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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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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It doesn’t matter how many soups and stews you make from this site, they all become your favorite.
Awww! Thanks so much, Raquel!
This soup was simply delicious. My husband loved it! We added the lemon after the soup was poured into our bowls – a perfect finish!
You are the best!
Do you have the nutritional breakdown of this soup?
Hi, Barbara. Yes! This info is in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
This soup is SO delicious! The weather just turned cold here and this was the perfect recipe for tonight. I cook for vegans so I substituted soy curls for the chicken. Thank you!
Absolutely delicious! Light, but so very flavorful! I can’t stop eating it! Next time, I may add an additional cup of chicken broth, as the orzo soaks up much of the six cups of liquid. This recipe does not disappoint!!! 😋😋
I cook for vegans as well and I added 2 cans of chickpeas instead of chicken and it was awesome. My daughter in law (vegan) was humming as she ate. That is her sign of approval.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing, Teresea!
This is the best chicken soup recipe ever! I have made a lot of chicken soup in my 58 years…this gets a gold star!! My very fussy hubs loved it too!!! So fresh and flavorful, thank you!!!!!!
Wow!! Thank you so much!
Delicious! Will definitely make this again. Thanks for sharing.
Our pleasure, Karla! Glad you enjoyed it!
Made it exactly like the directions. I did taste it first using 1 lemon but went for the gold using both! Do it! Sheer AWESOMENESS!!!
Thanks so much, Joni!
Living in Michigan, fall is soup season. This is one of our favorites. We used fresh herbs from our garden. Italian oregano, more mild with a slight marjoram flavor and lots of flat leaf parsley. The turmeric, lemon juice and zest give the soup awesome flavor and aleppo pepper gives it a nice mild zing. We substituted navy beans for the peas.
I live in the upper peninsula, where can I find Aleppo pepper? Meijers is the only big market besides Wal-Mart or elmers. Red pepper flakes make it too spicy.
Hello! Thanks so much for reaching out. We know it sometimes can be hard to find, so we sell it here in our online shop.
I used large (too large) lemons and it wasn’t good. I added a pinch of baking side to neutralize the acid and it worked like a charm. Word to the wise: if you have large lemons, start with one! Other than that, it was great!
Another amazing soup from Mediterranean Dish! So easy and perfect exactly as described. Delicious!
Super delicious and so easy to make.
Amazing soup, and so easy to make! Will make again soon 🙂
Simply delicious
Hands down…BEST SOUP EVER!!!
Wow! Thanks, Angel!!
Excellent soup! Added a salad and some garlic bread. Will definitely be making it again as it was a hit.
So glad to hear it! Thanks, Debra!