Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is cozy and comforting, yet light and healthy all at the same time. The broth is the stuff dreams are made of and with the chicken and orzo, this wonderfully flavorful soup is also hearty enough to fill up the hungriest of bellies. It’s a tried and true favorite around here!
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This Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is all of the flavors of a classic chicken noodle, but so much better because of the brightness of the lemon and addition of the fresh dill. I love, love the orzo because this soup becomes so perfectly spoonable. So much flavor in every, single bite!
Another reason to fall in love with the soup is that it easily comes together in about 30 minutes. The ingredients are very simple and basic and take very little in the prep work area. Everything goes into a single pot. I use a rotisserie chicken for the chicken breasts and it makes my life so much easier and with less work. That’s always a good thing!
I will serve this soup to my family anytime of year. My kids and husband absolutely love the flavorful broth and noodles. It’s requested at least once a month, if not more.
This soup is also a perfect recipe to take to someone feeling under the weather. The garlic and lemon are so good for the immune system -it’s like showing up with a very tasty vitamin shot. Your friends will be very, very happy to see you when roll up with this.
Never ever underestimate the power of bringing people a home cooked meal. It’s one reason I got into cooking and love it so much. Showing love through food is one of my all time favorite things to do on this planet. For family, for friends, and for whatever reason, bring your people something you’ve made. It will always be a good thing.
lemon chicken orzo soup ingredients
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Carrot
- Celery
- Onion
- Garlic
- Chicken Broth
- Dried Thyme Leaves
- Dried Oregano
- Bay Leaf
- Cooked Chicken Breast
- Orzo
- Fresh Dill Weed
- Lemon
- Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper
how to make greek lemon chicken orzo soup
Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is super simple, super flavorful, and it comes together in about 30 minutes. I mean, what’s not to like about that?! Let’s get into the details of making this magic elixir!
To begin, in a dutch oven over medium-high heat, add a drizzle of olive oil. To the oil, add the carrot, celery, and onion. These and the garlic will become the foundation of our flavorsome soup. Sauté the veggies until they begin to soften – about 5 minutes. Next, add the garlic, stirring continuously and just until it becomes fragrant.
Now, it’s time to add the broth. After the broth goes it, it time for some more flavor! Throw in the bay leaf and add the dried thyme and oregano. Bring the broth mixture up to a simmer and let it cook for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. This is the point to taste for salt and pepper levels. If you need more, add more.
After the vegetables become tender, add in the shredded chicken breast and fresh dill. Bring the soup back up to a simmer and add the orzo. Cook until the pasta becomes al dente. Stir in the lemon zest and squeeze in the lemon juice.
Serve this immediately into your favorite soup bowls and watch your people as they devour this lovely hug in a bowl. Because, that’s what it is.
chicken orzo soup tips and tricks
- Cut the veggies and chicken into small, similar sizes so that you can get a little of everything in each spoonful.
- Season with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper in layers, after each addition of ingredients.
- If not eating all of the Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup at once, consider cooking the orzo separately and storing it separately in the fridge. If stored together, the orzo will soak up a lot of the broth.
orzo substitutions
If you do not want to use orzo in this recipe, I have several substitution options for you! Here are a few ideas:
- Use any small pasta you love or have on hand instead of the orzo.
- Substitute for a GF version of orzo if you have a dietary restriction.
- Leave out the orzo all together.
- Use cauliflower rice for a lower-carb version.
- Rice would be a wonderful substitution for the Greek Lemon Chicken Soup.
- Quinoa is a wonderfully healthy grain that would be fantastic in this soup instead of the orzo.
recipe frequently asked questions
In an airtight container in the fridge, this soup will last for up two 3 days.
You can! However, if you plan to freeze this soup, do it without the orzo. Pasta in soup does not freeze and reheat well. Once you’re ready, simply thaw out the soup base, bring it up to a simmer, and cook the orzo just before serving.
Of course! However, if you use dried, you’ll only need 1-2 teaspoons. Dried herbs are much stronger than the fresh versions. Add it to your taste.
Yes! All you have to do is swap out the orzo for a GF version. You can also leave out the pasta all together.
This recipe is naturally dairy-free. No worries there!
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Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup carrot, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 5-6 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme leaves
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, minced
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded I used a rotisserie chicken
- juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 1 cup orzo
- kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a dutch oven over medium-high heat, add a drizzle of olive oil. To the oil, add the carrot, celery, and onion.
- Sauté the veggies until they begin to soften – about 5 minutes. Next, add the garlic, stirring continuously and just until it becomes fragrant.
- Add the broth along with the bay leaf, oregano, and thyme. Let this simmer for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
- Taste for salt and pepper levels. If you need more, add more.
- After the vegetables become tender, add in the shredded chicken breast and fresh dill.
- Bring the soup back up to a simmer and add the orzo. Cook until the pasta becomes al dente.
- Stir in the lemon zest and squeeze in the lemon juice.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
Thank you!
I am so incredibly happy that you are here! I hope you try my Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup recipe and fall in love with it. If you make this recipe, please share and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok! And, please leave a comment or star rating below. I absolutely love seeing each and every one of your kitchen masterpieces. And, as always, if you ever have any questions about any of my recipes, please don’t hesitate to contact me!
Happy Cooking!
–Rufus
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