This easy lemon chicken orzo soup is everything I want on a busy night: one pot, minimal effort, and big, comforting flavor. With tender chicken, soft orzo, and a bright squeeze of lemon, it’s cozy, nourishing, and surprisingly light.
Whether you're fighting off a chilly evening, or just craving something nourishing, nothing is as satisfying as a bowl of chicken soup. Building on the popularity of my other soup recipes, this is packed with flavor and simple to make after a busy day.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Recipe
- Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Ingredients
- How to Make Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup - Step-By-Step
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Variations & Substitutions
- Tips & Tricks
- How To Serve
- How To Reheat
- How to Freeze
- Pin This Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Recipe For Later
- What Do You Think?!
- More Easy Soup Recipe Ideas
- Printable Recipe
- Chicken Soup with Lemon and Orzo Recipe
- Reader Comments & Ratings
Why You'll Love This Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Recipe
- This simple soup recipe is versatile - you can use fresh chicken meat or rotisserie or leftover over chicken works just as well.
- This healthy soup recipe is a way of packing those vegetables in. Feel free to adapt and add the veggies you and your whole family enjoy eating.
- Leftovers make a great lunch the next day. You can heat them and pack in a thermos for lunch on the go.
- If, like me, you're a fan of heaty one pot soup recipes, give these easy recipes a try:
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Ingredients
Find the full list and quantities in the recipe card below.
Chicken - I've opted to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs in this recipe, you could also use skinless chicken breasts - or leftover or rotisserie chicken!
Orzo - I like to use orzo pasta in soup as it it small in size making it perfect for soup.
Aromatics - along with a base of onion carrot and celery I like to add fresh garlic cloves, dried oregano, dried thyme and a bay leaves to flavor the soup.
Stock - use good quality chicken stock (chicken broth) in this recipe. If you have homemade chicken broth that would be perfect, the better the stock the better the soup. Vegetable stock (vegetable broth) would also work here too.
How to Make Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup - Step-By-Step
Find the full printable recipe card below.
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion, carrots, and celery with a pinch of sea salt. Cook for 5–7 minutes until softened but not browned.
Add the minced garlic, oregano, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer.
Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and add them to the pot. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the orzo and stir.
Simmer for another 8-10 minutes. stirring occasionally until the orzo and chicken is fully cooked. Remove the chicken to a plate and shred with two forks. Tip the shredded meat back into the pot.
Stir in the fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. Season generously with salt and black pepper and remove the bay leaf.
Ladle into bowls and finish with fresh dill and lemon slices, if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to make Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup in the Slow Cooker/Crockpot?
I recommend softening the vegetables in olive oil first, before adding to the slow cooker. Then add in the garlic, herbs, chicken thighs and chicken broth, and stir to combine. Cover with a lid and cook on low for 2 hours, then add the orzo, replace the lid and continue cooking for 30 minutes until warmed through, before finishing with lemon, seasoning and fresh dill fronds.
How to make this soup in the oven?
Again this recipe is easily adapted if you want to make this Chicken Soup in the Oven. I like to use my Dutch oven, but any lidded oven-proof pot will work. Follow the recipe, bring the broth to a boil, then cover the pot with the lid and place in a preheated oven at 300ºF/150ºC for 45 minutes. Stir in the orzo pasta 10 minutes before the end.
Variations & Substitutions
I've used raw chicken thighs in this recipe, but you could also use cooked shredded chicken leftover from the weekend's roast. Just add it at the end and heat until warmed through.
Load this easy chicken soup up with any other veggies that you and your family enjoy eating.
For extra greens you could stir through some baby spinach, chard or shredded kale at the end of cooking.
Swap the orzo pasta for any small shape of pasta noodle, or try traditional egg noodles.
If you want a creamier soup, try adding heavy cream or coconut milk to this soup.
I've garnished the soup with fresh dill fronds, but you could also use fresh cilantro (fresh coriander leaves), basil or parsley.
If serving gluten free diners, ensure you use a gluten free chicken stock. Cooked rice is a great alternative for the orzo - just stir in at the end.
Tips & Tricks
Taste the soup and check for seasoning, if necessary add a little more salt and pepper during cooking.
To check the chicken is properly cooked through, I recommend using a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should read 165°F (75°C) when placed in the thickest part of the chicken thigh.
Take care not to overcook the orzo pasta, cook till just al dente so that the pasta still has some bite.
This is a great make ahead soup recipe as the flavours will intensify if left to sit. However, if making the soup in advance don't add the orzo or it will become mushy, add it when you heat the soup up again to serve.
How To Serve
This is a filling bowl of soup that is designed to be a dinner on it's own (less work for you!) Some biscuits or dinner rolls to help mop up the rich broth is also a great bet. If you want to add some more protein these Chick Pea Croutons go brilliantly with all soups and are very easy.
How To Reheat
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 2-3 days. To re-heat place in a saucepan and place over a medium heat to warm to piping hot. Or alternatively, warm through in the microwave.
How to Freeze
If you plan to freeze some of this soup then I recommend doing this before adding the orzo pasta, this will stop the pasta taking on too much water and loosing it's bite. Store in an airtight container for 3 months, then when it comes time to reheat, you can defrost the soup, heat it on the stove adding in the orzo to cook before serving.
Pin This Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Recipe For Later
What Do You Think?!
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More Easy Soup Recipe Ideas
Printable Recipe
Chicken Soup with Lemon and Orzo Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Onion - finely chopped
- 2 Carrots - diced
- 2 ribs Celery - diced
- 3 cloves Garlic - minced
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- ½ tsp Dried Thyme
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 6 cups Chicken Stock - best quality possible
- 1 lb Chicken Thighs - boneless & skinless or breasts
- ¾ cup Orzo
- 1 Lemon - zest & juice, more to taste/garnish
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper
- Fresh Dill - or parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch Oven over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery with a pinch of sea salt. Cook for 5–7 minutes until softened but not browned.
- Add the minced garlic, oregano, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and add them to the pot.
- Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the orzo and stir.
- Simmer for another 8-10 minutes. stirring occasionally until the orzo and chicken is fully cooked.
- Remove the chicken to a plate and shred with two forks. Tip the shredded meat back into the pot.
- Stir in the lemon zest and juice. Season generously with salt and pepper and remove the bay leaf.
- Ladle into bowls and finish with fresh dill and lemon slices, if desired.
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