Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Delicious and comforting with a bright, lemony flavor. This lemon chicken orzo soup whips up in minimal time to make for an easy dinner.
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Servings: 8
Calories: 243kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup yellow onion minced
- 1 cup celery diced
- 1 cup carrots diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons low-sodium chicken bouillon optional for a more savory flavor
- 1 cup orzo
- 2 ½ cups shredded or cubed cooked chicken baked or rotisserie
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest plus more to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley or 2 tablespoons minced fresh
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat with the olive oil and butter until the butter has melted. Add the onion, celery, and carrots, and saute for 6-7 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
- Add the garlic and thyme. Sauté for 1 more minute, or until golden and fragrant.
- Stir in the chicken broth and chicken bouillon (if using). Bring to a simmer and cook with the lid ajar for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the orzo. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Stir in the chicken. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes or until the orzo is tender.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Add more lemon juice and zest to taste and serve hot!
Recipe Tips
- Lemony flavor: Using fresh lemon juice and adding it towards the end of cooking is what brings out the brightest flavor.
- Simmering: You want to bring the chicken lemon orzo soup back up to a simmer and keep it there, but not a boil. Boiling the soup will result in it becoming too thick and the orzo sticking too much. Simmering is key.
- Chicken: If using cooked chicken breasts, you’ll want to chop them into very small cubes. The smaller the chicken, the more you enjoy it with every bite.
Nutrition
Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 132mg | Potassium: 469mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2797IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 2mg