Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup: A Simple Weeknight Dinner Delight!

Warm up your chilly evenings with a delightful bowl of lemon chicken orzo soup. This comforting dish combines shredded rotisserie chicken, tender orzo, and vibrant vegetables immersed in a bright, lemony broth. Perfect for weeknight dinners, this easy recipe is sure to brighten up any cold, dreary day!

Two bowls filled with lemon chicken orzo soup next to spoons on a countertop.

Soup Season Delight

As the cooler months settle in, the excitement for soup season begins! Each year, I eagerly anticipate the opportunity to dust off my favorite soup pot and make one of my beloved dishes. Whether it’s a cheesy loaded baked potato soup, a hearty beef and barley stew, or my favorite low-carb zuppa toscana, soups hold a special place in my heart.

This lemon chicken orzo soup adds a splash of sunshine to the typically gloomy fall and winter days. Packed with juicy chicken, fresh vegetables, and the refreshing zest of lemon paired with dill, it dishes out layers of flavor. Best of all, this recipe comes together in no time, making it a perfect choice for busy weeknights when time and energy might be running low.

Bright and Lemony Chicken Orzo Soup

This soup elevates the classic chicken noodle experience. Combining shredded rotisserie chicken, colorful carrots, spinach, and delicate orzo pasta, it features a broth infused with bright lemon and fragrant dill. For those familiar with avgolemono, this dish will feel familiar yet unique as it replaces rice with orzo.

I often showcase orzo in various recipes, such as one-pot lemon chicken with orzo, Greek orzo salad, or zucchini orzo casserole. It’s a delightful pasta that cooks quickly and complements many dishes.

The preparation for this soup is swift, with a cook time of around 30 minutes after the ingredients are prepped. The burst of lemon and fresh dill brings an uplifting flavor to even the dreariest winter day.

How to Make Lemony Chicken Orzo Soup

This comforting soup can be whipped up in no time, perfect for any night of the week.

Ingredients Needed

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 carrots, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch coins
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 cups chicken stock
  • 1 ½ cups uncooked orzo
  • 3 large eggs
  • ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • Meat from 1 rotisserie chicken (approximately 4 cups)
  • 2 packed cups fresh spinach
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill, roughly chopped
Ingredients for lemon chicken orzo soup arranged on a countertop.

The rotisserie chicken serves as a marvelous time-saver, reducing prep work significantly. If a rotisserie chicken is not available, you should have about 4 cups of cooked and cubed or shredded chicken on hand.

While I love using carrots, onions, and spinach in this recipe, feel free to swap out some carrots for diced celery if you prefer. Even though eggs might seem like an unusual addition to soup, they actually add a silkiness to the broth without an eggy taste, similar to avgolemono.

Steps to Prepare the Soup

To begin, heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil, followed by the carrots, onions, and a pinch of salt. Stir well and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent, which typically takes about 8 minutes.

Carrots and onions sautéed in a dutch oven.

Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute, then incorporate the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer.

Orzo and carrots simmering in chicken stock in a dutch oven.

Once the broth is simmering, stir in the uncooked orzo. Continue simmering and stir occasionally for about 8-9 minutes, or until the orzo is nearly cooked.

Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs and lemon juice in a bowl. Once the orzo is almost done, gradually drizzle about ½ cup of the hot broth into the egg mixture while whisking to combine thoroughly.

Eggs and lemon juice whisked together in a bowl.

Pour the egg mixture back into the pot, stirring well. Add the shredded chicken and let it simmer for another 5 minutes. Finally, stir in the fresh spinach and dill, seasoning with salt and pepper as required before serving.

Blue dutch oven filled with lemon chicken orzo soup.

Make-Ahead and Storage Tips

This lemon chicken orzo soup can be prepared ahead of time and reheated whenever you’re ready to eat. If making it the night before or in the morning, feel free to prepare the soup as instructed, leaving out the spinach until right before serving for maximum freshness.

For those planning to freeze the soup, it’s advisable to hold off on adding the orzo and spinach. The orzo tends to absorb a lot of broth and can become mushy after thawing. When ready to serve, bring the soup to a simmer and add the uncooked orzo, allowing for about 10 minutes of cooking time before adding the spinach.

Spoon holding up a bite of lemon chicken orzo soup.

Recipe Instructions

Step Instruction
1 Place a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil, carrots, and onions with a pinch of salt. Stir to combine and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent.
2 Add the garlic and cook for about 1 more minute; add the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer.
3 Once simmering, add the orzo. Continue simmering, stirring occasionally, for 8-9 minutes or until the orzo is nearly cooked through.
4 While the orzo cooks, whisk together the eggs and lemon juice in a bowl or measuring cup. Once the orzo is nearly done, slowly drizzle about ½ cup of the hot stock into the egg mixture, whisking to combine.
5 Pour the egg mixture into the soup pot, stirring well to combine. Add the chicken and let the soup simmer over low heat for about another 5 minutes.
6 Add the spinach and dill. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed before serving.

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