This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
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).
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 a low-effort cozy soup.
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. This lemon chicken orzo soup 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
- 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
- Parsley – it adds a pop of flavor and freshness
Pro tip
You can increase the amount of lemon juice to suit your tastes and serve with lemon slices right in the bowls as well for even more lemon flavor.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- I like to use this garlic press to mince it since you don’t need to peel the cloves first, and this airtight pantry container is great for keeping flour fresh.
- Here is the Dutch oven I use for my soups.
- 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!
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.
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 until fragrant, followed by the flour. Pour in the chicken broth, and stir until the flour has totally dissolved.
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.
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.
What to serve with this soup
- I like to keep it simple with a big slice of bread. I’d recommend a baguette or sourdough to round out the meal.
- If you love the soup and salad combo, try my Super Simple Parmesan Arugula Salad or mixed greens with my Homemade Italian Dressing.
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
Questions about this soup? Leave me a comment below, and tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram if you’ve made it!
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
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 fresh 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 the 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 open), 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.
- This recipe is also in the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials hardcover cookbook.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
Very easy recipe! I used already cooked rotisserie chicken. A nice change with using the lemon juice and orzo for chicken soup.
Thanks, Sue!!
When do I add the uncooked chicken breasts? With the sauteing celery, onion and carrots?
Hi Buffy! There’s step-by-step photos in the blog post above that you might find helpful. And the recipe card indicates step 3. Hope you enjoy the soup!
I have to tell you a wonderful story of your soup recipe. My brother had a friend who was very ill and had very litte appetite. I made this soup and shared some with my brother’s friend. He said it was the only thing that tasted good to him. I made it whenever he wanted it. Its a beautiful memory of my brother’s friend who has since passed away. I think of him every time I make this wonderful recipe. Thank you. Your recipe really made a difference. When I make the soup now, I share it with everyone. It’s wonderful, comforting soul food.
Oh goodness that made me tear up a little. I’m so glad it made a difference. Thank you for sharing this with me. XO
My son has a citrus allergy. What do you recommend as a substitute for the lemon?
I’d probably just leave it out. If you have sumac, that is a lemony flavored spice and could mimic the flavor a bit perhaps. You’d have to make sure he isn’t allergic to it, though.
Could I do this in a crockpot?
https://www.saltandlavender.com/crockpot-lemon-chicken-orzo-soup/
This soup is delicious and easy alternative to regular chicken soup. Can I substitute rice instead of orzo? Would it be the same quantity 1 cup?
Hi Terri! The rice will take longer to cook I think. 1 cup should be ok. I have a chicken and rice soup here that you could compare the timing on: https://www.saltandlavender.com/easy-chicken-and-rice-soup/
Why don’t you purchase an organic fresh whole chicken and make your own stock and use the chicken for the soup. It is easy, healthier, and much more delicious.
You can definitely go ahead and do that, Sheryl! 🙂
While I agree that this is a great idea, I think that not everyone has time to make homemade broth. From personal experience, both at home and from many years working in restaurants, it takes a few hours to make a rich broth. While I have the time to do that now, it wasn’t always the case. Working full-time, having kids…you don’t always have time to devote to that type of thing. There’s nothing wrong with necessary shortcuts.
Absolutely delicious!! My kids and husband loved it too. We didn’t have a drop left.
Thank you, DeeAnn!
This was delicious and perfect on a cold day, simple to make. The whole house smells amazing
Thank you, Therese!!
Can you swap the orzo out for pearled couscous?
I think that should be good!
Oh, that’s a lovely idea! I will try that the next time I make this🙂
This is a very good recipe, btw. My household loves it.
Thank you, Donna!!
The last time I made chicken stock from a rotisserie chicken carcass I added a lemon I needed to use. Wonderful flavor, it will be great for this soup.
Thanks, Pat!