Description
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is a comforting and healthy one-pot meal featuring tender chicken, orzo pasta, and fresh vegetables in a bright, lemony broth with fresh dill and Parmesan cheese. Perfect for a cozy dinner, this soup is easy to make, versatile, and freezer-friendly.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, patted dry (or rotisserie chicken)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 3 medium carrots, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- Pinch to 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 10-12 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon (or better than bouillon)
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 cup orzo pasta (uncooked)
- 1 zucchini, quartered and sliced thick
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice (more or less to taste)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (more or less to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare and sear chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Season the chicken thighs with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Sear chicken until golden brown, approximately 2 minutes per side. Remove chicken to a plate and keep the drippings in the pot.
- Sauté vegetables: Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in the pot with the chicken drippings over medium-low heat. When melted, increase heat to medium-high and add chopped onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 4 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add minced garlic and optional red pepper flakes and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Simmer soup: Return the chicken to the pot along with chicken bouillon, dried herbs (parsley, oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary), and chicken broth. Cover with a lid slightly ajar, creating about a one-inch opening, and bring to a simmer. Let it simmer for 15 minutes or until the chicken is tender and can be shredded, stirring occasionally and replacing the lid as needed.
- Shred chicken and cook pasta: Remove the chicken from the pot once tender and shred it with forks once cool enough to handle. Meanwhile, stir in the orzo pasta and zucchini into the simmering soup. Cook until the orzo is al dente, about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Finish the soup: Lower the heat to low and stir in freshly grated Parmesan cheese until melted. Add shredded chicken back to the pot. Mix in lemon juice and chopped fresh dill to taste. If desired, stir in additional broth for a thinner consistency. Adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if preferred, serving warm.
Notes
- This soup can be made with rotisserie chicken instead of raw chicken thighs for convenience.
- Feel free to substitute orzo pasta with rice, lentils, or other small pasta.
- Use your favorite vegetables in place of carrots, celery, or zucchini for variety.
- To freeze, omit the orzo and add fresh orzo when reheating to avoid mushy texture.
- Pair the soup with dinner rolls and a fresh salad for a complete meal.
- Adjust the amount of lemon juice and fresh dill to suit your personal taste preferences.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
