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Bowl Me Over

Delicious recipes that (most times!) end up in a bowl, hence the name Bowl Me Over. My goal is to inspire you, making meal time more fun and less complicated!

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

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Creamy 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!

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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!

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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. Paired with a salad, it’s a delicious dinner! I know you’re going to love it!

Grocery List for Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

  • leftover cooked chicken – using cooked chicken keeps the cooking time to a minimum.
  • onion, celery, carrots and garlic – all of the aromatics, making this soup taste like it’s cooked all day long.
  • orzo pasta – small pasta that actually looks like rice, but it’s pasta!
  • chicken stock – for flavor
  • half and half or heavy cream – I’ve even used sour cream in a pinch
  • parmesan cheese – for salty flavor and cheesy goodness.
  • one lemon – to give this soup just the right amount of tang.

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 Creamy 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!

30 Minute Chicken Tortellini Soup
30 Minute Chicken Tortellini Soup has all the flavor of a slowly simmered meal but only takes 30 minutes to make. It’s hearty and satisfying too! 
Check out this recipe
Soup is good food!
Easy Chicken and Dumpling Soup
Chicken and Dumpling Soup is a comforting meal that fills your home with an enticing aroma. But what if you don’t have all day long?  Then let’s take a shortcut or two – you won’t loose the flavor and your family will still be lined up begging for more!
Check out this recipe
Wild Rice Chicken Soup Recipe
Transform your leftovers into an easy Wild Rice and Leftover Chicken Soup! Savory, delicious and filling this is an easy soup to make with leftovers!
Check out this recipe
Two bowls of Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Recipe with croissants.
Chicken Soup Instant Pot Recipe
Chicken Soup Instant Pot Recipe – Are you craving a hearty bowl of soup but don’t have all day to spend all day in the kitchen? Instant Pot Chicken Soup is done in a snap. It’s easily made and so delicious. Chicken Soup is a classic, comforting meal that your whole family will enjoy. Easy slow cooked flavor in just 30 minutes, this Instant Pot Chicken Soup is done in a flash!
Check out this recipe
A spoonful of chicken noodle soup being scooped out of a white bowl filled with soup.
Easy Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Want your kids to eat their veggies? Serve them Chicken Pot Pie Soup – Meaty, flavorful and hearty this is rich & decadent and super yummy!
Check out this recipe
Blue bowl filled with soup topped with cracker.

If you have some leftover orzo after making this soup this Lemon and Spinach Orzo salad recipe is super yummy!

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Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

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

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!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time25 mins
Course: Soups and Stews
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 30 minute meal, Savory, Soup Recipe
Servings: 4 -6 servings
Calories: 363kcal
Author: Souper Chef Deb from Bowl Me Over
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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

  • 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. 
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Remove from heat and add the chicken, parmesan cheese and cream. Heat thru.
  • Remove the bay leaf & adjust seasonings if necessary (may need a bit more salt & pepper). It’s ready to serve!

Notes

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

Nutrition

Calories: 363kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 865mg | Potassium: 498mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3115IU | Vitamin C: 4.6mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 1mg

About Bowl Me Over

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. In the summer I 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! Let's stay connected, you can email me at debra@bowl-me-over.com and find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

Comments

    • Bowl Me Over says

      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

  11. Easy Peasy Life Matters says

    This soup sounds divine!!! Can’t wait to give it a try! Thanks for sharing on the Let’s Get Real blog hop 🙂

    Reply

  13. Shreyashi says

    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. Leah says

    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

    • Bowl Me Over says

      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. Liza says

    5 stars
    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

  20. Terry says

    I made this tonight and it was good, but seemed to need a little something, so I added a couple of splashes of cooking sherry. (I know, I know, real sherry is better, but the last time I needed some for a recipe, the liquor store was not a convenient stop.) I poached my chicken breasts in my Instant Pot with water, lemon slices, soy sauce, salt, and some dried rosemary, thyme, and oregano; they came out great. Will definitely make this again.

    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 . . .