Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Warm your belly with this light and cozy lemon chicken orzo soup! With plenty of heft from vegetables, and so much flavor from spices like Aleppo pepper and turmeric, this is one of those soups that tastes complex, but is a breeze to whip up any night of the week.
Servings: 6
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
Calories: 276.2kcal | Carbohydrates: 28.2g | Protein: 24.2g | Fat: 8.3g | Saturated Fat: 1.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.5g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 48.4mg | Sodium: 164.5mg | Potassium: 721.4mg | Fiber: 4.6g | Sugar: 4.9g | Vitamin A: 4140.7IU | Vitamin C: 40.2mg | Calcium: 67.3mg | Iron: 2.3mg
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