Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

This one pot Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup recipe is a family favorite! Light, healthy, comforting and made with all gluten-free ingredients for a quick soup recipe to try.

I love making one pot meals. Like LOVE. And this lemon chicken soup is going to become one of your favorites. Not only is it healthy, comforting and delicious – but it is also incredibly EASY to make! It is a family favorite for sure and one of those comfort foods that’s not too heavy. 

Incase you haven’t made a homemade soup before or in awhile, this is a great recipe to start. It is a one pot dish that is foolproof. And it has such an underrated ingredient – orzo! Orzo is that cute tiny rice-shaped pasta to make. It cooks a lot faster than rice too so it’s easy to use in quick recipes like this. You can’t go wrong when you are using orzo. This soup reminds me of an elevated chicken noodle soup type of dish too.

This is a dish you will come back to again and again. It is also one that is a freezer’s best friend. So easy to prep and keep on hand for those looking to stock up a freezer with goodies. And it makes for a great recipe to gift to those who may need a little extra love or comfort through food.

What ingredients are in Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup:

• Carrots – you can also do a mix of celery and carrot
• Onion – I like using a sweet onion for this
• Olive oil – or your favorite cooking oil
• Garlic – I like using garlic cloves but you can also do garlic powder if you don’t have
• Uncooked chicken breasts or thighs – I have made this soup with both breasts and thighs. Either can work for this!
• Uncooked orzo – if not gluten-free, use any orzo you want! Just adjust cook time as needed
• Chicken broth – or use a vegetable broth too. I love the flavor of chicken broth for it
• Italian seasoning – love the flavors this add to the soup. Add more as needed
• Lemon – I like using fresh lemon juice for this
• Fresh parsley – if you don’t have fresh, use dried

How to make one pot Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup:

1. In a large pot, sauté the carrot, onion, oil and garlic on medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until fragrant
2. Add in the chicken and cook until just about cooked on medium heat
3. Drizzle more oil if needed or if pot looks like it’s drying out then add in orzo and toast for a minute
4. Add in broth, water, seasonings and lemon juice and bring to a boil and stir
5. Allow the soup to simmer for about 10 minutes or so or until orzo is fully cooked then serve! You can also cover and let the soup simmer for longer if you’d like

FAQs and tips on making this easy lemon orzo soup:

• Is this soup really lemon flavored? Not overpowering at all. If you love love lemon, add more lemon juice and even some lemon zest. My husband doesn’t love lemon things so I try to keep this with a touch of lemon for us.
• Can this recipe be made ahead? Absolutely! The orzo will definitely absorb liquid as it chills but you can always add more broth as needed when you reheat.
• Can I use cooked chicken? Totally! I’d add it in though when you add the broth so it doesn’t dry out.
• Could I use a slow cooker for this soup? I personally haven’t used one but I don’t see why not.

A few other one pot meals to make:

One Pot Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Rice

One Pot Lasagna

The Easiest One Pot Pasta

One Pot Creamy Broccoli Pasta