Easy Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Recipe

If you’re looking for a comforting and richly flavored soup, give this Easy Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Recipe a try! It’s the perfect cozy soup to enjoy year-round that the whole family will love!

For more easy soup recipes try my crockpot chicken noodle soup, homemade chicken noodle soup and chicken and potato soup.

Lemon Chicken Soup With Orzo

This lemony soup is a wonderful comfort soup that you can serve all year long.

This soup has all the great flavors of chicken noodle soup with the added burst of lemon and the heartiness of orzo pasta.

If you are a soup lover, try my butternut squash soup next and my broccoli cheddar soup. They’re both easy to make and so tasty!

Overhead view o lemon chicken orzo soup in soup pot with wooden spoon.

Ingredients

Ingredient for orzo chicke soup, laid out on board.
  • Carrots & Celery – sliced
  • Yellow Onion – chopped or you can substitute sweet onion
  • Garlic Cloves – minced
  • Avocado oil – or use olive oil
  • Orzo
  • All-Purpose Flour
  • Chicken – boneless, skinless chicken breasts are a great option here.
  • Chicken Broth
  • Vegetable Broth
  • Better Than Bouillon Chicken Flavored Seasoning
  • Italian Seasoning
  • Dried Thyme
  • Lemon Pepper – (unsalted)
  • Dried Dill
  • Salt & Black Pepper
  • Red Pepper Flakes
  • Lemon Juice & Lemon Zest
  • Parsley
  • Green Onions – chopped

Tip! Zest the lemon before cutting and juicing the lemon!

How to Make Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Chopped ingredients for making the soup on wooden cutting board.
Vegetables and minced garlic in bottom of pot.

STEP ONE – In a large pot, add the carrots, celery, onion chopped garlic and 2 Tablespoons of the oil.

Cooked vegetables in the bottom of the pot.

Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, with the lid on top until the carrots and celery are tender, stirring occasionally.

Flour is added to the pot with the cooked mixed vegetables.

STEP TWO – While the veggies are cooking, boil the orzo in a small pot for just 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Do not rinse the orzo.

STEP THREE – To the large pot of vegetables, add the flour and 2 tablespoons of oil. Mix for 3 to 4 minutes.

Chicken, spices, seasonings are added to the pot.

STEP FOUR – To the large pot, add the raw chicken, chicken broth, vegetable broth, Better Than Bouillon, Italian seasoning, thyme, lemon pepper, dried dill,black pepper, red pepper flakes, salt, lemon zest and lemon juice.

Chicken is added to the post along with thyme.

STEP FIVE – Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and easily falls apart.

Cooked chicken on a cutting board with two forks for shredding.

STEP SIX – Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it with two forks. Transfer the chicken back into the pot.

Parsley and orzo are added to the pot of soup

STEP SEVEN – Put the cooked orzo and parlsey in the pot.

Shredded chicken is added back into the pot of soup.

STEP EIGHT – Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.

Serve and top with green onions & enjoy!

The longer you cook the soup, the thicker it will get.

Spoonful of lemon chicken orzo soup, held over bowl of soup.

Can I Cook The Orzo In the Pot Of Soup?

Yes, you can. You will need to add more broth because the orzo is very starchy and will create a thicker soup. I recommend cooking the orzo ahead of time, which will still create a deliciously thick and creamy soup!

Storage Instructions

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

Print
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Lemon chicken orzo soup in pot with spoon.

Easy Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Recipe


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5 from 1 review

  • Author: Sandra Flegg
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings

Description

If you’re looking for a comforting and richly flavored soup, give this Easy Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Recipe a try! It’s the perfect soup to enjoy year-round and the whole family will love it!


Ingredients

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 celery stalks, sliced

1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

4 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil, divided

1 cup uncooked orzo

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 pound chicken, raw

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups vegetable broth

1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Chicken Flavored Seasoning

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon unsalted lemon pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried dill

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Zest from 1 lemon

Juice from 2 lemons

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

2 tablespoons green onions, chopped


Instructions

  1. In a large pot add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic cloves, and 2 tablespoons oil. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes with the lid on top or until the carrots and celery are tender. Stir occasionally. 
  2. While the vegetables are cooking boil the orzo in a small pot for just 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Do not rinse the orzo. 
  3. To the large pot of vegetables add the flour and 2 tablespoons of oil. Mix for 3-4 minutes. 
  4. To the large pot add the raw chicken, chicken broth, vegetable broth, Better Than Bouillon, Italian seasoning, thyme, lemon pepper, dried dill, pepper, red pepper flakes, salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
  5. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and easily falls apart. 
  6. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it with two forks. Transfer the chicken back into the pot. 
  7. Put the cooked orzo and parsley in the pot. 
  8. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. The longer you cook the soup the thicker it will get. 
  9. Serve and top with green onions. 

Notes

Storage instructions: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 55 minutes
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 314
  • Sugar: 6.9 g
  • Sodium: 964.2 mg
  • Fat: 12.5 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.7 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 29.5 g
  • Fiber: 3.1 g
  • Protein: 22.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 60.7 mg

2 Comments

  1. One of the best chicken lemon orzo soups I’ve had the pleasure of making. I did a few modifications. I used the juice of one lemon not two and added it at the end. I only used 1/2 a tsp of thyme as I find it a bit strong. I added the orzo in the soup so that it absorbed the flavour of the vegetables and broth. I cooked it in the broth for 15 minutes. Thank you for your post, this is a keeper and I will be making it again and again.

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