Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup – a flavorful and delicious lemon chicken orzo soup recipe that is packed with flavor and so easy to make!
An Easy Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Recipe
A big bowl of chicken soup is some of the absolute best comfort food! And this orzo soup is just that but with some bright, fresh lemon flavor making it nice and light because sometimes you need the bowl of comfort food without it feeling super heavy. The whole family is going to love this soup that is full of so much great flavor! We love making it for Sunday Supper!
Love orzo – try our Creamy Parmesan Orzo!
What You Will Need
- olive oil – a little in the dutch oven to sauté the garlic and onion.
- garlic & yellow onion – the perfect combo to get the soup party started.
- chicken broth – I recommend using a high-quality chicken broth or you can even use homemade!
- bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs – you could use boneless or skinless, but the bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs really give the most flavor.
- lemon – for a little extra flavor feel free to used Grilled Lemons, but regular works just fine.
- herb bundle – grab a bunch of fresh herbs you have on hand and tie them in a bundle!
- carrots & celery – the fresh veggies that go great in any chicken soup.
- lemon juice – a touch of acidity really brings out all the great flavors – use as much as you like.
- kosher salt – every homemade soup needs some salt – adjust the amount to your preference.
- cooked orzo – we highly recommend cooking this separately so it doesn’t soak up all your broth.
What Is The Best Type Of Chicken To Use In This Soup
We highly recommend using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe. They really give so much great flavor! You could also use boneless/skinless chicken thighs or even chicken breasts if you prefer those or only have them on hand.
How To Store Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
This soup is best stored separate from the cooked orzo. Just place the soup and orzo in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. When you are ready to eat the soup you can heat them up and then mix them together. If the cooked orzo sits in the soup for too long it will become mushy.
How To Make Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
You can begin by prepping your ingredients.
Next, sauté the garlic and onion in a dutch oven.
Then add the chicken broth.
And chicken thighs, herb bundle, & lemon and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove the chicken, shred, and then return to the pot with the carrots, celery & lemon juice.
Cook the orzo separately (according to the package directions) and adjust the taste of the soup to your preferences.
Serve the soup over the cooked orzo and enjoy!
Recipe FAQ
- *Lemon: for a little extra flavor feel free to used Grilled Lemons, but regular works just fine.
- Step 5: for the best, deepest flavor I would recommend simmering (covered) for 2 hours. Also, if you happen to have any celery or carrot scraps or ends you want to throw in during this simmering process throw them in! They will only add to the flavor – just remember to remove them after simmering and discard.
- Chicken Thighs: you could use boneless/skinless chicken thighs, but the flavor won’t be quite as good. 2 chicken breasts would also work in a pinch.
- Orzo Separate: we are cooking the orzo separate so it doesn’t soak up all of the broth during the cooking process.
- Storage: store the soup/broth and the orzo separately so the orzo doesn’t get mushy (and soak up the broth).
- Taste along the way: everyone is different so taste this soup along the way especially as you add the lemon juice and salt. What type of chicken broth you use will impact the flavor a lot and I don’t want you to end up with a soup that is TOO lemony or too salty. You can always add more you can’t take it out once you put it – so taste along the way to make sure it turns out just right for you.
- Herb Bundle: check out our Herb Bundle tutorial here!
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Made this recipe and loved it?! We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!
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Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup – a flavorful and delicious lemon chicken orzo soup recipe that is packed with flavor and so easy to make!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 8 cups chicken broth (store-bought or homemade)
- 4–6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 lemon, halved*
- 1 herb bundle (fresh rosemary, thyme and oregano)
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (more to taste)
- 2–3 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2–3 cups cooked orzo
Instructions
- Bring a 5.5qt Dutch Oven to medium-high heat.
- Add olive oil; swirl to coat the pan.
- Add garlic and move around the pan until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add onion and let cook down, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add broth, chicken thighs, herb bundle and 2 lemon halves. Cover and let simmer a minimum of 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.*
- Remove lemons and herb bundle; discard.
- Remove chicken thighs and set aside. When chicken is cool enough, discard the bones and skin and shred the meat; return to Dutch Oven.
- Add carrots, celery and lemon juice; stir to combine.
- Taste and add kosher salt, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it has reached your desired saltiness (how much salt you will need may depend upon what brand/type of chicken broth you used).
- Meanwhile, cook the orzo according to it’s package instructions.
- Scoop some cooked orzo into a bowl and then ladle the soup over top.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- *Lemon: for a little extra flavor feel free to used Grilled Lemons, but regular works just fine.
- Step 5: for the best, deepest flavor I would recommend simmering (covered) for 2 hours. Also, if you happen to have any celery or carrot scraps or ends you want to throw in during this simmering process throw them in! They will only add to the flavor – just remember to remove them after simmering and discard.
- Chicken Thighs: you could use boneless/skinless chicken thighs, but the flavor won’t be quite as good. 2 chicken breasts would also work in a pinch.
- Orzo Separate: we are cooking the orzo separate so it doesn’t soak up all of the broth during the cooking process.
- Storage: store the soup/broth and the orzo separately so the orzo doesn’t get mushy (and soak up the broth).
- Taste along the way: everyone is different so taste this soup along the way especially as you add the lemon juice and salt. What type of chicken broth you use will impact the flavor a lot and I don’t want you to end up with a soup that is TOO lemony or too salty. You can always add more you can’t take it out once you put it – so taste along the way to make sure it turns out just right for you.
- Herb Bundle: check out our Herb Bundle tutorial here!
Teresa says
Delicious! So easy and perfect for when you’re feeling a little under the weather
Erin says
Glad you enjoyed it and I hope you feel better soon!
Fay says
Love the simplicity of this delicious soup