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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And, if you're in the mood for more easy soup recipes, you've come to the right place! Try my Creamy Vegetable Soup, Manhattan Clam Chowder, or my White Chicken Lasagna Soup!
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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.
Soup For The Body and Soul
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.
What You'll Need
- Carrot, Celery, Onion, Garlic - The usual suspects in any good soup recipe.
- Chicken Broth - Use a good quality one or make it yourself. There isn't much to this recipe, so we need to use the best ingredients possible.
- Dried Thyme Leaves, Dried Oregano, Bay Leaves - For the wonderful herbaceous notes.
- Cooked Chicken Breast - I like the lightness of the chicken breast here. I prefer it from a rotisserie chicken, but use your favorite!
- Orzo - I love orzo, but any small pasta will do!
- Fresh Dill Weed and Lemon - Is it Greek without these two? I think not!
How to Make It
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?! I'll give you the brief rundown here, but the specifics will live in the recipe card below. All you have to do is:
- Sauté the veggies.
- Add the herbs and chicken broth.
- Add the chicken and pasta.
- Finish with the lemon and dill.
- That's it!
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.
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.
- Add lemon to your tastes and serve a few wedges alongside the bowls of soup.
- Serve this soup with my Dutch Oven No Knead Bread. It's so easy and it's perfect to soak up this lovely 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use dried dill instead of fresh?
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.
Can I make this recipe gluten-free? Dairy-free?
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!
Can I make this soup ahead of time?
You can make this lemon chicken orzo soup ahead of time, but be mindful the orzo will soak up a lot of broth after it cooks. Consider adding the orzo only just before serving.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
- In an airtight container in the fridge, this soup will last for up two 3 days.
- To reheat, simply warm in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Freezing Instructions: If you plan to freeze this soup, do so 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.
Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon 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 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoon 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
If you guys make this Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I absolutely love to hear from you all and always do my best to respond to each and every one of your comments!
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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Rachel McLaughlan says
This recipe came across my phone when I was looking up something else totally not related lol. I have now made this soup twice and it is soooo delicious! My boyfriend is a very picky eater and he loves it as well. The dill really adds to the flavor. We are definitely going to try some more recipes. Thanks! 🙂
Rufus says
Hi, Rachel! I am so very glad you let me know. This truly makes my heart so very happy. Have a wonderful day!
Vince S says
Awesome recipe, a must try! The lemon really sets this apart from your standard chicken noodle soup. Only tweak I made was waiting until after the orzo was almost al dente before adding the chicken to avoid overcooking. I also added the juices from the rotisserie chicken in with the broth for an extra boost of chicken flavor!
Rufus says
I am so happy!!! Love your tweak! Have a wonderful day!