Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Why you’ll love it:

I’ve made a lot of soups on here, but this lemon chicken soup with orzo is hands down the most beloved by my readers. It’s just so comforting without being heavy, and people adore the bright lemony broth. This orzo soup is simple to make, so it’s ideal anytime you’re craving a really cozy soup without a lot of effort.

If you’re not familiar with it, orzo is that tiny rice-shaped pasta. It looks like rice but cooks really fast, so you get that rice effect in less time. I cook with it fairly often, and I always enjoy it. I mean, you can’t really go wrong with pasta. Except for bowtie pasta, but that’s a story for another day. 😉 In any case, this recipe is like chicken noodle soup but elevated!

What you’ll need:

Celery, carrots, and onion – the aromatic base for any good soup. I prefer sweet (Vidalia) onion, but yellow works as well.
Butter and olive oil – for sautéing
Garlic – for more savory flavor. I like to use this garlic press to mince it since you don’t need to peel the cloves first.
Flour – it thickens the broth a little
Chicken broth – for deeper, richer flavor
Italian seasoning – it’s my favorite dried herb blend that comes all in a single jar for convenience
Chicken – the boneless skinless chicken breasts cook right in the soup
Orzo – you’ll be able to find it in the dry pasta aisle
Lemon juice – for that burst of brightness. Always use freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Parsley – it adds a pop of flavor and freshness

INGREDIENTS

2 sticks celery chopped finely
2 medium carrots peeled & chopped finely
1/2 medium onion chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons flour
6 cups chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1.5 pounds uncooked chicken breasts
1 cup uncooked orzo
1 tablespoon lemon juice or to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or to taste
Salt & pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Sauté the celery, carrots, and onions in a large soup pot with the butter and oil over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, then add the flour and cook for another minute or so.
Pour in the chicken broth and stir until the flour has dissolved, then add the Italian seasoning and chicken. Bring the soup to a boil.
Cover the soup (lid slightly open), and reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Stir in the orzo and cook for another 10 minutes or until the orzo is cooked through. I keep the lid off and stir it fairly often because it tends to stick to the bottom of the pot.
Take the chicken out of the pot and cut it up, then add it back in. Add the lemon juice (you may want to add more than I suggest – I didn’t want to make the soup too lemony for some people), parsley, and season the soup with salt & pepper as needed. Serve immediately.