Description
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is a bright, flavorful, and nutrient-rich soup featuring tender chicken, al dente orzo, and fresh spinach in a lemony broth. This one-pot meal is quick, wholesome, and perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
1 large onion, diced
3–4 carrots, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups chicken broth
Juice and zest of 2 large lemons
2 tsp dried thyme or 1 tbsp fresh
2 bay leaves
4 cups fresh spinach
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Sauté the Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook 5-7 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
2. Simmer the Chicken: Add chicken broth, thyme, bay leaves, and chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
3. Shred the Chicken: Remove chicken from pot and shred with two forks.
4. Cook the Orzo: Add uncooked orzo to the simmering broth. Cook 7-9 minutes until al dente.
5. Combine Everything: Return shredded chicken to pot. Stir in fresh spinach and cook 1-2 minutes until wilted.
6. The Magic Touch: Stir in lemon juice and zest off heat. Season with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaves before serving.
Notes
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently, adding broth or water if soup thickens.
Substitutions: Use turkey or white fish instead of chicken, vegetable broth and chickpeas for vegetarian, kale or Swiss chard instead of spinach, or small pasta like ditalini instead of orzo.
Avoid: Overcooking orzo, adding lemon while boiling, and using pre-cooked chicken for best flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup, Dinner, Healthy
- Method: Stovetop, One-Pot
- Cuisine: American, Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg