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Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

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Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is a healthy, fresh soup bursting with bright lemony flavor! A cozy soup filled with delicious vegetables, tender orzo pasta and hearty chunks of chicken. Greek Lemon Chicken Soup is pure comfort food and ready in less than 30 minutes!

A white bowl filled with Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup is quick and easy to make!

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

I’m serving up another amazing soup today! Dan and I have been devouring this soup for the last week! If you love chicken noodle soup, then you’ll really love the Italian version – Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup!

A light lemony broth, with veggies, tender chicken and orzo pasta, mmmm!

I was talking to my Mom about carbs and pasta. Specifically, the best way to enjoy them in your diet without overdoing it. Many of our family members are diabetic, so carbs are always a concern. Mom was saying when she makes spaghetti, she only uses about a nickel’s worth of dry pasta (unlike me who pours the whole box in) for just the two of us….

So along these lines, when I was working on this recipe, I’ve made it more times than I can count. The first time I made it I made a HUGE batch and (wrote the recipe accordingly) using 3 quarts of chicken stock and well….since it’s just Dan and I, we ate this for days.

A white bowl filled with Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

The broth in this soup is light and lemony!

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

The second time I made this I used less chicken stock but did not adequately reduce the amount of pasta! I ended up with a lemony orzo chicken casserole rather than soup, which though quite delicious, was not what I was going for either…

Just like Goldilocks and The Three Bears, the third time was just right!

I reduced the orzo to 1/3 of a cup (seriously down from the full cup I started with.) Resulting in a creamy, lemony, light soup filled with the perfect amount of pasta!

This is a  satisfying meal to serve for an easy lunch and paired with a salad, a delicious dinner! I know you’re going to love it!

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Grocery List for Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

  • leftover cooked chicken
  • onion, celery, carrots and garlic
  • orzo pasta
  • chicken stock
  • half and half or heavy cream (I’ve even used sour cream in a pinch)
  • parmesan cheese
  • one lemon

Tips to make Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

  • Homemade Chicken Stock will make this soup taste even better!
  • Stirring the orzo while it’s cooking will keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan. It will also release starch and help thicken the stew.
  • Wash the lemon well before zesting.
  • Avoid overcooking the pasta as it will get mushy.
A white bowl filled with Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe with breadsticks.

Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe is easy to make!

Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe

I love this meal because most of the time I make it, I’m utilizing leftovers! It only takes a bit of chicken, white meat or dark meat, either will work. It’s a quick meal but it doesn’t compromise on flavor.

Steps to make Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

  1. peel and dice the carrots and onion
  2. sauté the vegetables
  3. add the stock and lemon juice, bring to a boil
  4. add the pasta and boil until al dente
  5. remove from heat, stir in the diced cooked chicken and cream.

More Chicken Soup Recipes to try and love!

You’ll have some leftover orzo after making this soup and here are some delicious recipes to make and enjoy to use up those leftovers!

Try this cozy warm delicious soup and love it? Me too! Be sure and leave a five star rating below! Also if you’re over on Instagram, be sure and snap a photo! 📸 tag me @bowl_me_over or #bowlmeover so I can see your bowl filled with delicious!

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I love these Fiestaware Bowls and have been picking one up every now and then when I place an Amazon order!

A white bowl filled with Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
5 from 7 votes
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Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is a healthy, fresh soup bursting with bright lemony flavor! It is full of vegetables, tender orzo pasta and hearty chunks of chicken. This is pure comfort food that is easy to make and everyone will want seconds!

Course Soups and Stews
Cuisine American
Keyword 30 minute meal, Savory, Soup Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 -6 servings
Calories 363 kcal
Author Souper Chef Deb from Bowl Me Over

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 1 carrot chopped
  • 1 stalk celery chopped
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cups shredded cooked chicken
  • 1/3 cup orzo pasta
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 bay leaf

Instructions

  1. In a large stockpot heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery - season with salt, pepper (red & black) and add the bay leaf. Sauté until just tender, about 5 minutes. 

  2. Next, add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute. Add the lemon juice, zest, chicken stock. Bring to a boil & add the orzo.

  3. Cook uncovered, stirring often - this will release the starch in the soup and help thicken it. It will also keep the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cook until the orzo is just al dente - depending on the brand 6-9 minutes.

  4. Remove from heat and add the chicken, parmesan cheese and cream. Heat thru.

  5. Remove the bay leaf & adjust seasonings if necessary (may need a bit more salt & pepper). It's ready to serve!

Recipe Notes

* If you like a really thick stew rather than soup, increase the amount of pasta to 1/2 cup.

Nutrition Facts
Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 363 Calories from Fat 189
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g 32%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Cholesterol 79mg 26%
Sodium 865mg 36%
Potassium 498mg 14%
Total Carbohydrates 23g 8%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 6g
Protein 18g 36%
Vitamin A 62.3%
Vitamin C 5.6%
Calcium 12.3%
Iron 5.4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

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Comments

    • It’s cold here today too, but I bet your cold is lots colder Patty – I’ve turned into a whimp since I moved from the Midwest, I like my Fresno winters much better! I hope you enjoy the soup!

      Reply

  13. Hey Deb,
    This is such a beautiful way to use orzo. I think it’s so under-rated.
    I am pinning this for use. Will be testing out the recipe. And if it is as good as it sounds and looks, I will be featuring it in my Jan 2016 roundup. Just giving you a headsup.
    Thank you so much for sharing this.
    Cheers!

    Reply

  14. I’m giving this a try for my Mother-in-law. She just had surgery on her mouth and can’t really chew, so I thought this would be great if I omitted the veg and chicken, focus just on the very flavorful broth and orzo. She loves the avgolemono soup at a local pizza shop but Is allergic to egg, so I am trying to give her the same flavors. I think the cream will give some of the rich texture without the egg. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

    • How kind of you to cook for her while she is healing, that’s just wonderful! This soup is so delicious and flavorful, one of my very favorites! Another thing you can do is blend it all together really well – that would be very easy for her also. Just a thought! Happy Saturday to you!

      Reply

  15. Oh I LOVE your soups! And this one is no exception! I mean – what can be better than a nourishing one-pot meal like this soup! What a great recipe!

    Reply

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Meet Souper Chef Deb

Welcome to Bowl Me Over! My name is Debra and I send warm greetings from sunny California. I am a serious foodie – I’ve been known as the go-to girl in our family for years, catering weddings and anniversary parties and in the summer help cook mountains of food for our family reunions. Often times things I create end up in a bowl, hence the name Bowl Me Over! Learn More . . .