Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

square image of lemon chicken orzo soup in a pot with a ladle

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4.75 from 4 votes

Uniquely tangy Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is the perfect combination of fresh and light flavors packed into a hearty soup!

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword lemon chicken orzo soup

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 509kcal

Author Aubrey

Equipment

Large Pot

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
3 stalks celery diced
1 ½ cups carrots peeled & diced or sliced (3-4 carrots)
1 small yellow onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
6 cups low-sodium chicken stock or broth
1 ½ cups orzo pasta
1 lemon zested and juiced
Lemon slices cut in half, for garnish
Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Place a 3-quart pot over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter. Once melted add the onion, celery, and carrots to the pot and cook for 4-5 minutes until the onion is translucent.
Add the garlic and chicken and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
Add 1 tablespoon of butter and once melted, stir in the flour. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the herbs, chicken stock, and orzo to the pot, and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 13-15 minutes until the orzo is cooked.1
Stir in half the lemon juice and lemon zest. Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper to taste. If desired, add in more lemon juice and lemon zest to taste. Serve warm garnished with lemon slices and parsley.

Notes

For even more flavor you can use bone-in chicken breast or chicken thighs. Cook them, remove the chicken from the soup, take the meat off the bones and then add the meat back to the soup.

Nutrition