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    Home » American

    Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

    Published: May 4, 2023 · Modified: Oct 21, 2023 by Becky Thames-Simmons · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Any season of the year, this lemon chicken orzo soup will satisfy as a main course served with hearty, rustic bread and a salad on the side, or as a soup course in a meal.

    lemon chicken orzo soup in a bowl
    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases when you purchase using the links on this page. It doesn't increase the price of the items for you, and it helps me cover the costs of bringing great recipes to you.

    I was first introduced to Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup at a lunch hosted by a friend who happened to be an outstanding cook. This was back in the early 1980's, and I've been making it ever since.

    Being from a small Midwestern town, I'd never had soup flavored with lemon, nor the delicate pasta called orzo - a tiny pasta shaped like rice or barley. Actually, orzo means "barley" in Italian. I was completely hooked on the brightness that the lemon gives the soup and how it enhances the flavors of the rest of the ingredients.

    Any season of the year, this lemon chicken orzo soup will satisfy as a main course served with hearty, rustic bread and a salad on the side, or as a soup course in a meal. Once you try this soup, you'll be ready to bring lemon as a star flavor in even more dishes!

    Can Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup be made ahead of time?

    Absolutely, with a few qualifiers:

    • Due to its delicate nature, leave the orzo out until you are ready to reheat and serve the soup. Prepare everything else ahead of time, then bring the soup to an almost-boil, add the orzo and cook until finished. Alternately, you can cook the orzo separately and add it to the reheated soup.
    • Add the lemon and parsley garnishes right before serving.

    How to store Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

    • Freeze it in an airtight container. Remove the lemon garnish and add new lemon garnish when you re-serve it.
    • In the refrigerator, store in an airtight container up to seven days.

    Reheating tips

    Reheat the soup slowly - do not bring it to a boil. Otherwise, the delicate nature of the orzo when brought to a boil after already being fully cooked will break it into mush.

    Also, if you left the lemon garnish in the soup for storing, remove it and add fresh lemon slices before serving. The original lemon garnish won't stand up to reheating and will lose its visual appeal.

    How to make Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

    INGREDIENTS

    • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 2 stalks celery halved lengthwise, then sliced
    • 2 medium carrots peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced
    • ½ medium onion chopped
    • 2 average-size garlic cloves minced
    • 2 tbsp all purpose flour
    • 6 cups chicken stock
    • 1 pinch each of oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary and ground black pepper
    • 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    • 1¼ cups orzo uncooked
    • 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • 2 tbsp fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley set some aside for garnish
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • lemon slices for garnish

    INSTRUCTIONS 

    • Heat the butter and oil over medium-high heat in a large soup pot, then add the carrot, celery and onion and sauté for about 6 minutes.
    • Add the garlic and let it bloom for about 30 seconds.
    • Add the flour and cook for just over a minute.
    • Add the broth to the pot and stir to work the flour in. Add the pinches of seasoning and the chicken breasts. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover.
    • After about 15 minutes, remove the lid and add the orzo and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, uncovered.
    • Remove the chicken and re-cover the pot. Using a fork, shred the chicken and return it to the pot.
    • Add the lemon and parsley. Taste the broth and add salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with lemon slices and the reserved parsley.

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    📖 Recipe

    lemon chicken orzo soup in a bowl

    Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

    Bright, refreshing, and oh so easy!
    Print Pin
    5 from 2 votes
    Rate and Comment
    Course: Lunch, Soup
    Cuisine: American, Greek
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 309kcal
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    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 stalks celery halved lengthwise, then sliced
    • 2 medium carrots peeled and sliced
    • ½ medium onion chopped
    • 2 average-size garlic cloves minced
    • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
    • 6 cups chicken stock
    • 1 pinch each of oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary and ground black pepper
    • 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts sliced lengthwise, about 1" wide
    • 1¼ cups orzo pasta uncooked
    • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley set some aside for garnish
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • lemon slices for garnish

    Instructions

    • Heat the butter and oil over medium-high heat in a large soup pot, then add the carrot, celery and onion and saute for about 6 minutes.
    • Add the garlic and let it bloom for about 30 seconds.
    • Add the flour and cook for just over a minute.
    • Add the broth to the pot and stir to work the flour in. Add the pinches of seasoning and the sliced chicken breasts. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover.
    • After about 15 minutes, remove the lid and add the orzo and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, uncovered.
    • Remove the chicken and re-cover the pot. Using a fork, shred the chicken and return it to the pot. Simmer for 5-10 minutes more, to bring the chicken back up to temp.
    • Add the lemon juice and parsley. Taste the broth and add salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with lemon slices and the reserved parsley.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 415mg | Potassium: 594mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3647IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg

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    Hi, I'm Becky! Follow along with me as I share all my family's favorite recipes along with new really great new ones. I'm happily retired and staying busy in my kitchen to bring you the best recipes for unfussy time in your kitchen..

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