Chicken Lemon Orzo Soup (Printer-friendly)

A vibrant Mediterranean soup combining tender chicken, zesty lemon, and delicate orzo pasta with aromatic vegetables and herbs.

# Ingredient List:

→ Protein

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 lemon, zested and juiced
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Pantry and Grains

09 - 3/4 cup orzo pasta
10 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Seasonings

12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 3/4 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ Optional

16 - Grated Parmesan cheese for serving

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, diced carrot, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables are softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, dried thyme, and bay leaf. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Pour in chicken broth and bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
04 - Add orzo and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is just tender.
05 - Add cooked chicken, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes to heat through.
06 - Remove bay leaf. Stir in fresh dill, salt, and black pepper. Adjust seasoning and lemon juice to taste.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like youve been simmering it all day.
  • The lemon brightens everything without making it taste sour or sharp.
  • Orzo turns silky and tender in the broth, almost like tiny grains of comfort.
  • You can use leftover chicken or rotisserie and no one will ever know you took a shortcut.
02 -
  • Dont add the lemon juice too early or it will taste flat and dull instead of bright.
  • If the orzo soaks up too much broth as it sits, just stir in a little water or extra broth when reheating.
  • Fresh dill is worth hunting down, dried dill works but it wont have that same grassy, sunny flavor.
03 -
  • Taste the soup before adding all the lemon juice, some lemons are more tart than others and you can always add more.
  • If youre using store-bought rotisserie chicken, pull the meat while its still warm so it shreds easier.
  • Let the soup rest for five minutes off the heat before serving so the flavors settle and marry together.
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