Go Back
–+ servings
A bowl of restaurant-style chicken orzo soup with spinach, carrots, and shredded chicken, topped with Parmesan cheese.

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

This recipe makes a comforting and flavorful soup that brings restaurant-quality taste to your home kitchen. It features tender orzo pasta, chicken, and spinach in a bright lemon-infused broth.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Soup
  • 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
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 3 (32 ounce) cartons fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 8 ounces cooked chicken breast chopped
  • 1 (8 ounce) package baby spinach leaves
For Garnish (Optional)
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Colander

Method
 

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Bring broth to a boil. Partially cover the pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until vegetables are just tender, about 10 minutes.
  4. 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.
  5. Ladle soup into bowls; garnish with lemon slices and Parmesan cheese.
  6. Enjoy!

Notes

This soup is best served fresh. You can adjust the amount of lemon juice and zest to your preference.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!