This Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup recipe takes just 15 minutes of prep, and is packed with lemon flavor, tender orzo and silky-soft chicken. It’s foolproof and just SO darn tasty.
This simple lemon chicken orzo soup (inspired by Greek avgolemono soup) makes the perfect winter warmer and is lemony and light, yet cozy and richly flavored. If you love lemon, I know you’ll be obsessed with this recipe.
- It’s giving all the Greek flavors I know and LOVE, with only 15 minutes of prep time!
Here’s What You Need
Gather together your soup-making basics, tools, and cozy feels:
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Ingredient Notes
These basics give you the most incredible lemon chicken soup loaded with orzo pasta:
- Olive oil: Provides a rich base for sautéing vegetables.
- Onion: Finely chopped for a balanced aromatic base, adding natural sweetness as it cooks.
- Celery: Brings a subtle, earthy flavor and a bit of texture to the broth.
- Carrot: I like to use medium carrots for a little sweetness in the soup.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: Season in stages.
- Garlic: Minced garlic cloves infuse the broth with a warm, savory depth.
- Chicken broth: Go for a good quality, low-sodium chicken broth if you can.
- Soy sauce: A unique umami boost, balancing the soup’s flavors; can be replaced with additional salt if preferred.
- Dried parsley: You could also use fresh parsley, fresh dill or a little thyme, too! Oregano is delicious, too.
- Orzo: A small, rice-shaped pasta that thickens the soup and adds a satisfying texture.
- Unsalted butter: Enriches the broth with a velvety finish.
- Fresh lemon juice: Squeezed from fresh lemons.
- Lemon zest (optional): Enhances the lemony notes with extra aromatic intensity.
- Bone-in chicken thighs or legs: Provide tender, juicy meat while adding richness to the broth as they cook.
Ingredient quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of the article.
Substitutions and Variations
Play around with add-ins and swaps to make this soup your own:
- Chicken: Swap bone-in chicken thighs or legs for boneless, skinless chicken breasts for a leaner option, or use rotisserie chicken for convenience. For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with canned chickpeas or white beans.
- Orzo: Substitute with other small pasta like ditalini, acini de pepe, or even rice for a gluten-free option.
- Soy sauce: Replace with tamari for a gluten-free alternative, or use an additional pinch of salt or Parmesan cheese.
- Butter: Use ghee for a slightly nutty flavor, or swap it with a dairy-free version.
- Lemon juice and zest: Try lime juice for a different citrus twist or increase the zest for a more pronounced brightness.
- Broth: Swap chicken broth for vegetable broth for a plant-based alternative. For extra richness, use homemade broth or bone broth.
- Stir in spinach, kale, or extra veggies for added nutrition. Try my Vegetable Orzo Soup recipe, too!
- Stir in a beaten egg (Greek avgolemono style) for a creamy consistency. If you love creamy soups, don’t miss my creamy tortellini soup recipe.
Tools to Grab
You’ll need a pot or large Dutch oven to make the soup in. Other than that, just something to stir the ingredients with!
How to Make Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo: An Easy Guide
Here is my easy-guide to making this luscious soup:
Sauté veggies
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, and carrots with salt for 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Add chicken & broth
Pour in broth and soy sauce, then add chicken, dried parsley, and remaining salt.
Simmer
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover partially and simmer for 45-55 minutes until chicken is tender.
Shred chicken
Remove the chicken, shred it, and return it to the pot.
Cook orzo
Stir in orzo and cook for 8-10 minutes until tender.
Finish
Stir in butter, lemon juice, and zest (if using). Adjust seasoning as needed.
3 Common Mistakes When Making Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Watch out for these little mistakes when making your soup:
- Overcooking the orzo: Orzo absorbs liquid quickly and can become mushy if left too long. Cook it just until tender and serve immediately, or cook it separately and add it when serving.
- Adding lemon too early: Lemon juice should be added at the end to keep its bright, fresh flavor. Cooking it too long can make it taste bitter.
- Not adjusting seasoning: The soup’s flavor changes as it cooks. Taste before serving and adjust salt, soy sauce, or lemon juice as needed.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The orzo will absorb liquid over time, so add a splash of broth or water when reheating.
- Store in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw, reheat, and add freshly cooked orzo before serving.
- Warm on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, or microwave in short bursts, adding extra broth if needed.
How to Serve this Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Recipe
Serve your lemony chicken soup with a hunk of homemade crusty bread or a toasted sandwich.
To bulk up the meal, serve this incredible Greek pasta salad on the side.
FAQs About Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Just skimming through this recipe post? Here’s what not to miss:
The collagen and marrow released from bones create a richer, more nourishing broth.
Acidity can break down proteins too early, affecting texture—adding it last keeps flavors fresh and bright.
Pasta continues soaking up liquid as it sits due to starch’s water-retaining properties, which is why leftovers may need extra broth.
Soy sauce adds glutamates, which naturally enhance umami and deepen the soup’s savory notes.
Other Soup Recipes You’ll Love
Easiest Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup (You’ll Be Obsessed!)
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 ½ cups finely-chopped onion
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 1 cup diced carrot
- 2 tsp kosher salt divided
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 4 tsp soy sauce or 1 tsp more kosher salt
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- ¾ cup orzo
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest optional, for extra brightness
- 2 lbs bone-in chicken thighs or legs
Instructions
- Cook the veggies: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots with 1 tsp kosher salt. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add chicken and broth: Pour in chicken broth and soy sauce, then add the raw chicken thighs or legs. Stir in dried parsley and remaining 1 tsp kosher salt (or 2 tsp if skipping soy sauce).
- Simmer: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover partially and simmer for 45-55 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Shred the chicken: Remove chicken from the pot and let it rest for a few minutes. Shred it with two forks, discarding the bones. Return shredded chicken to the pot.
- Cook the orzo: Stir in orzo and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until tender.
- Finish the soup: Stir in butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest (if using). Taste and adjust seasoning with a splash of soy sauce or extra salt, if needed.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This soup was EXCELLENT! And simple to make.
We all LOVED IT!
I made this a couple of days ago and it is so good! I only had boneless thighs and a couple less than needed so I dropped the broth to 7 cups and the simmer time down by 15 minutes or so. The lemon juice & zest is *chef’s kiss* that plus the soy makes this over the top delicious! Like an elevated Chicken Noodle, simple to make but packs a great flavour punch. I picked the perfect time to make it with this late multi-day winter rain storm Vancouver is in the middle of. It’s keeping me warm. Thank you!
Excellent soup! Very tasty. Even the picky kids had 2 bowls each! Thank you!
Loved it – I used store bought shredded rotisserie chx; cooked orzo separately, unintentionally, and added to soup. Yummy.
Delicious, will make it again. I had left over chicken so was able to skip the cooking of the chicken. I added more lemon juice, which made it a bit more lemony.
I’m interested in learning more about your work
Just made this for supper tonight after it appeared in my inbox. Made exactly according to the recipe except I only had boneless thighs. It is exceptional. Hearty, but still light tasting. Made a bunch so some will be going in my freezer. Thanks for another amazing yet really easy recipe!