• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Sip and Feast
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About me
  • Shop
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About me
  • Shop
  • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » All Recipes » Soups and Stews

    Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

    Published on Oct 10, 2022 by Tara · Updated on Oct 13, 2022 · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 27 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Lemon chicken orzo soup is a wonderfully flavored comfy soup that's perfect for chilly days.  Carrots, celery, onion, and garlic are simmered in a quick and easy chicken stock with pulled chicken meat and orzo and topped with fresh parsley and lemon juice.  Perfect as a full meal, or as a side to sandwiches and salads.

    Lemon chicken orzo soup in white bowl.

     

    Lemon chicken orzo soup is a Greek-style soup that's loaded with wonderful flavor from the chicken, veggies, and of course the lemon!

    This recipe includes instructions to make a "quick" homemade chicken stock but if you're pressed for time, you can certainly use store-bought chicken stock.

    This chicken soup with orzo and lemon is perfect to send in a thermos for an on-the-go lunch, but is also great for dinner or anytime you need some comfort!

    As with almost any of Sip and Feast soup recipes, some garlic bread on the side would be perfect!

    Ingredients shown: chicken thighs, carrots, celery, orzo, onions, chicken stock, lemon, garlic, flour, and parsley.

    How to make it

    First, make the quick chicken stock

    1. Heat a large stock pot to medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the chicken thighs.  To prevent overcrowding, work in batches.  Sear the chicken thighs skin side down for about 5 minutes until some color forms then flip them over and cook for about 3-4 more minutes longer.

    Chicken stock recipe process shot collage group number one.

    1. Add 2 cups of low-sodium chicken stock, 10 cups of water, 1 medium onion, 1 medium carrot, 1 medium celery rib, and 2 large bay leaves. 
    2. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot leaving the lid slightly ajar.  Cook until the chicken meat is tender (about 60 minutes).  While it's simmering, every so often skim and discard the fat and scum from the top with a large flat spoon.   

    Recipe process shot collage group number two.

    1. Remove the thighs from the pot and spread them onto a cutting board to cool.  Turn off the heat and strain the soup.  You can either eat or discard the veggies, but these will not be used for the soup as they'll be mushy at this point. Degrease the chicken stock with a fat separator, straining through paper towels as shown above, a bulb blaster, or by just skimming with a spoon.  If time permits, refrigerate the stock overnight.  As the soup cools, the fat will solidify and rise to the top allowing for easy removal the next day.  Once the chicken thighs are cool, remove the meat and either discard the bones, cartilage, and skin, or save them for another use, such as bone broth.

    Next, make the lemon chicken orzo soup

    1. Chop up the chicken thigh meat taking care to ensure no bones are or cartilage left.  Dice 3 medium carrots, 3 medium celery ribs, and 1 medium onion.  Mince 3 cloves of garlic and a ¼ cup of flat-leaf parsley.

    Lemon chicken orzo soup recipe process shot collage group number one.

    1. Heat a large pot to medium and saute the carrots, celery, and onion in a ¼ cup of olive oil for ~10 minutes or until soft and translucent.  Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.
    2. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour and cook for around 30 seconds or until incorporated.  Note: If you want a thicker soup, you should double the amount of flour in this step.

    Recipe process shot collage group number two.

    1. Add your chicken stock (should be about 10 cups worth), scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to dislodge any brown bits.  Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to concentrate.  
    2. Add the chopped chicken thigh meat and 8 ounces of orzo.  Continue to cook, stirring very frequently, until the orzo reaches al dente.  Note:  Orzo has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pot so be sure to stir frequently to prevent sticking.

    Recipe process shot collage group number three.

    1. If you need more liquid, add a little water or more low-sodium chicken stock to thin it out. Add the minced parsley and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and give the soup a stir.  Taste test the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste.  If the soup needs more lemon juice, add more at this time.  Serve in bowls and enjoy!

    Large wooden ladle holding lemon chicken orzo soup over pot.

    Top tips for lemon chicken orzo soup

    • The best chicken for soup. Dark meat, including the thighs, legs, and wings, are best for soups because they won't overcook like white meat will.  We used chicken thighs with skin and bone to make the stock in order to extract maximum flavor.  If you're pressed for time you can use store-bought chicken stock and pull the chicken meat from a grocery store rotisserie chicken.
    • Skimming the fat. If you opt to make your own stock as we did here, you'll want to skim the fat/scum that rises to the top of the pot.  Making the stock a day in advance is a good idea as refrigerating the stock will allow the fat to rise to the top and solidify.  This will make it even easier to remove the fat.   The flavor of a next-day stock will be better too!
    • Orzo.  Orzo is a rice-shaped pasta that's great for soup and pasta salads. Orzo has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pot so be sure to continue to stir the soup and dislodge with a wooden spoon any orzo that is sticking.
    • The herbs.  We used fresh parsley for this recipe but you could easily add other herbs such as oregano or fresh dill.  Fresh thyme would also add complimentary flavor.

    Hands holding bowl of lemon chicken orzo soup.

    More comforting soup recipes

    We love soup and eat it year-round but it's especially good during the cooler months.  Here are a few of our favorites that we know you'll love.

    • Italian wedding soup - tiny turkey meatballs, spinach, and acini di pepe pasta simmered in a chicken-based broth.
    • Italian lentil soup - carrots, celery, onion, lentils, spinach, and a touch of tomato.
    • Pasta e fagioli - cannellini beans, ditalini pasta, and pancetta with rosemary.

    If you’ve enjoyed this lemon chicken orzo soup recipe or any recipe on this site, give it a 5-star rating and leave a review.

    We strive to satisfy a number of learning styles.  If you are someone who prefers to learn by watching, you can find most of our recipes on YouTube and our Facebook Page.

    📖 Recipe

    Lemon chicken orzo soup featured image.

    Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

    5 from 10 votes
    Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Total Time: 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins
    Servings: 6
    Print Pin Rate
    Author: James

    Ingredients

    For the quick stock and chicken meat

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 ½ pounds chicken thighs
    • 10 cups water
    • 2 cups low sodium chicken stock store bought or homemade
    • 1 medium carrot
    • 1 medium celery rib
    • 1 medium onion
    • 2 large bay leaves

    For the soup

    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • 3 medium carrots diced
    • 3 medium celery ribs diced
    • 1 medium onion diced
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 2 tablespoons flour
    • 10 cups chicken broth from above
    • 1 ½ pounds chicken thigh meat diced, from above
    • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • ¼ cup flat leaf parsley minced
    • 8 ounces orzo

    Instructions

    For the broth and chicken meat

    • Heat a large stock pot to medium heat and add the olive oil and the chicken thighs. Sear the thighs skin side down until some color forms (about 5 minutes per side) then add the low sodium chicken stock, water, onion, carrots, celery, and bay leaves.
    • Bring to a boil for 5 minutes then reduce heat to a simmer and cover leaving the lid slightly ajar. Cook until the chicken meat is tender (about 60 minutes). Every so often, skim and discard the fat and scum with a large flat spoon from the top of the stock.
    • Remove the thighs from the pot and spread them out onto a cutting board to cool.
    • Turn off the heat and strain the soup discarding the veggies. Degrease the chicken stock with a fat separator, paper towels, bulb blaster, or by just skimming with a spoon. If you have time, place the stock in the fridge overnight and the fat will solidify as it cools making it easy to remove the next day.
    • Once the chicken is cool enough, remove all of the thigh meat. Chop up the meat and set it aside for later. The bones, skin, and cartilage can be used for a bone broth or discarded.

    For the soup

    • In a large pot saute the carrots, celery, and onion in olive oil over medium heat for 7-10 minutes or until soft and translucent.
    • Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Sprinkle the flour into the pot and stir well to incorporate.
    • Pour the chicken stock (should be about 10 cups) into the pot. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to remove any brown bits. Turn the heat to high, and bring to a boil.
    • Once boiling, turn the heat down and simmer for 15-20 minutes to concentrate the flavors.
    • Add the chicken thigh meat and the orzo. Cook, stirring very frequently, (to avoid sticking) until the orzo reaches al dente. If you need more liquid add a bit of water or extra low sodium chicken stock as required to thin it out.
    • Add the parsley and the lemon juice and give it a stir. Taste test the soup and season with plenty of salt and pepper to taste. If the soup needs more lemon juice add it as well. Enjoy!

    Notes

    • Dark meat (thighs, legs, wings) is preferred for this soup since it will not overcook like white meat.
    • Orzo has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pot.  Stir the whole time, feeling the bottom for any stuck pieces.  
    • Herbs like Greek oregano or dill go especially well with this soup.
    • Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days in the fridge and can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 399kcal | Carbohydrates: 36.8g | Protein: 39.2g | Fat: 9.2g | Saturated Fat: 2.4g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Potassium: 517mg | Fiber: 3.3g | Sugar: 5.2g | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 3mg
    Did you make this recipe? Mention @sipandfeast or tag #sipandfeast
    « Sausage Cherry Tomato Pasta
    Apple Crostata »
    • Share
    • Yummly

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Joseph

      October 13, 2022 at 10:54 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Jim, this look fantastic! Cant wait to try it. I just wanted to get your quick thoughts on an idea for a variation I had if you would be so kind.

      As you know, chicken thigh with skin has fat which can leach into the soup and has to be filtered out.

      And so, I was considering making this soup, but instead, I might use skinless and boneless chicken thighs. Rather than making the stock, I would simply fry them in a pan until golden, discarding the fat on the pan. Then dice the chicken on a board. Fry up the veggies, add pre-made stock (in my case chicken stock cubes), pasta, diced chicken, cook for a bit and enjoy. That being said this does mean that the bones and skin dont have the opportunity to provide flavour to the soup, so you'd rely pretty heavily on the pre-made stock.

      Sorry for the long message but I'd really appreciate your input on this. Could it be a good idea or do you think it might fall flat regarding flavour? Thank you so much

      Reply
      • Jim

        October 13, 2022 at 10:59 pm

        Hi Joseph, I say go for it. I think it will still taste great and have plenty of flavor.

        Reply
    2. Christina

      October 14, 2022 at 5:13 pm

      5 stars
      delicious! I saw it yesterday and knew I needed to make this today to beat a cold. I did add a smidge of turmeric for color and cold fighting super power. The fresh parsley and lemon are NOT optional!
      Oh and I had acini di pepe instead of orzo. Thanks for your wonderful recipes and videos!

      Reply
      • Jim

        October 15, 2022 at 9:25 am

        Hi Christina, so happy you enjoyed this one. Turmeric is a great addition to chicken soup! Hope you're feeling better!

        Reply
    3. Maureen

      October 14, 2022 at 9:12 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! Great variation from my regular chicken noodle soup. Didn’t have time to make my own stock, and used leftover rotisserie chicken (light and dark meat). Will definitely make this again.

      Reply
    4. Karen

      October 21, 2022 at 5:52 pm

      I spent the last week craving this soup, finally gathered the ingredients & made it!! (Added fresh fennel, cause I love the flavor in soups) The lemon gives it a brightness & lightness without taking away that comfort food feeling. This was so good!! 9.5 😂 So glad I found your channel, videos so easy to follow! I’m making Italian wedding soup next! 😊

      Reply
      • Jim

        October 21, 2022 at 9:08 pm

        Hi Karen, thank you for the comment! I'm so happy you're enjoying the videos and recipes!

        Reply
    5. Mike

      November 30, 2022 at 9:06 am

      5 stars
      I tried this soup and it was awesome!!!!!

      Reply
      • Jim

        November 30, 2022 at 8:30 pm

        Hi Mike, so happy you liked the soup and thanks for the comment!

        Reply
    6. Jim

      December 09, 2022 at 2:30 pm

      5 stars
      Do you have a narrated video of this soup recipe?

      Reply
      • Jim

        December 10, 2022 at 10:02 am

        Hi Jim, yes, you can access the video from the recipe card on my site or watch it directly on YouTube.

        Reply
    7. Ellen

      December 11, 2022 at 1:03 pm

      Can you leave the orzo in for leftovers or does it get mushy ?

      Reply
      • Jim

        December 11, 2022 at 2:57 pm

        Hi Ellen, you can keep the orzo separate if you're planning to have leftovers. It will get a little mushy the longer it sits in the soup.

        Reply
    8. Diane

      January 27, 2023 at 7:15 am

      Hi Jim what do you think about putting fresh spinach in the soup?

      Reply
      • Jim

        January 27, 2023 at 10:33 am

        Hi Diane, we sometimes add a handful of fresh baby spinach to this when we make it and it's great!

        Reply
    9. Ellen

      March 04, 2023 at 11:44 pm

      5 stars
      Made this for a Church pot luck - it is delicious !!!! no changes needed, enjoy ! Love your recipes !

      Reply
      • Jim

        March 05, 2023 at 1:35 pm

        Hi Ellen, so happy you enjoyed this one and thanks for the comment!

        Reply
    10. Bettina Jacoel

      March 07, 2023 at 3:57 pm

      Just delicious! Hits all the spots.Especially on a cold day😍

      Reply
      • Jim

        March 08, 2023 at 10:29 am

        Thanks for the comment, Bettina and so happy you enjoyed!

        Reply
    11. Cesarina Hess

      March 08, 2023 at 7:26 am

      5 stars
      Great recipe!!

      Reply
      • Jim

        March 08, 2023 at 10:35 am

        Hi Cesarina, so happy you enjoyed this one and thanks for the comment!

        Reply
    12. Nicole

      March 08, 2023 at 2:37 pm

      5 stars
      This soup looks simple from it's ingredient list, but it is VERY tasty!
      So much better than regular chicken noodle soup and a new favourite in our rotation! Thanks so much for providing.

      Reply
      • Jim

        March 08, 2023 at 7:36 pm

        Hi Nicole, so happy you enjoyed this and really appreciate the comment!

        Reply
    13. Mitzihiro

      May 04, 2023 at 1:47 pm

      5 stars
      Awesome recipe. I used chicken breasts, added some fresh spinach and subbed fresh dill for the parsley. I think everyone added lots of extra lemon juice and Parmesan at the table and also asked for the recipe so it’s definitely a keeper!

      Reply
      • Jim

        May 07, 2023 at 8:42 am

        Thanks for the comment and so happy you enjoyed!

        Reply
    14. Kim

      May 04, 2023 at 2:01 pm

      5 stars
      I also just made this and used chicken breasts and dill! Fantastic. I also added a little white wine and some milk for a littler more richness. I agree to go heavy on the lemon . It’s a very comforting soup. Orzo is impossible to find where I live right now so I just used ditalini. I’m sure any small pasta would be great

      Reply
      • Jim

        May 07, 2023 at 8:43 am

        Hi Kim, thanks for the comment and so happy you enjoyed!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Profile pic.

    About Jim

    Welcome! I'm Jim and I'm here to help you make awesome Italian food that you would normally enjoy at some of your favorite New York style Italian restaurants. While my recipes are typically Italian, you'll find some other great ones as well. Take a look around, and get cooking!

    Learn more about me →

    Spring is Here

    • Rigatoni primavera featured image.
      Rigatoni Primavera
    • Linguine with canned clam sauce featured image.
      Linguine with Canned Clams
    • Spinach pasta salad featured image.
      Spinach Gorgonzola Pasta Salad
    • Fennel orange salad featured image.
      Orange Fennel Salad
    • Grilled pork chop with balsamic glaze and rosemary garnish in white plate.
      Grilled Pork Chops
    • Italian green bean potato salad in platter on blue table.
      Potato Green Bean Salad

    Reader's Favorites

    • Fettuccine cherry tomato butter sauce recipe featured image.
      Fettuccine with Cherry Tomato Butter Sauce
    • Short rib pappardelle featured image.
      Short Rib Ragu with Pappardelle
    • Baked artichoke hearts featured image.
      Baked Artichoke Hearts with Seasoned Breadcrumbs
    • Brandy mushroom cream sauce spaghetti featured image.
      Mushroom Brandy Cream Sauce Spaghetti
    • Pasta alla Norcina featured image.
      Pasta alla Norcina
    • Meatballs and pasta in platter on wood table.
      Authentic Italian Meatballs And Sunday Sauce Recipe

    Featured On

    Sip and Feast featured in publications sidebar.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About me
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Sip and Feast

    792 shares