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!
I made this last night and it was fantastic. I used bacon grease instead of oil and I added some butter to the onions too. It was so good there wasn’t any left. Thanks for a great recipe
I love this soup. I make it probably once a week in the fall. It literally is pure comfort in a bowl
Super comforting
Made this for dinner tonight and followed the recipe exactly. You know it’s good when your whole family goes back for seconds. Thank you for a great recipe!
I have made this recipe many times over the years. I will often add left over rotisserie chicken at the end instead cooking the chicken.
So easy and fresh tasting. You feel good eating this soup!
Have made this several times and everyone loves it & asks for the recipe. Now that fall weather is here, a pot of this gets made tomorrow.
Oh my it was so dam good thank you, I only used half a lemon
Excellent recipe- my family loves this soup!!
I’ve been making this chicken soup for probably close to 7 years. It’s absolutely delicious! I make it anytime someone feels under the weather. So delicious and comforting! Thanks, for this amazing recipe, Chungah!
I absolutely love this soup. I’ve made it several times. The only change I make, is I use marinated barbecue chicken breast and add it after the fact.
I was hoping it turned out like the soup from my local Greek restaurant. However, it came out 10x better. I’ll definitely try another recipe from this site !
I have made this countless times. It is a family favorite! My kids get excited when this is on the menu. I have made it on stovetop as written and adapted it to the instapot-either way it is delicious. I sometimes add some lemon zest to the veggies to give it a bit more lemony goodness. It is also delicious with some baby spinach added at the end. Delish!
Really enjoyed this soup very flavorful
Delicious!!!!!
This recipe is wonderful I did take one short cut and used a rotisserie chicken from the deli. Everything else, I followed the given recipe. It was delicious and filling. Even in Orlando where hot temps are the norm, a hearty bowl of chicken soup is always welcome.
I just made this yesterday and it’s already almost gone. Now I’m almost obsessed with it. (Even my picky eater son likes it.) I doubt I will ever make regular chicken noodle soup ever again. I used chicken broth instead of stock, but the next time I make this soup, I’m going to make some homemade bone broth/stock and use that instead. To serve with it, I also made a baked garlic bread with parmesan herb focaccia bread. It was wonderful dipped in the soup. Pure comfort, and silky, lemony deliciousness!
I’ve probably made this more than a hundred times…for us, for family, for sick friends…it’s a staple…everyone loves it and the recipe always gets passed along…so I figured it’s only fair to finally post a comment. It’s so damn delicious 😉
I like adding a fresh lemon squeeze to each bowl.
This is a family favorite and on regular rotation- they love it so much they know what I’m cooking by the smell! This is easy and delicious, I was able to adapt it to be gf (by using gf orzo), and when I’m feeling super lazy a grocery store rotisserie chicken instead of the thighs makes it even easier. Delicious!
Made this recipe tonight exactly per directions. It was a keeper! Very delicious and just perfect on this cool evening in FL!
I am in the process of making this at the moment. It looks and smells divine. I did add red pepper flakes to satisfy my husband’s love of heat.