Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

5 from 16 votes

This Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is loaded with tender chicken, hearty vegetables, and a delicious, refreshing lemon broth that is just the thing for cold weather days! It's simple and easy to make, and fantastic with a loaf of crusty bread on the side.

Prep Time20

Cook Time35

Total Time55

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings: -6 servings

Calories: 334kcal

Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons salted butter, divided
1 large red onion chopped or shredded
1 ½ cups shredded carrots
2 celery ribs, diced
1 serrano pepper, minced
6-8 baby bella mushrooms, chopped
1 medium zucchini shredded
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 large lemons, zested and juiced
5 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
2 chicken breasts or a rotisserie chicken, cooked and shredded
½ cup dry orzo pasta
3-4 green onions chopped
2-3 Tablespoons chopped Fresh parsley
**Optional- Chopped Spinach 1 handful per person
**Optional Garnish parsley, green onion, or fried mushrooms

Instructions

Prep all ingredients, per the ingredient list.
In a large soup pot melt the butter over medium high heat. Then saute the onions, carrots, celery, and serrano pepper, until the onions are translucent and beginning to get soft. Add the mushrooms and continue to saute for about 5-10 minutes until the mushrooms are softened and the onions have begun to caramelize.
Add in the zucchini and season with the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, and black pepper. Zest and juice the lemons, and add all of the lemon zest and half of the juice, reserving the remaining lemon juice to adjust the flavor of the soup at the end to your liking. Make sure none of the seeds are left inside of the lemons, then drop the whole juiced/zested lemon into the pot and mix.
Add in the chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the lemons (give the lemons a squeeze into the soup with a pair of tongs) and add in the chicken and orzo pasta. Let the soup simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is tender.
Add in the chopped green onion and parsley. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, or add more lemon juice if you prefer.
Serve immediately!

Notes

Optional: Place a handful of fresh chopped spinach into the bottom of your soup bowl, ladle the hot soup over the top and mix together. The spinach pairs beautifully with the lemon in the soup and gives you a nice fresh flavor that compliments the richness of the soup!
Freezing: I recommend freezing this soup in individual portions so you only need to reheat as much as you want.
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Nutrition