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Home » Soup » Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon Jessica Randhawa
November 2, 2022
4.75 from 24 votes


Last Updated November 2, 2022 | 3 Comments

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lemon orzo chicken soup pinterest pin image
lemon orzo chicken soup pinterest pin image

This Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is light, cozy, and super easy to make. It uses healthy everyday ingredients like hearty vegetables and tender chicken in a bright and flavorful lemony broth. Satisfying and delicious, it is sure to become a family favorite.

Shallow white soup bowl filled with lemon chicken orzo soup filled with shredded chicken, carrots, celery, orzo, and peas.

Easy Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup

This lemon chicken orzo soup comes with delicious layers of fresh flavor thanks to its nourishing herb and lemon broth. A soup loved by the whole family, it’s like a ray of sunshine on a cold winter’s day. And unlike most pasta soups where I typically tell you to “cook the pasta separately!”, orzo is durable enough to be cooked directly in the pot, thus making this a true one-pot soup recipe.

What You’ll Need to Make This Recipe

  • Butter and Olive Oil
  • Onion, Carrots, and Celery
  • Garlic
  • Italian Seasoning and Crushed Red Pepper (optional)
  • All-Purpose Flour (optional)
  • Chicken Broth or Chicken Stock
  • Chicken Thighs or Chicken Breasts
  • Orzo Pasta
  • Lemon
  • Frozen Peas

Recipe Substitutions & Variations

  • This recipe can be made using either chicken thighs or chicken breasts. Chicken thighs have more flavor and are less likely to dry out from prolonged cooking, so it’s usually my go-to when cooking soups.
  • The all-purpose flour is optional. The flour helps to thicken the broth just a little, without making it feel heavy. To make this soup gluten-free, simply leave out the flour completely or substitute it with certified gluten-free flour.
  • Try adding additional veggies like fresh baby spinach, kale, or zucchini.
Large pot filled will simmering lemon chicken orzo soup.

How to Make Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Full ingredients and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Cook the onion, carrots, and celery in a large pot or Dutch oven with butter and olive oil. Season with Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes or so, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the minced garlic, and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).

Reduce the temperature to medium heat and sprinkle the veggies with 2-3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Mix well to combine the flour with the vegetables. Stirring continuously, slowly adding the chicken stock followed by the raw chicken pieces.

Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Stir in the orzo and continue to cook, uncovered, for an additional 15 minutes. Stir often.

Remove the chicken from the soup and shred or chop it into small bite-size pieces. Return the cooked chicken back to the soup and add the fresh lemon juice and frozen peas. Continue to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Season with additional salt and black pepper, as needed.

I love to garnish my bowl of soup with grated parmesan cheese or crumbled feta cheese and chopped parsley.

Recipe Tip

For even more lemon flavor, try adding some lemon zest. A Microplane grater makes zesting lemons super easy.

Ladle hovering in a large pot filled with chicken lemon orzo soup.

How to Serve

Just the other night I changed things up and served this delicious soup with refrigerated buttery biscuits (so easy!), but I usually serve it with whole wheat toast and butter. Sometimes I’ll add a light and fresh salad, like this arugula salad with shaved parmesan.

More Chicken Soup Recipes

  • The Best Chicken Soup Recipe
  • Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe
  • Caldo de Pollo Recipe (Mexican Chicken Soup)
  • Chicken Barley Soup
  • Easy Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe
  • Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup Recipe
  • Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

If you try making this Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Recipe, please leave me a comment below! I always love to read your thoughts and feedback!

Shallow white soup bowl filled with lemon chicken orzo soup filled with shredded chicken, carrots, celery, orzo, and peas.
Shallow white soup bowl filled with lemon chicken orzo soup filled with shredded chicken, carrots, celery, orzo, and peas.

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

4.75 from 24 votes
Chef: Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked SpoonJessica Randhawa
This Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is light and cozy, using healthy everyday ingredients like hearty vegetables and tender chicken in a bright and flavorful lemony broth. Satisfying and delicious, it is sure to become a family favorite.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 1 hr
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 416 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 yellow onions - diced
  • 5 large carrots - chopped
  • 4 celery stalks - chopped
  • ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 4 cloves garlic - minced
  • 3 tablespoon flour - see notes
  • 10 cups chicken broth - or water
  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs - or chicken breasts
  • 1 cup orzo pasta - uncooked
  • 1 large lemon - juiced
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • fresh parsley - to garnish
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Instructions
 

  • Add the butter and olive oil to a large soup pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Mix well to coat in the butter and oil. Cook for 5-8 minutes, or until softening, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the garlic, mixing well to combine. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Reduce the stovetop heat to medium and sprinkle the vegetables with three tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Stir until the flour is combined and no dry spots remain.
  • Slowly pour in the chicken broth, stirring continuously to prevent any clumps of flour from forming, then add the chicken. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat.
  • Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, stir in the orzo and continue to cook for an additional 15 minutes, stirring often as orzo likes to stick to the bottom of the pot.
  • Carefully remove the chicken from the pot to a clean plate. Shred with a fork or chop into small pieces. Return the chicken back to the pot. Add the lemon juice and frozen peas and continue to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
  • Season with additional salt and black pepper, to taste, and garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired.

Jessica’s Notes

  • The all-purpose flour is optional. The flour helps to thicken the broth just a little, without making it feel heavy.
  • This soup can also be made using chicken breasts. Be careful not to overcook chicken breasts, however, as they tend to dry out.
  • Storage: Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You may need to add a splash of chicken broth when reheating as the orzo will continue to absorb the broth as it cools.
  • Freezing: Allow soup to cool before transferring to airtight, freezer-safe storage containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Allow the soup to thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 416kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 162mg | Sodium: 2043mg | Potassium: 752mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2222IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 3mg

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)

Keyword Chicken Lemon Orzo Soup, Chicken Orzo Lemon Soup, Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup
Did You Make This Recipe? Tag it Today!Mention @theforkedspoon or tag #theforkedspoon and please leave your star rating in the comment section below.

About Jessica

Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, photographer, and recipe developer of The Forked Spoon. Jessica fell in love with cooking while traveling through Asia and Europe, where she discovered her passion for good food and new adventures. Her recipes have been featured on Yahoo, MSN, USA Today, FeedFeed, and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California.

190 shares
Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

About Jessica Randhawa

Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, photographer, and recipe developer of The Forked Spoon. Jessica fell in love with cooking while traveling through Asia and Europe, where she discovered her passion for good food and new adventures. Her recipes have been featured on Yahoo, MSN, USA Today, FeedFeed, and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California.

Comments

  1. Diane Hall says

    January 20, 2023 at 4:02 pm

    5 stars
    So rich and delicious! Both my husband and I loved it. And it was easy. I will be making this again. I knew we’d love it because Lemon Chicken Orzo is already one of our family favorites.

    Reply
  2. Humeira Ahsanullah says

    November 11, 2022 at 7:37 pm

    5 stars
    Very delicious and satisfying soup best for family dinner

    Reply
    • Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked SpoonJessica Randhawa says

      November 13, 2022 at 9:55 am

      Thank you for the delicious feedback and rating, Humeira 😀

      Reply

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Chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

I’m Jessica! Aka mom, wife, chef, and travel-obsessed photographer. Welcome to The Forked Spoon. Here you can browse hundreds of incredible family-friendly recipes covering dozens of diets, courses, and cuisines. Learn more about me.

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