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    Home » Soups

    Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

    Published: Mar 19, 2020 / Updated: Mar 16, 2021 / 613 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my affiliate disclosure for more details.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This lemon chicken orzo soup recipe is light, healthy, and cozy. It uses wholesome everyday ingredients and is sure to become a family favorite!

    close-up of a bowl of Greek lemon chicken orzo soup

    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 Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken or this Lemon Chicken Orzo (One Pot Pasta).

    close-up of lemon chicken orzo soup in a yellow pot

    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.
    • Want to make this soup in your slow cooker? Try my Crockpot Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup.

    healthy lemon chicken orzo soup in two white bowls

    More delicious chicken soup recipes:

    • Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
    • Easy Chicken Noodle Soup
    • Chicken and Rice Soup
    • Chicken Tortilla Soup

    easy lemon chicken orzo soup in two bowls

    Questions about this soup? Leave me a comment below, and tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram if you've made it. 

    close-up of a bowl of Greek lemon chicken orzo soup

    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!
    4.98 from 192 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 40 mins
    Total Time 50 mins
    Course Soup
    Cuisine American, Greek
    Servings 6
    Calories 298 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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
     

    • Sauté the celery, carrots, and onions in a large soup pot with the butter and oil over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes.
    • Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, then add the flour and cook for another minute or so.
    • Pour in chicken broth and stir until the flour has dissolved, then add the Italian seasoning and chicken. Bring the soup to a boil.
    • Cover the soup (lid slightly ajar), and reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
    • 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.
    • 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.

    Notes

    • You can sub the chicken breasts for chicken thighs if you prefer.
    • Chicken is safe to eat at 165F and can go from undercooked to overcooked quickly, so I recommend using an instant read meat thermometer whenever cooking chicken so you're not guessing.
    • 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.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 298kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 29gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 1036mgPotassium: 782mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 3605IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword lemon chicken orzo soup, lemon chicken soup with orzo
    Author Natasha Bull
    « Easy Ham and Corn Chowder
    Ranch Chicken and Rice Casserole »

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    1. Lori says

      June 12, 2022 at 5:18 PM

      I just made this today. I Only changed it up by adding extra lemon juice. This is very simple and delicious! Thank You!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        June 12, 2022 at 5:51 PM

        I'm so happy you liked it!!! 😀

        Reply
    2. Laura says

      May 21, 2022 at 1:54 PM

      My family loved this soup. I have to double it the next time. Thank you for sharing!!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        May 21, 2022 at 5:15 PM

        You're very welcome, Laura!

        Reply
    3. Barb says

      May 15, 2022 at 3:14 PM

      5 stars
      Make this every couple of weeks!! I add lots of lemon juice and zest!! This is an awesome recipe❤️

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        May 15, 2022 at 7:16 PM

        I'm thrilled to hear that!! 🙂 Thanks, Barb!

        Reply
    4. Trynia says

      May 12, 2022 at 1:00 PM

      I made this for my sister when she had surgery and added kale just to add some green and it was super delicious!! Planning on making this again tonight the same way and adding mushrooms as well!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        May 12, 2022 at 1:20 PM

        I'm so happy it was a hit! 🙂 Hope your sister is all recovered.

        Reply
    5. Nancy Garcia says

      May 9, 2022 at 11:14 AM

      5 stars
      This is absolutely divine!! I love this soup so much and so has everyone I’ve shared it with. It’s quick, easy and usually have everything I need on hand to whip it up for a quick delicious dinner. I add more lemon but otherwise i followed this to fidelity. Make this soup! You’ll be so glad you did!!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        May 9, 2022 at 11:18 AM

        That's great to hear, Nancy!! Thank you for taking the time to write me a review, and I appreciate you sharing the recipe with others. 🙂

        Reply
    6. Michelle Darnell says

      April 28, 2022 at 11:34 AM

      5 stars
      Never thought I’d like a soup with lemon, but this was amazing! I added about a half cup of heavy cream to make it creamy and it was to die for! Added more lemon too. I love that I can just throw uncooked orzo and chicken breasts in the pot! Great recipe!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 28, 2022 at 1:10 PM

        I'm glad you liked it! 🙂

        Reply
    7. Liv says

      April 24, 2022 at 2:52 PM

      Are we able to use basamati rice instead of orzo?

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 24, 2022 at 3:03 PM

        Hi Liv! You could try, but orzo is pasta so cooks at a different rate than rice. You could try but I'd be mindful it may take longer and you may need to add a bit more liquid if you notice the broth is reducing too much.

        Reply
    8. Shanda says

      April 20, 2022 at 10:13 AM

      5 stars
      My whole family loved this recipe. My 5 year old can be a bit picky at times, and she literally was licking her bowl clean! It was a huge hit in our home! Thanks for the great recipe!!!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 20, 2022 at 11:18 AM

        Aww I love that!! 😀 You're very welcome!

        Reply
    9. Kelly says

      April 19, 2022 at 5:55 PM

      5 stars
      Amazing easy soup! I would have never thought lemon in soup could be good. I like this better than the traditional chicken noodle soup. It cleans out your sinuses and just tastes and smells like a healing soup. I used rotisserie chicken. Of course I had to add my own spin on it, a lot of extra lemon to taste, 1/2 cup extra orzo, whole onion and double garlic. I also added some celery salt. Loved it!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 19, 2022 at 10:14 PM

        Thank you so much! glad you enjoyed it.

        Reply
    10. TD in NC says

      April 19, 2022 at 3:57 PM

      This was fantastic! Only change I made was to add a bit of chopped spinach and halved the amount of orzo. Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 19, 2022 at 10:15 PM

        You're very welcome!! 🙂

        Reply
    11. Marissa says

      April 18, 2022 at 4:31 PM

      5 stars
      Love the flavors in this & the fact that it’s a one pot meal! Even easier when I remember to prep the veggies the night before and can throw it all in after work. Delicious meal!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 18, 2022 at 4:32 PM

        I'm so glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂

        Reply
    12. Donna Elizabeth Gray-King says

      April 18, 2022 at 2:56 PM

      5 stars
      Instead of Italian seasoning I used Penzey’s Greek seasoning and extra lemon! Delicious!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 18, 2022 at 4:32 PM

        Excellent! Glad you enjoyed!

        Reply
    13. Kendra says

      April 11, 2022 at 9:00 PM

      5 stars
      I made this n a Monday night full of sports practices and things I just had in my kitchen and my family of 3 kids and 1 big kid(husband) LOVED!!! Thank you for this!!! Made it all in my instant pot (BUT JUST ON Sauté!!!!) bic I doubled the recipe for my kids (three growing boys) and I used chicken thighs(sooo good)!! New favorite go to. THANK YOU

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 11, 2022 at 9:10 PM

        Yay!! You're welcome! 🙂

        Reply
    14. Lynsey says

      April 11, 2022 at 6:44 PM

      5 stars
      So good! It has become one of the keeper recipes!! I like adding more lemon!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 11, 2022 at 7:01 PM

        Fantastic!! 😀 Thanks for your review, Lynsey!

        Reply
    15. Lisa Price says

      April 9, 2022 at 11:57 AM

      Love this recipe! Awesome for when My allergies are acting up! Thank you Father for all the wholesome foods You provide for us🙌🏻❤️

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 9, 2022 at 1:11 PM

        I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    16. Susan says

      March 30, 2022 at 6:11 PM

      5 stars
      This soup was wonderful. Will be making again. I added more lemon .

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 30, 2022 at 9:42 PM

        I'm so glad to hear it! 🙂

        Reply
    17. Shari says

      March 30, 2022 at 1:58 PM

      This is sooo good. Love it. Third time making it. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes. Haven't had one I did not love.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 30, 2022 at 2:09 PM

        That's so nice to hear!! 🙂 I'm so happy you're enjoying my recipes! Thanks for letting me know, Shari!

        Reply
    18. Holly says

      March 30, 2022 at 1:50 PM

      5 stars
      This is one of my all time favorite soup recipes! I share it with everyone. I also add a can of cream of chicken soup for a little more creaminess. I just recently started cutting calories and the serving calories are perfect, my question is, how much is a serving size? Thank you!!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 30, 2022 at 2:10 PM

        I'm so glad you like this recipe! So, it's whatever 1/6 of the recipe works out to... I am not a trained nutritionist (or good at math lol), so I am unsure of what that works to in oz/grams/etc.

        Reply
    19. margaret schmelzer says

      March 30, 2022 at 10:13 AM

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 30, 2022 at 2:09 PM

        So glad you liked it!!

        Reply
    20. Suzie says

      March 29, 2022 at 9:23 PM

      5 stars
      Tried to post a photo of heating up this soup on a gas stove in the bottom of a drift boat while fishing on a cold & windy day on the Missouri River in Montana. It saved the day!
      I’ve made this soup many times and really enjoy it.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 29, 2022 at 9:36 PM

        I'm so happy you like it, Suzie!! 🙂 Thanks for your review!

        Reply
    21. Michelle Casselberry says

      March 15, 2022 at 7:28 PM

      5 stars
      Was trying to decide a supper dish for this evening and this was one I had saved in my favs to try…. The Hubs is always game for trying new recipes and he even goes by the store on his way home from
      Work and gets things needed…. This was really good and we have a few leftovers and I can’t wait for lunch tomorrow…. I always like things like this better after it marries overnight…. I did add more orzo and the juice of two lemons (go big or go home) and more garlic, hubs loves the garlic!! He liked it as well went back for seconds and made a bowl for his lunch… mind you the flavor is on the light side but we enjoyed the change…. He said it was a keeper! Thanks for sharing!!!

      Reply
      • Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says

        March 15, 2022 at 8:22 PM

        You're welcome, Michelle! I love extra lemon too! Thank you so much for your detailed review 🙂

        Reply
    22. KG says

      March 10, 2022 at 9:45 AM

      5 stars
      This was very good and super easy to make. My husband even took the leftovers to work and he usually never does that! He kept saying it was REALLY good 😊 would def make again!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 10, 2022 at 11:40 AM

        That's so nice to hear!! 😀 Thanks for letting me know!

        Reply
    23. Jordan says

      March 7, 2022 at 5:12 PM

      5 stars
      First off - LOVE this recipe. Quick and easy.

      The author is aware that the lemon dose might be too low and I couldn't agree more. Just for comparison I add about 0.5-1 cup of lemon and my family loves it. They think it's nicely balanced against the rest of the ingredients - though honestly I could do with more.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 7, 2022 at 10:29 PM

        Thank you, Jordan! I put the note on the lemon quantity since everyone has different tastes and it's easy to add lemon but you can't subtract it. I definitely prefer it a bit more lemony myself. 🙂

        Reply
    24. Donna says

      March 7, 2022 at 10:53 AM

      5 stars
      I had some homemade stock so I was looking for a good chicken orzo soup. This was fantastic! I did add more Italian seasoning than called for (and it was a wedding favor from an Italian wedding we attended, so I really have no idea exactly what was in it) and doubled the lemon juice because we like things lemony. My family loved it!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 7, 2022 at 11:10 AM

        I'm so happy it was a hit, Donna!! Thanks for your 5-star review.

        Reply
    25. Cynthia Sweeney says

      March 5, 2022 at 4:31 PM

      Love this recipe. Used rotisserie chicken and made a few spice modifications as I have fresh rosemary, and lemons. It is so good. No salt added. Hubby said it is delicious.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 5, 2022 at 4:40 PM

        Awesome!!! 🙂

        Reply
    26. Kaitlin says

      March 2, 2022 at 1:45 PM

      5 stars
      I made this soup a month or 2 ago and my boyfriend loved it. The lemon *chefs kiss*
      I made a roast chicken last night and I will be making this soup with the leftovers.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 2, 2022 at 1:49 PM

        That makes me so happy, Kaitlin! Thanks for letting me know!! 😀

        Reply
    27. Carrie says

      February 25, 2022 at 10:00 PM

      5 stars
      10/10 soup. I added way more Italian seasoning (blend from scratch) than recipe calls for and it made it super flavorful yet still very simple and elegant. Will definitely be making this again

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        February 26, 2022 at 11:01 AM

        I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Love that you make your Italian seasoning from scratch!

        Reply
    28. Shannon says

      February 25, 2022 at 9:08 AM

      5 stars
      This was absolutely delicious! I added some cauliflower rice and used a little less orzo to save some calories...so so tasty!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        February 25, 2022 at 10:02 AM

        Fantastic!

        Reply
    29. Kal says

      February 23, 2022 at 11:41 AM

      5 stars
      Simply incredible. The punch of acid from the lemon at the end elevates this classic dish. It also reheats beautifully with a touch of chicken broth the next day to reinvigorate the soup. This will be my new “Chicken Noodle Soup” recipe. 10/10 — game changer.

      Reply
      • Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says

        February 23, 2022 at 11:53 AM

        That's wonderful to hear, Kal! We're thrilled you liked the soup so much!

        Reply
    30. Michelle says

      February 22, 2022 at 11:37 AM

      5 stars
      Easy and fantastic recipe!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        February 22, 2022 at 1:12 PM

        Thanks so much!!

        Reply
    31. Wen says

      February 20, 2022 at 7:36 PM

      5 stars
      One of, if not THE best soups I've ever made. I used the juice of 3 lemons and zest (I LOVE lemon), used chicken thighs, added peas and used extra fresh parsley. SO delicious. Will definitely be making it again

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        February 20, 2022 at 9:38 PM

        That's great to hear!! 🙂 Thank you!!

        Reply
    32. Lisa Levin says

      February 11, 2022 at 6:43 PM

      5 stars
      I made this for me and Hubby. I've had this in restaurants but he had not. I cannot begin to tell you how much we loved it!! My hubby said thru 2 bowls "Wow" He, of course, loved the fresh lemon squeezed for the finish. I took a pic abd shared this on Facebook!!! Thank you!!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        February 12, 2022 at 11:14 AM

        Aww that's so nice to hear!! 🙂 Thanks for letting me know, Lisa!

        Reply
    33. Sue says

      February 6, 2022 at 9:54 AM

      I just made this soup and I will have to say it taste amazing so good throughly enjoyed it … Will make again I pinned it to my board….😊

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        February 6, 2022 at 1:04 PM

        Wonderful! Thank you, Sue!

        Reply
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