lemon chicken orzo soup

Soups & Salads

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

This lemon chicken orzo soup is comfort in a bowl! It is so flavorful with tender pieces of chicken in a lemony broth with orzo pasta, carrots, onions, celery, and baby spinach. This has quickly become one of my family's favorite soup recipes.

Ingredients

8 ounces orzo pasta
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 medium carrots, chopped, or more to taste
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
3 (32 ounce) cartons fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup fresh lemon juice
1 lemon, zested
8 ounces cooked chicken breast, chopped
1 (8 ounce) package baby spinach leaves
1 lemon, sliced for garnish (optional)
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

Gather the ingredients.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Stir in orzo and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered until partially cooked through but not yet soft, about 5 minutes; drain and rinse with cold water until cooled completely.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, and onion; cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften and onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Season mixture with thyme, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper; continue cooking another 30 seconds before pouring chicken broth into the pot.
Bring broth to a boil. Partially cover the pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until vegetables are just tender, about 10 minutes.
Stir orzo, lemon juice, and lemon zest into broth; add chicken. Cook until chicken and orzo are heated through, about 5 minutes. Add baby spinach; cook until spinach wilts into broth and orzo is tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
Ladle soup into bowls; garnish with lemon slices and Parmesan cheese.
Enjoy!