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Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Published: / Updated: / 923 Comments

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

Love lemon chicken? Try my Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken or this Lemon Chicken Orzo (One Pot Pasta).

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

Why you'll love it

I've made a lot of soups on here, but this lemon chicken soup with orzo is hands down the most beloved by my readers. It's just so comforting without being heavy, and people adore the bright lemony broth. This orzo soup is simple to make, so it's ideal anytime you're craving a really cozy soup without a lot of effort.

If you're not familiar with it, 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 cook with it fairly often, and 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. 😉 In any case, this recipe is like chicken noodle soup but elevated!

What you'll need

  • Celery, carrots, and onion - the aromatic base for any good soup. I prefer sweet (Vidalia) onion, but yellow works as well.
  • Butter and olive oil - for sautéing
  • Garlic - for more savory flavor. I like to use this garlic press to mince it since you don't need to peel the cloves first.
  • Flour - it thickens the broth a little
  • Chicken broth - for deeper, richer flavor
  • Italian seasoning - it's my favorite dried herb blend that comes all in a single jar for convenience
  • Chicken - the boneless skinless chicken breasts cook right in the soup
  • Orzo - you'll be able to find it in the dry pasta aisle
  • Lemon juice - for that burst of brightness. Always use freshly squeezed lemon juice.
  • Parsley - it adds a pop of flavor and freshness
ingredients for lemon chicken orzo soup on a counter

Pro tip

  • 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! You can also increase the amount of lemon juice to suit your tastes and serve with lemon slices right in the bowls as well.
close-up of lemon chicken orzo soup in a yellow pot

How to make lemon chicken orzo soup

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

sauteing vegetables and adding chicken broth to a soup pot

In a soup pot or Dutch oven, sauté the onions, carrots, and celery with the olive oil and butter until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, followed by the flour. Pour in the chicken broth, and stir until the flour has totally dissolved.

adding chicken and orzo to a soup pot

Add in the Italian seasoning and the uncooked chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and then simmer for about 15 minutes. Add in the orzo, and simmer until it's al dente, stirring fairly often.

adding fresh parsley to a pot of lemon chicken orzo soup

Once the chicken reaches a temperature of 165F, take it out and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Add it back in along with the lemon juice, chopped fresh parsley, and salt & pepper. That's it!

Can I make it ahead?

  • Yes, but you may not want to use the one pot method in that case since the orzo will soak up the broth over time. If you plan on having a lot left over or are making it well ahead of time, I recommend cooking the orzo separately and adding it into each bowl when warming it up.

Substitutions and variations

  • 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. 
  • Want to make this soup in your slow cooker instead? Try my Crockpot Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup.
healthy lemon chicken orzo soup in two white bowls

What to serve with this soup

Leftovers and storage

  • It'll keep for 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. You may need to add more chicken broth to leftovers as the pasta will absorb it.
  • This soup can be frozen, but the orzo does get a bit puffy. If you want to freeze the whole batch, I recommend adding cooked orzo in after you thaw it. 
  • Reheat in a small saucepan over a low heat until warmed through, stirring every so often.

More delicious chicken soup recipes

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!
4.94 from 295 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Total Time 50 mins
Course Soup
Cuisine American, Greek
Servings 6
Calories 298 kcal

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
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  1. Melanie says

    5 stars
    Such a good & light soup! I use lemon infused olive oil, a little extra butter, more garlic, 1.5x the veggies, 2x broth (plug for my local HEB: Central Market Organics free range broth is by far the best I've found, plus can buy in bulk) and use thighs and drumsticks, skin on; cook, then remove the skin and debone the chicken. Add the amount of orzo that the recipe calls for and at least 1.5 lemons + zest. Deliziosa zuppa!

    Reply

  2. Kay says

    5 stars
    This was outstanding! (And I supposedly don't even like chicken, and I don't like to cook.) For the herbs, I used one whole stalk of fresh rosemary, chopped, and a pinch each of dried basil, oregano, and thyme. And I used the juice of a whole lemon. Otherwise, I pretty much stuck to the script. I'll definitely make this again!

    Reply

  3. ABF says

    3 stars
    Easy to make, but was very subtle in flavor. I added some homemade chicken stock to the broth that made this worth eating -- but the orzo just soaked up way to much of the juice and made it a mushy consistency. I think separating enough soup into another pot then adding orzo to that would be better, then just cooking in the orzo each time when you make leftovers.
    ** I did not add any flour bc the soup thickened up just fine from the starch of the orzo.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Did you read the tips in the blog post that address all this? There's also almost 1,000 comments on here that could give you some ideas on what others have done if you want to experiment more next time.

      Reply

  5. Mary Eileen White says

    5 stars
    I forgot to give you 5 stars with my first post. Didn't see the stars until after I submitted the postings. Mary Eileen

    Reply

  6. Mary Eileen White says

    My neighbor made this and shared it with me. Omgoodness so delicious I made a pot of it for me. I have been feeling under the weather. This is all I want to it. It has certainly helped with my recovery. It is so easy to make. I am sharing the recipe with family members. Best chicken soup I have ever made.

    Reply

  8. Susie says

    5 stars
    Omgggg this so delicious. I went for the boneless thighs and I added fresh spinach. The taste of the soup is so good and I like the fact that the flour made it more like a stew. I’m definitely keeping this recipe.

    Reply

  9. Tay says

    5 stars
    I made this tonight for dinner and ate it with my homemade sourdough and it was delicious! I’m a lemon fan so I added the juice of two whole lemons and it was great. I also added some beef stock because I didn’t have enough chicken stock and it was yummy!

    Reply

  11. Melanie Saldana-Gardner says

    I would love to make this but we are a GF family, so I was wondering if you can replace the Orzo with rice?

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi! You could try, but cooking time may vary and you may need to add more liquid. I do also have a tested chicken and rice soup on the blog you could try as well. 🙂

      Reply

    • Nicole G. says

      4 stars
      We are also a GF house....my fav substitute for flour as a thickening agent is corn starch. It's always made a creamier textured gravy/soup without adding flavor unlike so many non-wheat flours ( almond, rice, GF Baking Flour) just substitute 1/2 the amount of flour with cornstarch by adding it to room the room temp liquid called for in any recipe or just a little water to make a paste before adding to the soup & voila!

      Reply

    • Allison says

      I make mine with arborio rice (for risotto) because it is a starchy rice that is recommended by many Greek cooks. This is Avgolemono soup in Greek.

      Reply

    • Melanie M Spindler says

      Hi, Yes I did this with rice as well, I would say to brown the rice a bit first and then add it in to the soup:)

      Reply

  13. Kaylie says

    5 stars
    This recipe is so good! Made it tonight since my little family is feeling under the weather and it definitely hit the spot! This is definitely going in our soup rotation!

    Reply

  14. Emily says

    I haven’t tried making this yet, but it looks exactly like a chicken soup my mother used to make and which I loved. She passed away a short time ago so, once I feel I can attempt this recipe without crying, I’ll try it. Thank you for posting this.

    Reply

  20. Kristinee says

    5 stars
    Found this recipe on Pinterest which lead me to your page. This recipe was a hit with me! I added more lemon juice. The next time I make this soup, I plan on adding the orzo afterwards as you were correct that all of the broth was absorbed by the pasta. Either way, I was still happy with the flavor of this soup.

    Reply

  21. Regina says

    This is a really quick and easy recipe. I made a few adjustments along the way: cut up chicken on the front end instead of cooking then taking it out to only repot it. Added salt and a few peppercorn before adding Orzo. Really nice. Thanks for sharing

    Reply

  22. Lauren says

    5 stars
    SOOOOO GOOOOD!! Made for myself after being sick and antibiotics tearing up my stomach- super comforting. I cooked it as written except: used shredded carrots, no butter, added some apple cider vinegar while veggies were cooking, used a rotisserie chicken, and juice from 1 and a half lemons. Used way more Italian seasoning, added basil & thyme, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. So so so good. Will be in the rotation for sure.

    Reply

  23. Kate M says

    4 stars
    I thought it was an easy weekday soup to throw together- took less than an hour, awesome!
    I did find it to be a bit bland tasting as written so I added a little more parsley and Italian seasoning than the recipe called for (about doubled it for mine) and added a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes and it was perfect! I’m sure it would taste even more amazing with homemade chicken broth. Will try that next time!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Glad you were able to tweak it a bit and enjoy it! 🙂 I'd also suggest adding enough salt as chicken is inherently bland.

      Reply

  25. Denise Davis says

    5 stars
    This was my first time making a soup and hands down, it was one of the best soups I've ever had! The recipe was super easy to follow, the instructions clear and concise. It was sooo delicious! Thank you!

    Reply

  26. Amy F says

    5 stars
    One of my family’s favorite go-to soups! I make a big pot of shredded chicken in the instapot for meals for the week and use leftovers for this soup! One question I had was, when I make this it never turns out thick? I know it’s not suppose to be too think, but I don’t see any difference when I add the flour? Is there something I’m doing wrong?

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Fantastic! I don't think you're doing anything wrong. The flour does thicken the broth a little bit, but also the starch from the orzo helps to thicken it up too. You could probably get away without using the flour, especially if you're planning on having some for leftovers.

      Reply

  27. Gretchen Kostura says

    5 stars
    My kids, husband and I all enjoyed this which is rare! Definitely will make again. Perfect winter meal. Added frozen peas because on of the few veggies my kids are happy to eat.

    Reply