The season of soup is upon us, and this easy to make Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is sure to be your new go to! Made with natural and delicious ingredients like chicken breast meat, garlic, zesty lemon and hearty orzo, this filling soup is oh so satisfying. Perfect for easy weeknight dinners, and it makes great leftovers too!

Two bowls of soup are placed next to a pretty full pot.


Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

There’s nothing better than curling up with a warm bowl of my Chicken Soup Recipe on a chilly fall or winter day! And honestly, even if you live in a warmer climate, you’ll still love this soup as it’s loaded with fresh lemon flavor that won’t weigh you down.

Lemon chicken orzo soup has the best of both worlds – it’s hearty, comforting and filling, while still being fairly light with all that lemony goodness!

This dinner is also perfect for weeknights when you need something quick, tasty, and easy. From start to finish, this soup won’t take you over thirty minutes to whip up! It’s as easy as cooking the veggies, adding the chicken and orzo with some broth, letting it sit, and it’s ready. Yes, really!

Soup recipes are usually pretty simple, but this flavorful lemon and chicken soup really takes the cake.

Just because it’s easy to make doesn’t mean its not downright delicious, either. The bold flavors of lemon and fresh veggies are the most prominent in this recipe, which only add more flavor to the white chicken meat and tender orzo.

On top of being tasty as can be, the chicken and orzo will also fill you up! While there are plenty of soups out there that need a side dish to be a dinner, this soup can stand all on its own.

A ladle is scooping a portion of soup from the pot.

How to Make Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

This soup is too easy to make! Perfect for weeknights when you need some comfort food that’s also loaded with veggies and can be made with minimal effort.

  1. Heat it up. Heat the olive oil and butter in the bottom of a large pot over medium high heat.
  2. Cook the veggies. Add the carrots, onions and celery. Cook until slightly softened, approximately 5 minutes.
  3. Make it flavorful. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the Italian seasoning and continue cooking for 30 seconds more.
  4. Boil. Add the chicken stock and chicken. Bring the soup to a boil.
  5. Cook the orzo. Stir in the orzo and cook for 10 minutes or until the orzo is cooked, stirring occasionally so the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
  6. Make it zesty! Add the lemon juice and zest then season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  7. Enjoy! Serve immediately, and enjoy your new favorite lemony soup!
A bowl of soup is garnished with fresh parsley and a lemon slice.

Tips and Variations

  • Looking to save even more time? Instead of cooking your chicken breasts, buy a rotisserie chicken and shred the meat. It’s just as tasty, and you won’t have to worry about cooking the chicken yourself. If you’d rather cook the chicken yourself, though, you should try my recipe for The Very Best Oven Baked Chicken. It yields perfect chicken breasts every time!
  • Do you want an even more pronounced amount of lemon flavor in your soup? Easy! Just add more freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest to the pot. I’d recommend tasting as you go, so you know just how much more lemon you’d like to add. Remember, you can always add more, but you can’t take any away once it’s in there.
  • This soup will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days. When you’re ready to enjoy your leftovers, heat it up in the microwave or right back on the stovetop until warm.
A full bowl of soup is garnished and a spoon is placed in the bowl.

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A bowl of soup is garnished with fresh parsley and a lemon slice.

Get the Recipe: Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Yield: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Bright, fresh flavor almost leaps from the pot of this Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup. A classic greek-inspired recipe that's easy to make with just a few ingredients.
5 from 1 vote
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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup diced sweet onion
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • 2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
  • 1 cup uncooked orzo
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Equipment

  • stockpot

Instructions 

  • Heat the olive oil and butter in the bottom of a large pot over medium high heat.
  • Add the carrots, onions and celery. Cook until slightly softened, approximately 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the Italian seasoning and continue cooking for 30 seconds more.
  • Add the chicken stock and chicken. Bring the soup to a boil.
  • Stir in the orzo and cook for 10 minutes or until the orzo is cooked, stirring occasionally so the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
  • Add the lemon juice and zest then season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

Rotisserie chicken works well in this recipe as does leftover roast chicken.
Add more lemon for a more pronounced lemon flavor.
Calories: 284kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 17mg, Sodium: 406mg, Potassium: 487mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 3655IU, Vitamin C: 14mg, Calcium: 54mg, Iron: 2mg
Author: Kellie
Course: Dinner, lunch
Cuisine: American, Greek