Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup
If you’re a person that craves comfort food but often gets disappointed with how one note and plain soups and stews can be, this recipe is for you. Lemony chicken and orzo soup is my favorite recipe to make as a one-pot dinner around spring time to get a comforting, vegetable-forward dinner while also enjoying the brightness of fresh lemon juice. A great bonus of this recipe — it works out perfectly as a one-person lunch or dinner simply cutting the ingredients in half and proceeding as instructed!
Can chicken soup be frozen? Yes, this lemon chicken orzo soup freezes beautifully. My recommendation here to optimize results would be to leave out the orzo from the recipe, freeze the soup, and then add the orzo to cook freshly after the soup has been defrosted. This method will ensure that the pasta stays cooked perfectly and doesn’t get mushy in the reheating process.
What to serve with chicken noodle soup? Frankly, this dish is truly a one-pot dinner and works wonderfully on its own without any side dishes required. My recommendation would be to serve it with crusty bread for dipping or a fresh side salad if you wish to include a side dish with lemon chicken orzo soup.
How long does chicken soup last in the fridge? This soup lasts up to 4-5 days in the fridge if packed in a tightly sealed container. Keep in mind that the longer the soup sits in the fridge the more the orzo will soak up the liquid and it may become oversaturated. My recommendation to avoid this would be to cook the orzo in the broth fresh when reheating the soup.
Can you substitute anything for orzo? Absolutely. You can substitute different, small pasta shapes such as orecchiette, ditalini, or fusilli, for example. The key here is to adjust the cook time to accommodate different pasta shapes and their requirements. You can also substitute rice for the orzo in this recipe, including brown rice, jasmine rice, or even wild rice. Wild rice is a favorite of mine because of the earthy flavor it brings, something that complements the lemon beautifully.
What other vegetables can I add to this soup? The possibilities are endless here! My favorite additions to consider adding to lemon chicken and orzo soup are:
Fresh green peas
Fennel, diced into small pieces
Red bell peppers, either freshly diced or roasted
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs? Absolutely, this recipe will work with almost any cut of chicken, including bone in cuts. My recommendation would be to cut chicken breasts to be about the size of chicken thighs so that they cook properly in the timeframes given in the recipe. Typically, cutting a chicken breast in thirds will achieve this size. When swapping chicken thighs for breasts be mindful that you don’t overcook them, as they will dry out a lot faster than thighs will. You can also add an extra tablespoon of good olive oil to the soup when utilizing chicken breasts to compensate for the loss of fat when not using thighs.
How to make lemony chicken and orzo soup:
Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 3 carrots
- 4 celery stalks
- 1/2 of a large onion or 1 shallot
- 4 chicken thighs
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup orzo
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp oregano
- Pinch red chili flakes
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 lemon
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat and add olive oil to coat the bottom of the pot.
- Dice the onions, celery, and carrots and add to the pot once the oil has heated up. Sauté the vegetables for about 5-10 minutes, looking for them to become tender but still slightly al dente.
- Next, add the whole chicken thighs to the pot and brown them on both sides. This typically takes about 5-10 minutes.
- Once the vegetables are soft and the chicken is browned, chop and add the garlic cloves to the pot, only cooking momentarily so they don’t burn and add a bitter flavor to the soup.
- Season the ingredients with salt, pepper, red chili flakes, and oregano. Add the stock to the pot and give all of the ingredients a good stir so that everything is incorporated in the liquid.
- Add the orzo after about 10 minutes of cooking, since it should only take about 10 minutes to cook.
- Cook for about 15 minutes, until the chicken thighs are tender and shreddable, the vegetables are so soft they’re almost melting into the soup, and the orzo is cooked.
- Finish with a big squeeze of lemon juice, at least 4 tablespoons, and top with fresh parsley.
