Chicken Lemon Orzo Soup
This lemon chicken orzo soup is an easy one-pot dinner with tender chicken, orzo, and a light lemony broth. It’s simple to make, family friendly, and perfect for busy nights or cozy lunches.
Equipment
- 5 quart dutch oven or pot
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 medium white onion diced
- 2 large carrots about 1 cup diced carrots
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons butter salted
- 2 tablespoons flour all purpose
- 64 ounces low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cups water
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme dried
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 pound chicken breast
- 1 cup orzo dried
- 1 large lemon juice, about 2-3 tablespoons or one lemon
- 1 cup spinach diced
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large dutch oven or soup pot and heat over medium-high heat. Place the diced onion and diced carrots in the pan and sauté. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the carrots and onions have softened.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 medium white onion, 2 large carrots
- Turn the stove down to medium heat. Place the butter in the pot with the carrots and onions. Add the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant.2 tablespoons butter, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the flour and stir for about 1 minute to coat the vegetables. Pour low sodium chicken broth and one cup of water to the pot. Add the oregano, thyme, salt and pepper to the pot.2 tablespoons flour, 64 ounces low sodium chicken broth, 1 cups water, 1 teaspoon oregano , 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- Turn up the heat to high then add the chicken breast. Bring the entire pot to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium low and cover the pot. Simmer for 10–15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center.1 pound chicken breast
- Remove the chicken from the pot and dice into bite sized pieces then set aside.
- Add the orzo pasta to the pot and turn the heat back up to medium- high. Cook the orzo for about 10 minutes, until tender. Stir every few minutes so the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.1 cup orzo
- Add the cooked chicken back to the soup. Add the juice from half the lemon, then taste and add more if you want a stronger lemon flavor. Place the diced spinach into the pot and stir until wilted, about one minute. Serve and enjoy!1 large lemon, 1 cup spinach
Notes
If you prefer a stronger lemon flavor, add between ¼ and a half a teaspoon of lemon zest to the soup when you add the lemon juice.
This soup will thicken more over time, and thickens a lot more in the refrigerator overnight. When you reheat the leftovers you will need to add a little water to each bowl.
You can use rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken in this recipe. If the chicken you are using is already cooked you'll only need to simmer it in the broth for about five minutes instead of 10-15 before moving to the next step.
I have found my family enjoys the spinach more if I dice it. You can throw in whole leaves and just let it wilt. I've found that, especially for kids, it's better to just give it a quick chop.
Nutrition
Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 621mg | Potassium: 743mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 4626IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg