotisserie chicken and broth/stock made from the carcass. I cook the orzo separately and add it per serving as I’m only eating for one person.
Absolutely delicious! What a wonderful soup and now a new favorite for me. Thanks for sharing!
Delicious says it all!
Fabulous! Dipped buttered sourdough in it and wow! Sooo good