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Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
4.9 from 24 votes

Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

This creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup recipe is flavorful, hearty, and tastes so fresh! It's packed with veggies and protein and one of our favorite healthy soup recipes.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 399 kcal
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Greek

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons butter (20 grams)
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons olive oil
  • ¾ cup onion , diced, (about 1 small onion)
  • 1 cup carrot diced, (about 2 medium carrots
  • 1 cup celery , diced, (about 2 ribs)
  • 3 cloves garlic , minced
  • 8 cups chicken broth 2 liters, low-sodium
  • 1 ½ lbs chicken breast 680 grams, boneless skinless
  • 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon paste
  • ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon thyme dried
  • ¼ teaspoon rosemary dried
  • 1 cup orzo pasta 200 grams, dry
  • 1 lemon , juice and zest
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream slightly warmed (80ml
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • ¼ cup parsley Italian (15 grams, fresh chopped

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Sauté Veggies: Heat oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Once melted, add onions, carrots, and celery then sauté for several minutes, until softened. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
  2. Add chicken, Italian seasoning, thyme, rosemary, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes (or until chicken reaches 160 degrees F).
  3. Chop chicken: Remove chicken to a plate, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest before chopping in pieces.
  4. Stir in orzo and cook for 8 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
  5. Finish soup: Reduce heat to low and stir in lemon juice, zest, cream, parsley, and season generously with salt and pepper. Return the chicken to the pot. Taste the soup and add additional seasonings or bouillon if needed.

Notes

  • Serving Size: about 1 1/2 cups 
  • Cream: could substitute a few Tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt, instead of heavy cream.
  • Make Ahead Instructions: chop the vegetables beforehand and keep in an airtight container in the fridge to make the prep of orzo soup go quicker.
  • To Freeze: I recommend freezing the lemon chicken soup base, just before adding the orzo (so the noodles don't taste mushy when reheated). Transfer soup base to a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, reheat on the stove and add orzo, cooking until tender. Stir in lemon juice, zest, cream, parsley, and season generously with salt and pepper

Nutrition Information

Calories 399kcal (20%) Carbohydrates 28g (9%) Protein 35g (70%) Fat 17g (26%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g (12%) Monounsaturated Fat 6g (30%) Trans Fat 0.1g (5%) Cholesterol 95mg (32%) Sodium 444mg (19%) Potassium 930mg (20%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 4171IU (83%) Vitamin C 10mg (11%) Calcium 63mg (6%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 399

% Daily Value*

Calories 399kcal 20%
Carbohydrates 28g 9%
Protein 35g 70%
Fat 17g 26%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 6g 30%
Trans Fat 0.1g 5%
Cholesterol 95mg 32%
Sodium 444mg 19%
Potassium 930mg 20%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 4171IU 83%
Vitamin C 10mg 11%
Calcium 63mg 6%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.