Chicken Lemon Orzo Soup (Printable Version)

Tender chicken, zesty lemon, orzo pasta, and fresh vegetables come together in a bright, nourishing meal.

# The Ingredients You'll Need:

→ Protein

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced (approximately 8.8 oz)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 lemon, zested and juiced (about 3 tablespoons juice)
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried dill)
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)

→ Pantry & Grains

09 - 3/4 cup orzo pasta (approximately 4.2 oz)
10 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth (48 fl oz)
11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Seasonings

12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
15 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

→ Optional

16 - Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, diced carrots, and diced celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, dried thyme, and bay leaf. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil.
04 - Add orzo pasta and reduce to a simmer. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until orzo is tender.
05 - Stir in shredded cooked chicken, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes to heat through.
06 - Remove bay leaf. Stir in fresh dill, salt, and black pepper. Adjust seasoning and lemon juice to taste.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with chopped parsley and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve hot.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, yet tastes like you spent the whole afternoon in the kitchen.
  • The lemon cuts through richness in a way that makes it feel sophisticated rather than ordinary.
  • Leftover chicken transforms into something that feels brand new and nothing like what it was before.
02 -
  • Add the lemon juice at the very end—if it simmers too long, it loses its brightness and the whole soup becomes less magical.
  • Taste your broth before you season—store-bought varieties vary wildly in saltiness, so you might need less salt than the recipe suggests.
  • If you want to make this avgolemono-style, beat two egg yolks and slowly whisk in a ladle of the hot broth off heat, then stir the mixture back in for a silky, luxurious texture that feels almost decadent.
03 -
  • Make a double batch and freeze half—it keeps beautifully for up to three months and thaws into something that tastes like you just made it.
  • The zest matters as much as the juice, so invest in a good microplane and zest the lemon fresh right before serving, letting those oils shine without getting cooked away.
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