Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
A cozy and warming soup, full of juicy chicken, hearty orzo pasta and colorful vegetables! Easy to make and full of bright lemon flavor.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 to 1.5 pounds skinless chicken thighs bone-in or boneless
- salt & cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium-large onion finely diced (about 1 heaping cup)
- 2 sticks celery diced small (about 1 cup)
- 3 medium-large carrots peeled and diced small (about 1.5 cups)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 6-7 cups chicken broth OR water + chicken bouillon
- 2 bay leaves optional
- lemon zest to taste (I do 2-3 strips of lemon zest, peeled with a vegetable peeler)
- 1 cup uncooked orzo
- lemon juice and chopped parsley to taste (I add 1 tablespoon lemon juice when kids are eating, more for just adults)
Instructions
- Sear chicken: Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add oil, then sear the chicken 1-2 minutes per side, until lightly colored on the outside (it doesn't have to cook through yet). Remove and set aside.1 to 1.5 pounds skinless chicken thighs, salt & cracked black pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Sauté vegetables: Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to pot and allow to melt. Add onion, celery and carrots and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic.1 tablespoon butter, 1 medium-large onion, 2 sticks celery, 3 medium-large carrots, 3 cloves garlic
- Bring to a boil: Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir flour and Italian seasoning through vegetables in pot. Stir in 6 cups chicken broth, then add bay leaves and lemon zest, if desired. Bring to a boil.1 tablespoon flour, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 6-7 cups chicken broth, 2 bay leaves, lemon zest
- Simmer: Reduce heat to a good simmer, add chicken back to soup and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
- Cook orzo: Stir in uncooked orzo pasta and continue simmering, uncovered, for another 10-12 minutes, until chicken and orzo are done.1 cup uncooked orzo
- Finish: Remove chicken from pot, shred and add back to soup. Add more broth if you prefer a brothier soup. Season with lemon juice and chopped parsley to taste, then serve immediately.lemon juice and chopped parsley
Notes
You can use boneless, skinless chicken breast instead of chicken thighs - it will have a slightly different cooking time depending on size, and it's easier to dry it out.
Adjust chicken broth according to how thick you like your soup - we like it brothy, so I will usually end up with 7 cups of broth, or even a little more.