Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
A bright, cozy soup of chicken, carrots, celery and orzo in a lemony broth with fresh dill. Comforting without being heavy.
There is a reason chicken soup is the first thing many of us crave when the weather turns cold. This version, loosely inspired by Greek avgolemono, gets its sunny flavor from a generous squeeze of lemon and a handful of fresh dill stirred in at the very end. Orzo makes it hearty enough to call dinner.
We poach chicken breasts or thighs right in the broth, then shred them and return them to the pot. It is a single-pot meal that tastes like it simmered all afternoon but takes less than an hour from start to finish.
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 bay leaf
- 3/4 cup orzo
- 2 cups baby spinach
- Zest of 1 lemon and 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, until softened.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in the broth, add the bay leaf and bring to a boil. Add the chicken, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 to 18 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred it with two forks.
- Bring the broth back to a boil and stir in the orzo. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
- Return the chicken to the pot along with the spinach and simmer for 1 minute until the spinach wilts. Remove the bay leaf.
- Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice and dill. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.
Kitchen notes
- Orzo keeps absorbing broth as it sits. If you plan to have leftovers, cook it separately and add it to each bowl.
- Add the lemon at the end; long cooking dulls its brightness.
- A shower of grated Parmesan on top is a lovely, non-traditional finish.
Ways to vary it
For a silkier, more traditional avgolemono texture, whisk two eggs with the lemon juice, slowly whisk in a ladle of hot broth to temper them, then stir the mixture back into the pot off the heat. Do not let the soup boil afterward or the eggs will curdle.
Keeping & reheating
Refrigerate for up to 4 days, adding a splash of broth when reheating as the orzo thickens the soup. Freeze the soup without orzo for up to 3 months.
This recipe shares general cooking information and is not medical or nutrition advice. Please check ingredient labels for allergens. Read our full disclaimer.
