Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

This comforting lemon chicken orzo soup recipe will brighten up even the gloomiest winter day.

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Ingredients

These are the ingredients you’ll need to make this lemon chicken orzo soup recipe:

Orzo: Boil and drain 8 ounces of orzo pasta.
Oil: Cook the vegetables in a teaspoon of olive oil.
Vegetables: This veggie-packed soup features onion, carrots, celery, and baby spinach.
Seasonings: Season the soup with fresh garlic, dried thyme, dried oregano, salt and pepper, and a bay leaf.
Broth: Use store-bought chicken broth or .
Lemon: You’ll need fresh lemon juice, the zest of a lemon, and lemon slices for garnish.
Chicken: This soup is a great way to use leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken.
Parmesan: Parmesan cheese is optional, but it’s a great finishing touch.

lemon chicken orzo soup garnished with lemon slice — lutzflcat

How to Make Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

You’ll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make lemon chicken orzo soup:

Boil, drain, and rinse the orzo.
Cook the veggies, then stir in the garlic. Add the seasonings.
Add the broth, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the veggies are tender.
Stir in the orzo, lemon juice, lemon zest, and chicken.
Cook until chicken and orzo are heated through, then stir in the spinach.
Cook until spinach wilts into broth and orzo is tender.

What to Serve With Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

This lemon chicken orzo soup pairs perfectly with . A nice would also work well.

How to Store Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Store your leftover lemon chicken orzo soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

“Loved this soup,” says . “Easy and full of flavor!”

“Remarkably flavorful and easy to prepare,” raves . “I knew I’d have leftover soup, so I listened to other reviews and did not combine the orzo to the soup. I spooned some in the bowl and covered with the soup.”

“Great,” according to . “Especially when I’m feeling under the weather. The lemon is perky and all the other ingredients build upon each other to an absolutely delicious meal.”

Editorial contributions by

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

4.8

(500)

Prep Time:

20 mins

Cook Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

50 mins

Servings:

12

Yield:

6 quarts

Ingredients

8 ounces orzo pasta
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 medium carrots, chopped, or more to taste
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
3 (32 ounce) cartons fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup fresh lemon juice
1 lemon, zested
8 ounces cooked chicken breast, chopped
1 (8 ounce) package baby spinach leaves
1 lemon, sliced for garnish (Optional)
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (Optional)

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Stir in orzo and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered until partially cooked through but not yet soft, about 5 minutes; drain and rinse with cold water until cooled completely.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, and onion; cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften and onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Season mixture with thyme, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper; continue cooking another 30 seconds before pouring chicken broth into the pot.
Bring broth to a boil. Partially cover the pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until vegetables are just tender, about 10 minutes.
Stir orzo, lemon juice, and lemon zest into broth; add chicken. Cook until chicken and orzo are heated through, about 5 minutes. Add baby spinach; cook until spinach wilts into broth and orzo is tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls; garnish with lemon slices and Parmesan cheese.

Editor's Note:

Please note the differences in yield and ingredient amounts when using the magazine version of this recipe.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

167	Calories
4g	Fat
22g	Carbs
12g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 12
Calories 167
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 4g	5%
Saturated Fat 2g	8%
Cholesterol 20mg	7%
Sodium 187mg	8%
Total Carbohydrate 22g	8%
Dietary Fiber 3g	9%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 12g	24%
Vitamin C 20mg	23%
Calcium 69mg	5%
Iron 2mg	9%
Potassium 321mg	7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.