This lemon chicken orzo soup recipe is light, healthy, and cozy. It uses wholesome everyday ingredients and is sure to become a family favorite!
Orzo is that tiny rice-shaped pasta. It looks like rice but cooks really fast, so you get that rice effect in less time. I don't cook with it too often, but I always enjoy it. I mean you can't really go wrong with pasta. Except for bowtie pasta, but that's a story for another day. 😉
Love lemon chicken? Try my Lemon Chicken Stuffed Shells Recipe or Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken.
This lemon chicken soup with orzo is simple to make. You just sauté the onions, carrots, and celery, stir in the garlic and flour, add the broth, seasoning, and chicken, and cook it for 15 minutes. By that point the chicken is getting cooked, and you can add in the orzo and cook it for another 10 minutes or so until the pasta is done. You take the chicken out and shred/cut it up, add it back to the soup, and then it's time to add the lemon juice, parsley, and salt & pepper.
Recipe notes & tips:
- You can substitute the chicken breasts for chicken thighs if you prefer.
- If you want to make this with already cooked/rotisserie chicken, I suggest adding the chicken in at the same time as the orzo so you don't overcook it.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth if you have concerns with salt.
- You may need to add more chicken broth to leftovers as the orzo soaks it up. This soup can be frozen, but the orzo does get a bit puffy. If you want to freeze the whole batch, I recommend adding the orzo in after you thaw it.
- If you really want a more intense pop of lemon in here, I suggest grating in some lemon zest. I love my Microplane zester/grater for that purpose.
Other delicious chicken soup recipes
- Easy Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
- Crockpot Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
- Easy Chicken and Rice Soup
- Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup
Questions about this soup? Leave me a comment below, and tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram if you've made it.
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
This lemon chicken orzo soup recipe is light, healthy, and cozy. It uses wholesome everyday ingredients and is sure to become a family favorite!
Ingredients
- 2 sticks celery chopped finely
- 2 medium carrots peeled & chopped finely
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1.5 pounds uncooked chicken breasts
- 1 cup uncooked orzo
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley or to taste
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
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Sauté the celery, carrots, and onions in a large soup pot with the butter and oil over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes.
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Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, then add the flour and cook for another minute or so.
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Pour in chicken broth and stir until the flour has dissolved, then add the Italian seasoning and chicken. Bring the soup to a boil.
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Cover the soup (lid slightly ajar), and reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
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Stir in the orzo and cook for another 10 minutes or until the orzo is cooked through. I keep the lid off and stir it fairly often because it tends to stick to the bottom of the pot.
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Take the chicken out of the pot and cut it up, then add it back in. Add the lemon juice (you may want to add more than I suggest - I didn't want to make the soup too lemony for some people), parsley, and season the soup with salt & pepper as needed. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
- You can sub the chicken breasts for chicken thighs if you prefer.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth if you're sensitive to salt.
- You may need to add more chicken broth to leftovers as the orzo soaks it up.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Lindsey says
Whenever I have a soup recipe with pasta or tortellini I always cook it seperatley and ziplock it in the fridge. Just drop in right before heating and voila! No mushy pasta!
Natasha says
Good idea!!
Imani says
Really delicious! I added a 1/4 cup of lemon juice to mine. Thanks so much!
Natasha says
You're welcome!
Susan says
This is delicious soup! I made it tonight - picky eater husband loved it, too. Plan to use it as a base for different pastas, rice, etc. Great recipe!
Natasha says
Great!! So glad it was a hit!
Tresa says
Hello! We just made this soup for the day after Thanksgiving using turkey as the base instead of chicken. We all loved it and will definitely be making it again! Used extra lemon juice and made the orzo separately and had fresh spinach, so we could add as much or as little of the orzo and/or spinach in the bowl then covered that with the hot soup. (My husband doesn’t like spinach and I’m going low gluten, so this method worked well for our family!) Thanks for this easy, delicious recipe!
Natasha says
Awesome!! So happy it worked out.
Samantha says
I want to try this tonight!! Any tips for doing this in the crockpot?
Natasha says
I have the Crockpot version linked within the blog post.
Cristina Reeves says
Amazing! I’ve made this soup four or five times, I always add way more lemon and way more broth (that’s our preference). My husband and I are obsessed with this recipe! Thank you!
Natasha says
Wonderful!! I'm so glad you like it. I always add extra lemon too!
Kim says
The perfect soup for cold season. I just made a big pot and the whole family loved it. My husband asked if I could make more this weekend. Thanks for an awesome recipe!
Natasha says
You're very welcome, Kim!!
Kyndall says
Best chicken soup I’ve ever had! My husband isn’t a big lemon lover like me so we kept it just slightly under 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Wow! So good! So even if you aren’t a lemon lover make sure to at least try! Next time I’ll try chicken thighs instead. My only change would be to season the chicken before it goes in. Awesome recipe!!!!
Natasha says
That makes me so happy that you liked it! 🙂
Kim says
This recipe was nice and easy to make and tasted good too!
Natasha says
Yay!!
Ruth says
When I started to print the recipe, it said: "print 1 of 52"........then thought I'd print a couple of pages but the picture of the soup was actually on 2 pages! Wish there was an easy way to print the recipe without using all my printer ink. It looks delicious but I don't want to write the recipe out in longhand or run back and forth to my computer or iPad to see the recipe. Help!
Natasha says
Hi Ruth! That's really bizarre... I have not heard of that happening before. I just tested it, and it's working fine for me. It prints on 2 pages with a small thumbnail photo like it's supposed to. I wish I could be more helpful, but I'm thinking it has to be something to do with your specific printer or web browser settings.
Kathy Ryan says
I just made for my husband and myself. We think it was excellent, it was not hard to make but is hearty and delicious.
Natasha says
Awesome!!
Sandy says
My husband said this is the best soup he’s ever tasted!
Natasha says
That's amazing!!
Beth says
Can this be frozen?
Natasha says
Hi, if you're freezing the whole thing, I'd add the orzo after freezing it. If you're just freezing leftovers, that's fine, but the pasta will get a bit puffy (like with any soup of this nature). I'd add more broth to leftovers when reheating.
Jen says
One of my favorite soups I've ever had, so much flavor! I freshly squeezed a whole lemon and it was perfect. Be prepared with extra broth because the orzo absorbs a lot!
Natasha says
Wonderful!!
Mia says
Soo delish! I made this tonight for dinner. I cooked the orzo separately so that we can have this for dinner tomorrow night too (didn’t want the orzo to soak up all of the broth). It was just perfect and very cozy on a fall night!
PS - from a Greek American, this is quite different from traditional avgolemono soup, so I think you stated the origin perfectly 😉
Natasha says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it!! And thanks so much... that's what I figured too, but I guess you can't please everyone lol.
Alison says
Great recipe! My new favourite soup 😊
Natasha says
Excellent! Thank you!
Irene Kennedy says
Excelletn. I love it.
Question: Can this be frozen?
Natasha says
I'm so glad! Yes it can... but you may need to add more broth once you've thawed it out (while reheating). The orzo will puff up a bit, but that's the nature of any soup that contains pasta.
Michaela says
Hi! Is there any modification to make this in an instapot?
Natasha says
Hi! I don't have an IP version of this recipe, so you'd have to experiment. I'd probably do somewhere between 8-10 minutes high pressure, release the pressure naturally for 5 min or so, and then do a quick release for the rest then stir in the orzo and lemon after (use sauté button to cook until it's done). Just a guess, tho!
Stephanie says
Thanks so much for this recipe! It’s delicious!
Natasha says
You're welcome!! 🙂
Ella says
Lemon orzo soup is Greek, not American. Go to any Greek restaurant & it’s on the menu.
Natasha says
Sure, but I wouldn't necessarily say that I'm making this in an authentic Greek way. I can definitely update the recipe card if it's bugging you, though. 😉
Hannah says
This soup was such a hit!! We love lemon so I ended up using the juice from half a lemon and sliced the other half and threw it into the soup while the orzo was cooking. The flavors were so on point! So great for a perfect snowy day!
Natasha says
Awesome!! I love tons of lemon too. Thanks for commenting, Hannah!
Leigh says
This turned out delicious! I took your suggestion of adding extra lemon, and I also used shredded rotisserie chicken since that seemed easier. If you go the rotisserie chicken route, I strongly recommend using significantly less than 1.5 lbs (I accounted for the fact that the recipe calls for 1.5 lbs of *uncooked* chicken, and subtracted a bit from the get-go, but I still had way too much). Once I removed some of my excess chicken to make it more brothy, it was perfect and really satisfied my craving for soup!
Natasha says
I'm so happy that it worked out for you, Leigh!! Thanks for the rotisserie chicken tip!
Corinne says
Best chicken soup recipe I've ever found. I'm obsessed.
Natasha says
Fantastic! Thanks for letting me know! 😀
Nicole says
I made this today. Best chicken soup I have ever made in my life...and simple.
Natasha says
That is awesome!!
Lexi says
This soup is so easy to make. It is so delicious. The whole family loved it. This will definitely be replacing my usual chicken noodle soup recipe. Love how you can add more lemon to make it zestier.
Natasha says
I'm so happy to hear that!! 🙂
Adele says
Made this last night. Was really delicious. I added some zested lemon rind as well. This will be a staple in my home. I am crazy for soup, and this is a home run. Make sure to have an extra batch of plain chicken broth to add for your leftovers...if you have any! Thanks Natasha! Your recipes are filling up an entire binder now on my kitchen shelf!
Natasha says
Aww I'm so happy you're enjoying my recipes and keep coming back!! 🙂
Candace says
Making tonight and can’t wait to try! How big is a serving based on your nutritional info? Thanks!
Natasha says
It's 1/6 of the recipe. As to what that is in ounces/grams/etc. I have no idea unfortunately. Hope you enjoy it!
Asha says
Amazing soup! I cooked orzo separately, and placed in bowls before adding the soup. I normally do this to all my soups that have pasta in it to prevent the pasta from absorbing all the broth (unless we plan on eating it all in one sitting). Stir, and let It sit for a few minutes and enjoy!
Natasha says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! And yes, definitely a good idea if you're not eating it all right away.
Rachel says
Has anyone tried freezing this? I love having freezer meals that quickly heat up.
Donna says
The best chicken soup EVER,, cooked boneless skinless chicken thighs in instant pot and did everything else! ❤️❤️❤️Thank u for posting
Natasha says
I'm so happy you liked it!
Eunice Mananquil says
Can I use regular rice?
Natasha says
Orzo is pasta, so you may need to adjust cooking time for rice.
Audrey Williams says
Made this soup last night and it is so fast, easy, and delicious! Added some baby spinach, the extra lemon juice as suggested, and with biscuits on the side, enjoyed a wonderful meal!
Natasha says
Awesome!! 🙂 Thanks for commenting! So pleased you enjoyed it.
Janelle T. says
Just made this for dinner today and it will now be a keeper!! Love how simple it was to make and very tasty!! I added lemon zest and a bit more lemon to mine. Def agree that you need to add more liquid as you let it sit or cook orzo separate. Great recipe.
Natasha says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!!
Vickie says
OK, made this soup this evening with some slight modifications. Instead of chicken broth, I used chicken bone broth. Instead of parsley, I used red kale (didn't want to loose the Kale so....) This soup is sooooooooo good and very filling. Thank you for sharing it.
Natasha says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Bone broth is extra flavorful, and red kale is pretty... love that.
sally A schmitt says
what is orzo?? where do I buy it. ever had it. can you sub something else for orzo?
Natasha says
Hi Sally! Orzo is a pasta that's shaped like rice. Pretty much any grocery store will sell it (like where dry pasta is kept). You could substitute another pasta or rice, but then you may need to adjust cooking time. I can't speculate without testing.
Michelle says
Any ideas on how to make GF?
Natasha says
Is there a GF orzo out there? And I guess skip the flour? Maybe use a little cornstarch to thicken? Sorry, I am not a GF expert.
Bri says
for a GF/greek version you can drizzle some of the hot broth into a few beaten egg yolks and lemon juice, whisk it as you drizzle to temper the eggs and then add it back to the pot. This will thicken the soup and make it opaque. It’s the technique used in Avgolemono, greek lemon chicken soup. You could also sub out the orzo for cooked rice or gf pasta.
Janelle T. says
you can use a GF sub for the flour, and white rice in place of the orzo.
Patty T says
I’ve made so many of your delicious recipes and decided to give this one a try. I have to say I was blown away by this one. So yummy, so easy to make. Definitely add more chicken broth because the orzo does soak up most of it. Can’t wait to have leftovers tomorrow.
Natasha says
That makes me so happy! 🙂
Jacquelyn says
Does it matter if you use fresh lemon juice or bottled?
Natasha says
I would say it does... fresh always tastes much better. But if that's all you've got then I am sure it'll be fine. 🙂
Teresa Darrow says
This recipe is the bomb. I added an extra tbsp of lemon and that just created a hint of citrus. Thank you so much..
--Teresa
Natasha says
I'm so glad you liked it!! 🙂
Lauren K says
Made this soup for dinner tonight - absolutely DELICIOUS. I always crave lemon in the summer and have been on a kick making soups since it’s slowly getting cooler outside and this soup is the perfect transition! Will definitely be making it again!
Natasha says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it! 🙂 Thanks for commenting!
Mary Kate says
LOVE THIS! Not only was it extremely easy, it was delicious as well.
Natasha says
So happy to hear that! 😀
Donna says
Looks delish but am worried cooking the chicken in the soup will make it greasy?? No?
Natasha says
Hi Donna, chicken breasts have very little fat, so that was not my experience. Chicken thighs you may get a bit, but it's all extra flavor in the soup. There's tons of good reviews on this soup (you can read thru the comments if you're interested), and I haven't had that complaint. Let me know if you try it! 🙂
AnnMarie says
Loved this soup! Will now be a staple meal for my family. Very easy to make!
Natasha says
Yay!! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Debbie says
Best chicken soup we have had in a long time. Have been asked for the recipe twice!! Thank you!
Natasha says
Wonderful! 🙂 Thanks for sharing the post!
Emily Woodin says
How big is the serving size ?
Natasha says
1/6 of the recipe. No idea what that is in ounces or anything else, though - sorry!
Alex says
What is the serving size? ☺️
Natasha says
1/6 of the recipe.
Caitlin says
Omg my family loved this. Made the soup with pan drippings from a roasted chicken made the day before plus this recipe and it was one of the best soups I've ever made. I was hoping for left overs but my family of 4 ate all of it.
Natasha says
Wonderful!! I'm so glad it was a hit! 🙂
Michelle McMillan says
This is an excellent recipe! I cook the Orzo separately and add to each bowl instead of into the soup. Orzo is one of those pastas that isn’t good if over cooked ( or soggy ). I usually make extra Orzo for the leftovers and store it separately in the fridge.
Natasha says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Yup, agree on the orzo. I recommend the same thing if you're going to have lots of leftovers.
Hannah says
The BEST soup I’ve ever had, so delicious! Made this for my family of 5, so I added 3 more cups of stock and half a cup more of orzo and had a little extra left over for lunch the next day.
Natasha says
Wow I'm so glad it was a hit! 🙂
Jenn O says
This soup is delicious!! The lemon definitely changes the flavor and makes it wow so yummy!! Best soup I’ve made!! The only thing different was I cooked the orzo so it wouldn’t suck up all the broth. So yummy!!
Natasha says
I'm so happy you like it!! 🙂
Dorothy Thompson says
This soup is absolutely delicious and so easy to make. It is now a firm favourite in our house; thank you so much for a lovely recipe.
Natasha says
That makes me so happy! 🙂 Thanks for letting me know, Dorothy!
Kim Harmon says
Wonderful and easy recipe. My friends at Tino’s Greek Restaurant are going to miss me now that I can make this at home. By the way, triples the lemon because I love it so much
Natasha says
Aww I'm so glad you like it, Kim! 🙂
Jane says
Hello...
Try as I might, I cannot seem to pin this wonderful looking recipe! I have pinned a number of other recipes from your site, but cannot figure out a way to pin this one! Help!
Natasha says
Hi Jane! Would you mind providing some more information so I can troubleshoot? Do you get some sort of error message? I just tried pinning the recipe myself, and it worked fine. I was having some pinning issues for the past couple of weeks, though, but they did seem to be resolved. I'd love to get to the bottom of this, so I hope you're able to reply. Thanks!
Rebecca says
Great recipe! Super easy and tasty! I only had half a cup of orzo left, but it still seems like plenty. I also added some corn since I had an extra ear to use up.
Natasha says
Wonderful!
Isabel says
Can’t wait to make this recipe. I have the orzo and some rotisserie chicken. Looks absolutely amazing!
Natasha says
Let me know if you do! 🙂
mary w. says
Shout out to Yvonne@Stone Gable for recommending this recipe. I made it today. Quick, easy and delicious. Adding lemon zest was a great suggestion!
Natasha says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Mary. And that was so nice of Yvonne to recommend it 🙂
Sharon says
Looks and sounds yummy. Will this freeze well? Can I cook in advance and freeze it? Will the soup defrost and reheat fine? Or will orzo be too soggy?
Natasha says
Hi! That info is in the blog post. 😊 It does get puffy.
Richard says
Hi there,
Your blog and insta are my new favorite reads. As someone who isn’t a massive fan of cooking with a partner who is a proper foodie and loves it I am really enjoying how easy and delicious your recipes are.
Just wondering if you’ve used a soup maker before. I have just got one and was wondering if this recipe could work in it?
Thanks
Natasha says
I'm so glad you enjoy it, Richard!! Thanks for following along. I haven't ever used a soup maker, but I imagine that this soup would work in it. I'd just possibly worry a bit about the orzo sticking to the bottom... maybe there's some tips in the instructions on what to avoid putting in it?
Debbie says
Do I have to join something to just get the recipe in addition to the comments. It's there but buried and hard to keep track in the middle of everything. I'm going to try it, it just seems like access to just the recipe in addition to the comments would be easier to use.
Natasha says
Hi Debbie! The recipe card and comments are located towards the bottom of any food blog. I don’t have anything you can join. If you don’t find the photos or post commentary useful, you can simply scroll down.
Lori Bolton says
We make a lot of soup and this is one of the best recipes! I added some potatoes and threw it all in the instant pot. When it was done I had some homegrown spinach to throw in. The kids like to add frozen corn to their soup bowl to cool it off (& I threw in a few peas). This would make a great treat for someone who is under the weather or for a new mom. Hubby said it was as good as one of the greek restaurants in town. So good--It's a keeper! Thanks for sharing.
Natasha says
Well that's great to hear!! 🙂 Thank you!
Ammie Vance says
I love soup. This has become one of my favorites! I’ve made two pots in the last three days. Thank you for this delicious recipe❤️
Natasha says
You're very welcome!! So happy you like it so much! XO
Cynthia says
So good!!! I didn’t have lemon so used lime and it was delish. Had to cook the orzo longer. Will definitely make this again!!
Natasha says
So glad it worked out!! XO
Snowy says
Can I use chicken tenderloins? I always love chicken soup!
Natasha says
Ya sure! I suggest cooking them for less time tho so they don’t go all dry and tough.
Teri says
This soup was so good & very simple to make. Finely chopping the vegetables took the longest. Loved the lemon juice added at the end.
Natasha says
I'm so glad you enjoyed the soup, Teri! Thanks for letting me know!
Susan says
This soup is delicious! I made it exactly as written, using Myer lemon, and instead of zesting the lemon rind, I have a stash of preserved lemon that I mince very finely. I add it to everything and anything. Now I’ve got my daughter-in-law going crazy for them, too! If you’ve never used preserved lemon, I urge you to do so! Thanks very much for this yummy recipe!
Natasha says
Love the preserved lemon idea... wish I had some right now!
Denise says
This soup was so good and was ready to eat in under an hour! The next time I make it I will either double everything except the orzo or cut it to 1/2 cup because it was more like stoup (as Rachel Ray would say) - just a little too thick, but delicious none the less. I used a lemon pepper rotisserie chicken which added to the lemon factor - Delicious! Thanks for sharing
Natasha says
Stoup - I like that term haha. Glad you enjoyed it, Denise!
Emily says
Hi- The chicken breasts I have are with the bone in. Should I adjust the cooking time to more than 15 minutes? I really want to make this recipe as it looks so delicious! Thanks!
Natasha says
Hi! You could give it a couple more minutes, but I reckon they will probably be fine. If when you go to shred the chicken it seems undercooked, just add the pieces to the soup and let them cook for a few more minutes. If you're ever in doubt, though, the safest thing is to use a meat thermometer to ensure it's 165F in the thickest part (without touching the bone). Hope you enjoy the soup!
Kris says
Found some Orzo in the pasta drawer and, after some recipe comparisons, made Natasha's recipe. Was easier, pretty quick, and absolutely delicious. Wife and son even agreed. Was a little concern the next day when all the broth had been adsorb by the orzo (like the notes said) but found it was just as good and flavorful. Thank you for the recipe, will surely check out others.
Natasha says
I'm so happy it was a hit, thanks for letting me know Kris! 🙂
Gail s says
Can you use lemon grass as well as or in place of the lemon juice?
Natasha says
Hmmm... I don't often cook with lemongrass. I think it would definitely give it an interesting Asian twist. You could definitely add it then give it a taste and see if you still need lemon.
Jen says
Very good! I’m pregnant so not much sounds good lately, I quickly made this for myself while my husband and kids ate bbq chicken. Thanks for another great recipe!
Natasha says
Aww I am so happy you enjoyed it, Jen!! 🙂
Rh says
My new favorite quick chicken soup. Absolutely delicious!
Natasha says
So glad to hear it!
Megan says
Delicious! Loved this soup!
Natasha says
Awesome 😀
Eileen says
Is it ok to use chicken thighs? I have a package I got yesterday at the market. Gotta buy what you can these days.
Natasha says
Absolutely!
Eileen says
Then this is for tonight with some homemade bread I found on your page! I have had gnocchi 2 nights in a row with different recipes on your blog. My son loves it - he just had dental surgery so gnocchi has been a blessing for him.
Natasha says
Aww I'm so glad it's made his recovery a little easier. So happy to have you here, Eileen!
Kristin Ridgely says
Can you make this in the Instant Pot?
Natasha says
I haven't tested it so I can't say for sure. Maybe try 8 min on high pressure? If you're worried about the pasta potentially going a bit soggy, I'd add it in after you do the high pressure bit.
Sharon says
Thxs for this very yummy soup recipe!, family loved it- will definitely make it again.
Natasha says
Wonderful! 🙂
Amanda G says
This is delicious. I served it with pepper jack grilled cheese. I suggest seasoning the chicken first. I used adobo, garlic powder, a dash of seasoning salt, a Caribbean poultry blend and then a light rub down of turmeric. Let sit for 20-30 minutes before adding into soup.
Natasha says
Love your idea to season the chicken... anything to give chicken more flavor is good in my books! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Dottie says
Good Morning, I was wondering if I could do this in the crock pot?
Natasha says
Hi! I think that should be fine. I’d add the pasta towards the end of cooking time. I linked a similar crockpot recipe within the blog post, so you may want to reference that one for timing. 🥰
Allyson says
This soup was fantastic! Nice & bright but also so satisfying. Definitely going into the rotation.
Thank you!
Natasha says
Wonderful! You're very welcome. 😀
Art says
Like a lot of other folks out there and stuck at home. I don’t cook but I’m bored and figured I’d give it a try and was pleased with the results.
The recipe was easy to follow, it was very tasty and my wife got a well deserved break tonight. Thank you Natasha!
Natasha says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it 😉 We need to do coffee sometime... maybe not soon though 😀
Beth says
This soup was amazing! I made it for my family and they absolutely loved it. They couldn’t believe I made it from scratch! Will definitely be making this again!
Natasha says
I am so happy to hear that! 😀
Jessica says
Made this today....oh so yummy!! The lemon adds a wonderful level of freshness. I had to improvise with pasta since the grocery store was sold out of orzo. Used ditalini instead and it worked great! Thanks for a great, easy to follow recipe! Will definitely make again.
Natasha says
So happy you enjoyed it, Jessica! Thanks for letting me know, and I am glad the ditalini worked!
Lisa says
I made this yesterday - so delicious !
Natasha says
Wonderful! 🥰
Cheralyn says
Made this today and added fresh spinach! Thanks so much for a delicious & easy to follow recipe 🙂
Natasha says
You are very welcome!! ♥️♥️♥️
Jill says
I don’t want to sound dumb but do you cool the chicken before you put it in?
Natasha says
Hi Jill! Do you mean cook the chicken (just wondering if it autocorrected). The chicken goes in raw. Unless a recipe specifically instructs you to do something (like use cooked chicken or explains how to cook the chicken in some pre-step), you can just assume the ingredient goes in as-is. I also explain within the blog post that you can use cooked chicken if you want and when to add it in. Chicken does not take long to cook, so double cooking it would just make it dry and rubbery.
Jeni says
What can be subbed for the flour to make it gluten free?
Natasha says
Hi! Maybe cornstarch? Or leave it out. It's just used to thicken the broth a bit. You'd have to get a gluten-free orzo as well (just making sure you know it's pasta... not rice).
Anna says
Can I substitute with a different kind of rice? Or can I do it without rice?
Natasha says
Hi Anna! Orzo isn't rice - it's pasta. I talk about this within the blog post. It cooks a lot faster than rice. If you use rice, you will likely need to adjust cooking time since rice takes a lot longer to cook. Perhaps try a different pasta? Or if you're planning on using white rice, try this recipe instead: https://www.saltandlavender.com/easy-chicken-and-rice-soup/ Brown rice is a different story - it takes a lot longer to cook.
Nancy says
If you prefer rice you could cook it separately on the side and then add it to the soup.
Natasha says
Yes! That works too.
Tracey says
What step do you potty chicken in? Not mentioned in directions
Natasha says
It’s in there. Step 3. ☺️
Sidney Kaplan says
We’re stuck at home for now,so I’ve been looking for recipes that I can make with what I have. This was a perfect match! It turned out that I had finished up my box of orzo so I had to make an emergency substitution and use rice instead of the pasta. I cooked the rice separately and added it in towards the end. It turned out really nicely, but next time I make it I’ll make sure that I have the orzo, because I prefer it to rice in general. The lemon juice really added a nice zing and freshness!
Natasha says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Yes, definitely give it a try with orzo, but I'm glad you were able to make it with rice! 🙂