Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

If you have been following along for a bit, you probably know that I am in love with soup. In fact, when I plan my editorial calendar in the fall and winter, I have to be on the lookout for soup recipes that are too close together.

I know not everyone has the love for soup that I have. I could (and do!) eat it all year long.

In my house, I’m steadily programing my kids to be soup lovers too. Like a secret mission. To me, there is something so homey and loving about my family huddling around the kitchen table on a cool evening, a steaming bowl of soup in front of each of us.

This Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup fits the bill for comforting soup. It checks all the boxes for me with it’s protein, veggies, pasta, and great flavor combination. Grab a crusty baguette, make this soup, and become a convert like me.

How to Make Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

This is a step by step guide of how to make this delicious and cozy chicken and noodle soup. For the full recipe, be sure to find the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Sauté the Vegetables

In a heavy bottomed pot, heat olive oil and then sauté the celery, onion, and carrots with the garlic and herbs until the vegetables are soft.

Deglaze the Pan

Using white wine, deglaze the pan, scraping up all the brown bits from sautéing the vegetables. To make this recipe without wine, simply replace the wine with more chicken broth in this step.

Add the Chicken and Bring to Boil

Add chicken broth, bay leaves, and chicken. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer. Cook it until the chicken registers 165 degrees.

Shred Chicken and Add Orzo

Remove the chicken from the soup, shred it, and add the orzo, cooking it to the length of time indicated on the box.

Finish off the Soup

Return the chicken to the pot, stir in the spinach, and add the lemon and lemon zest.

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Ingredients

The ingredients for this soup are simple enough, but when combined they have the best flavor.

• Chicken: We are using boneless skinless chicken breasts in this recipe, though you could always use chicken thighs and follow the method used in my Chicken Noodle Soup.
• Orzo: This small pasta is perfect in this recipe, but you can swap it out for whole wheat orzo or another small pasta like ditalini.
• Fresh Lemon: While fresh lemon may sound odd in a soup, it gives it this bright and fresh flavor I think you will really love.
• Spinach: The addition of spinach in this soup helps to make it a really nutritious dinner.
• Carrots, celery, & onion: This trio of vegetables works together perfectly in this soup as it does in so many recipes.
• Garlic: The fresh garlic in this recipe is subtle enough that it doesn’t over power, but rather lends another layer of flavor.
• Thyme, oregano, & bay leaves: These simple herbs pair beautifully in this soup, though you could certainly experiment and try others.
• Chicken Stock: This is what gives the soup it’s back bone. I recommend using a low sodium chicken stock so you have better control over the salt content.
• White Wine: I love the layer of flavor that white wine brings to this recipe, read more on this below.
• Salt & Pepper: I have listed the amount of salt and pepper that I thought was necessary for this recipe, but you can always start with less and add more to taste at the end of a recipe.

Tips and Tricks

• Using white wine: The wine in this recipe adds a beautiful layer that you won’t be able to put your finger but you will love. I recommend Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.
• Replace the wine: If your family doesn’t use wine in cooking, you can replace it with more chicken broth.
• Replace the chicken with cooked chicken: Using 3 cups of cooked chicken instead of raw chicken will cut 20 minutes of simmer time. But you will need to reduce the liquid by 2 cups, using only 6 cups.