Recipes Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes Soup Recipes Chicken Soup Recipes Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup 4.8 (499) 387 Reviews 107 Photos This lemon chicken orzo soup is comfort in a bowl! It is so flavorful with tender pieces of chicken in a lemony broth with orzo pasta, carrots, onions, celery, and baby spinach. This has quickly become one of my family's favorite soup recipes. Submitted by ReneePaj Updated on November 14, 2024 Tested by Allrecipes Test Kitchen Tested by Allrecipes Test Kitchen The Allrecipes Test Kitchen staff are a team of culinary pros who make and vet recipes using only equipment you'd find in a home kitchen. Staff credentials vary but include training at the Culinary Institute of America; kitchen stints in fine dining restaurants; and countless hours in the test kitchen itself. Meet the Allrecipes Test Kitchen Save Rate Print Share Add Photo 107 107 107 107 Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Total Time: 50 mins Servings: 12 Yield: 6 quarts Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe This comforting lemon chicken orzo soup recipe will brighten up even the gloomiest winter day. Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Ingredients These are the ingredients you’ll need to make this lemon chicken orzo soup recipe: Orzo: Boil and drain 8 ounces of orzo pasta. Oil: Cook the vegetables in a teaspoon of olive oil. Vegetables: This veggie-packed soup features onion, carrots, celery, and baby spinach. Seasonings: Season the soup with fresh garlic, dried thyme, dried oregano, salt and pepper, and a bay leaf. Broth: Use store-bought chicken broth or make your own at home. Lemon: You’ll need fresh lemon juice, the zest of a lemon, and lemon slices for garnish. Chicken: This soup is a great way to use leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken. Parmesan: Parmesan cheese is optional, but it’s a great finishing touch. How to Make Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup You’ll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make lemon chicken orzo soup: Boil, drain, and rinse the orzo. Cook the veggies, then stir in the garlic. Add the seasonings. Add the broth, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the veggies are tender. Stir in the orzo, lemon juice, lemon zest, and chicken. Cook until chicken and orzo are heated through, then stir in the spinach.Cook until spinach wilts into broth and orzo is tender. What to Serve With Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup This lemon chicken orzo soup pairs perfectly with French bread. A nice side salad would also work well. How to Store Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Store your leftover lemon chicken orzo soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise “Remarkably flavorful and easy to prepare,” raves Stacy in Sisters. “I knew I’d have leftover soup, so I listened to other reviews and did not combine the orzo to the soup. I spooned some in the bowl and covered with the soup.” "This soup was soooo good," says another reviewer. "Love that it called for fresh squeezed lemon juice and zest. It definitely makes a difference. I didn’t change a thing! The family loved the flavor - will definitely make again!" “Great,” according to shelia. “Especially when I’m feeling under the weather. The lemon is perky and all the other ingredients build upon each other to an absolutely delicious meal.” Editorial contributions by Corey Williams Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1x 2x 4x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. Original recipe (1X) yields 12 servings 8 ounces orzo pasta 1 teaspoon olive oil 3 medium carrots, chopped, or more to taste 3 ribs celery, chopped 1 medium onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ teaspoon dried thyme ½ teaspoon dried oregano salt and ground black pepper to taste 1 bay leaf 3 (32 ounce) cartons fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth ½ cup fresh lemon juice 1 lemon, zested 8 ounces cooked chicken breast, chopped 1 (8 ounce) package baby spinach leaves 1 lemon, sliced for garnish (Optional) ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (Optional) Directions Gather the ingredients. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Stir in orzo and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered until partially cooked through but not yet soft, about 5 minutes; drain and rinse with cold water until cooled completely. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, and onion; cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften and onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Season mixture with thyme, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper; continue cooking another 30 seconds before pouring chicken broth into the pot. Bring broth to a boil. Partially cover the pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until vegetables are just tender, about 10 minutes. Stir orzo, lemon juice, and lemon zest into broth; add chicken. Cook until chicken and orzo are heated through, about 5 minutes. Add baby spinach; cook until spinach wilts into broth and orzo is tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls; garnish with lemon slices and Parmesan cheese. lutzflcat From the Editor Please note the differences in yield and ingredient amounts when using the magazine version of this recipe. I Made It Print 1,050 home cooks made it! Nutrition Facts (per serving) 167 Calories 4g Fat 22g Carbs 12g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 12 Calories 167 % Daily Value * Total Fat 4g 5% Saturated Fat 2g 8% Cholesterol 20mg 7% Sodium 187mg 8% Total Carbohydrate 22g 8% Dietary Fiber 3g 9% Total Sugars 4g Protein 12g 24% Vitamin C 20mg 23% Calcium 69mg 5% Iron 2mg 9% Potassium 321mg 7% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.