Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
User Reviews
5.0
252 reviews
Excellent
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Report
A simple and flavorful recipe that's sure to be a favorite.
Share:
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ cups diced carrots about 3-4 medium carrots
- ½ cup diced celery about 3 ribs
- ½ cup finely diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 cups chicken broth (I use low-sodium)
- ¾ cup orzo pasta
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 to 3 to 3 cups cooked, chopped chicken
- ¼ to ½ to ½ cup fresh lemon juice (see note)
Optional Roux:
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons flour
For Garnish:
- shredded Parmesan cheese
- Chopped, fresh parsley
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic, and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until the onions have softened and started to turn translucent.
- Add the broth, orzo, bay leaf, salt, oregano, basil, and thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes until the orzo is tender.
- Optional for slightly thicker soup: stir together the melted butter and flour until smooth. Whisk into soup and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in the chicken and lemon juice and cook until heated through, 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Serve servings of soup with chopped fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese (optional but tasty).
Notes
- Lemon juice: the amount of lemon juice you add will depend on your taste preference. I suggest starting with 1/4 cup and adding more to taste. Bottled lemon juice may alter the flavor of the soup; I suggest using fresh lemon juice if you can.
- Optional Add-In: it works really well to stir in several cups of chopped fresh spinach at the end.
- Orzo: you can add a full cup of orzo pasta for a less brothy soup. I haven't tried subbing rice for the orzo, but I'm guessing it will work just fine.
- Freezable: I haven't tried freezing this soup. If you want to try, I'd suggest undercooking the orzo just a bit so it doesn't get mushy after freezing and thawing.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1 serving
Calories
140kcal
(7%)
Carbohydrates
18g
(6%)
Protein
10g
(20%)
Fat
3g
(5%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Cholesterol
24mg
(8%)
Sodium
1152mg
(48%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
4g
(8%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 serving | |
| Calories | 140kcal | 7% |
| Carbohydrates | 18g | 6% |
| Protein | 10g | 20% |
| Fat | 3g | 5% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 24mg | 8% |
| Sodium | 1152mg | 48% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
252 reviews
Excellent
Other Recipes
You'll Also Love
