Healthy and budget friendly, this lemon chicken orzo soup uses everyday ingredients to make something truly incredible. It’s bright and cozy in every way!
This lemon chicken orzo soup recipe is quickly becoming a new favorite in my house! It’s easy to make, requires just pantry staples, keeps well, and freezes beautifully. What’s not to love?
It has all the cozy, feel-good comfort as classics like ike Greek Avgolemono (chicken and rice soup) and Persian Soupe Jo (chicken and barley soup). The secret to these Mediterranean favorites? A good hit of fresh lemon juice.
That citrusy zing balances the richness of the chicken and brings all the flavors to life. Add in tender chicken breasts, plenty of vegetables, warming spices, fresh herbs, and orzo pasta, and you’ve got a hearty, feel-good bowl that works for cozy weeknight dinners or quick workday lunches.
Ingredients and Substitutions
All of the ingredients for this lemon chicken orzo soup are easy to find. You’ll need:
- Extra virgin olive oil: I like a medium-intensity EVOO here, like our rich and mildly peppery Italian Nocellara.
- Veggies: Onion, celery, carrots, frozen peas, and green onions.
- Garlic: Adds a peppery kick.
- Chicken: Boneless skinless chicken breasts are lighter, cook quickly, and are easy to shred. You can use other parts of the chicken, just be sure to cook to 165°F.
- Chicken stock: Use homemade or a low-sodium store bought variety.
- Spices: Dried oregano, turmeric, red pepper flakes (or use Aleppo pepper for a milder option.)
- Parsley: Substitute with cilantro, mint, or dill.
- Uncooked orzo pasta: Orzo is a small pasta. It will cook in the chicken broth.
- READ MORE: All About Orzo.
- Lemon: Opt for untreated lemons if you can, as you’ll use both the zest and the juice. Lime would also work here, the soup will just be even brighter.
How to Make Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Learning how to make lemon chicken orzo soup isn’t much different from other chicken soup recipes! Simply chop and saute your veggies, add the chicken, stock, and orzo, then finish it with herbs, and lemon:
- Get ready. Chop 1 yellow onion and 2 celery stalks. Peel and slice 2 carrots into 1/4-inch rounds. Mince 3 garlic cloves.
- Soften the vegetables. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy cooking pot over medium-high. When the oil shimmers, add the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Season with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the veggies have softened, about 5 minutes.
- Poach the chicken. Add 2 chicken breasts, 4 cups chicken stock, and 2 cups water. Season with 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and another dash of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to medium-low. Cook until the chicken is nearly fully cooked, 10 to 15 minutes. Spoon out any foam that bubbles to the top of the cooking liquid.
- Meanwhile, get your finishing touches ready. Zest and juice 2 lemons. Trim and chop 2 green onions. Ready yourself 1/2 cup of chopped parsley.
- Cook the orzo. Transfer the chicken to a rimmed plate for now. To the pot, add 3/4 cup orzo and 1 cup frozen peas. Raise the heat to bring the liquid to a boil.
- Shred the chicken. Using two forks, shred the chicken breasts into smaller pieces. Add the shredded chicken to the pot and cook until the orzo is tender (al dente), about 8 minutes longer.
- Finish and serve. Turn the heat off and stir in the lemon juice and zest, green onion, and fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Make Ahead Tips
This Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is perfect for meal prep! If you’re making it ahead, I recommend cooking the orzo separately. It tends to absorb the broth and become mushy over time. Just boil the orzo on its own, then stir it into the soup right before serving—or cook it in advance and store it separately in the fridge.
What to Serve with Chicken Orzo Soup
This soup is filling enough to stand on its own, but a salad is always a welcome addition. Throw one of these together while the soup is bubbling away on the stove:
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Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast (about 2 breast halves)
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper)
- 3/4 cup orzo
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 lemons, zested and juiced
- 2 green onions, trimmed and chopped (whites and green parts)
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Soften the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy cooking pot over medium-high. When the oil shimmers, add the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Season with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the veggies have softened, about 5 minutes.
- Poach the chicken. Add the chicken, chicken stock, and water. Season with the oregano, turmeric, red pepper flakes, and another dash of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to medium-low. Cook until the chicken is nearly fully cooked, 10 to 15 minutes. Spoon out any foam that bubbles to the top of the cooking liquid.
- Cook the orzo. Transfer the chicken to a rimmed plate for now. To the pot, add the orzo and peas. Raise the heat to bring the liquid to a boil.
- Shred the chicken. Using two forks, shred the chicken breasts into smaller pieces. Add the shredded chicken to the pot and cook until the orzo is tender (al dente), about 8 minutes longer.
- Finish and serve. Turn the heat off and stir in the lemon juice and zest, green onion, and fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
- Leftovers: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The orzo will continue to absorb liquid as it sits, so you will likely need to add some broth when you warm it up. To reheat, simply add it to a saucepan (with more broth or water) and turn the heat up to medium.
- Prep ahead: Cook the orzo separately, then stir it into the soup right before serving—or cook it in advance and store it separately in the fridge. You can also freeze the soup, without the orzo, for up to 3 months, and add the cooked orzo just before serving.
Nutrition
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Can I say YUM! Best lemon chicken orzo soup I have ever made. Love the tumeric + green pea addition too! Thank you Suzy for always making my fam smile! 👏🏻
Wow! Absolutely delicious from the very 1st spoonful! In my opinion, the Alleppo Chilli Pepper took it over the top with a flavourful punch. I used baked white meat chicken leftovers.
Really good. Added more orzo but otherwise stuck to the recipe. Came together like a breeze after a tough day.
Hi, Jack! I’m Summer and I work here at The Mediterranean Dish! So glad the soup was comforting after a hard day. I hope you have a better weekend!
Made as written- wow ! Delicious! Sooo much flavor and a very healthy soup. Thank you Suzy!
fabulous soup. I braised the chicken for three minutes on each side and set aside. I felt the chicken was more tender.
Une de mes soupe préférée, que je refais encore et encore sans m’en lasser.
Merci pour toutes vos excellentes recettes, j’adore votre site.
Une de des soupe préférée, que je refais encore et encore sans m’en lasser.
Merci pour toutes vos excellentes recettes, j’adore votre site.
Love this recipe. One of my favorites.
What is the portion size?
Hi, Renee. Once made, this particular recipe can be divided 6 to get the approximate “serving size”. The exact serving size measurement (by grams, cups, etc) is another layer that’s harder for us to precisely calculate at the moment, but we’re working on it!