This Greek lemon chicken orzo soup has tender shredded chicken, soft orzo, and a bright lemony broth finished with fresh herbs. The orzo makes the broth feel silky without any cream. It is an easy comfort food dish made in one pot, and it reheats well for next day leftovers. Ready in about 45 minutes.
What Makes This Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Work
I love serving this with extra lemon wedges and a big handful of fresh dill on top. If we have bread or focaccia, I am dunking it, because the broth is that good!
- A bright, balanced broth: Lemon keeps the soup tasting fresh, while the chicken and aromatics keep it savory so it still feels like classic chicken soup.
- Same vibe as my Avgolemono soup, no eggs: If you love my avgolemono Greek lemon chicken soup, this one is in the same family but skips the eggs completely. The orzo does the work here, the starch from the pasta thickens the broth just enough so it turns silky and lightly creamy.
- A real meal, not just a starter: Chicken plus orzo makes it filling enough for dinner, and it still feels light.
- Weeknight friendly: It is a one-pot soup that comes together quickly, so I can make it even on a busy day.
- Great for leftovers: The flavor holds up really well in the fridge, and I usually like it even more the next day.
Ingredient Notes
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Onion, Carrot, Celery, Garlic: Cook until the vegetables soften and the onion turns translucent.
- Flour: A small amount thickens the soup and gives it body. 1:1 gluten-free blend works too.
- Chicken Broth: Low-sodium broth or chicken stock helps you control the salt. Add more broth if the soup thickens too much.
- Chicken: Chicken breasts shred easily. Boneless skinless thighs work too.
- Dried Herbs and Bay Leaves: Oregano, thyme, rosemary, and a bay leaf simmer in the broth. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
- Fresh Dill or Parsley: Stir it in at the end for the best flavor, then add more on top.
- Orzo Pasta: This small rice-shaped pasta absorbs broth as it sits, so the soup will thicken. Add a splash of broth when reheating. If you need to keep this gluten-free, use gluten-free orzo or arborio rice instead.
- Lemon Juice and Zest: Stir in the 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and the zest at the end, taste, then add more juice a little at a time if you want it brighter.
Absolutely delicious! I only had to purchase a lemon, fresh dill and the orzo as we had everything else on hand. Worth the trip to the grocery store.
Julie
How To Make Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo
- Sauté: Cook onion, carrot, and celery in olive oil and butter until softened. Add garlic for 1 minute.
- Add Flour: Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Mix and Simmer: Add hot broth, chicken, bay leaf, and dried herbs. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C), 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the chicken.
- Cook Orzo: Add orzo and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes, stirring often so it doesn’t stick to the bottom, until the orzo is tender with a slight bite.
- Shred Chicken: Shred or cube the chicken into bite-sized pieces, then return it to the pot.
- Finish: Stir in fresh dill (or parsley), lemon juice, and lemon zest. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, then serve with extra fresh dill and lemon wedges.
Recipe Success Tips
- Rotisserie chicken: Use about 3 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken, which is most of one store bought chicken, instead of the chicken breasts. Skip the raw chicken and the simmering step, then stir the shredded chicken in with the orzo so it warms through while the orzo cooks. Rotisserie chicken is already seasoned, so taste before adding salt. Leftover chicken works too, like the meat from my slow cooker whole chicken.
- Adjust the Lemon: Add lemon juice at the end, then taste and add more. Use less zest or skip it for a softer lemon flavor.
- Low Sodium Broth: Use low-sodium chicken broth, then season with salt at the end to taste.
- Add-ins: Stir in baby spinach or kale until wilted. Add crushed red pepper for heat.
Making Ahead, Storage, & Freezing
If you’re making this soup ahead, keep the orzo out of the pot. Make the soup as written but skip the orzo, then cool it and refrigerate it for up to 4 days. When you’re ready to eat, reheat the soup on the stove, cook the orzo separately, and add it to bowls. The broth stays brothy and the orzo stays tender instead of soaking everything up. You can also chop the onion, carrot and celery a day ahead and keep them in the fridge.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The orzo keeps absorbing broth as it sits, so add a splash of broth when reheating.
To freeze, cook the soup as directed but leave out the orzo because pasta gets mushy and waterlogged after thawing. Cool the soup completely, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat on the stove, and cook fresh orzo (or the remaining dry orzo from your bag) to stir in just before serving.
What To Serve with Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Bread: If you’ve read any of my soup recipes, you know that I always want some bread with any type of soup that I make! Try a nice crusty French bread, or make these Olive Garden Breadsticks.
Greek sides: A simple Greek salad or a few squares of spanakopita turn a bowl of this soup into a full Greek-style dinner.
Sandwiches: This lemon chicken soup reminds me of enjoying lunches in Greek diners, so a simple sandwich sounds perfect. Try making a Tuna Melt, or this Reuben Sandwich.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Recipe Video
Equipment
- 6 quart Dutch oven with lid
- Zester
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (75 g) yellow onion diced
- ½ cup (75 g) carrot peeled and diced
- 2 ribs (100 g) celery diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons (16 g) all purpose flour 1:1 GF flour also works
- 6 cups (1.4 L) low sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound (450 g) skinless boneless chicken breasts sliced lengthwise into thinner pieces
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 cup (170 g) dry orzo
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- Kosher salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat, then melt in the butter.
- Add the onion, carrot, and celery, then cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, then cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in the flour, then cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in the chicken broth, then add the bay leaf and dried herbs.
- Add the chicken, then bring the soup to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C), about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate, then keep the soup at a simmer.
- Add the orzo, then cook uncovered while stirring often until tender with a slight bite and the broth looks lightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Shred the chicken, then stir it back into the pot.
- Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and dill.
- Season with salt and pepper, then taste and add more lemon juice if you like.
Notes:
- Broth: Start with low-sodium chicken broth, then season at the end so you control the salt level.
- Rotisserie chicken: Use about 3 cups shredded in place of the chicken breasts, and add it with the orzo.
- Orzo texture: Stir often while the orzo cooks so it does not settle on the bottom. The soup thickens as it sits, so add a splash of broth when reheating if needed.
- Make ahead: If you’re not serving it right away, cook the orzo separately and stir it into bowls when serving, so it doesn’t soak up all the broth.
- Slow cooker option: Skip the flour. Add the chicken broth, vegetables, garlic, bay leaf, dried herbs, chicken, olive oil and butter to the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Shred the chicken and stir it back in. For the last 15 minutes, whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water, stir it into the soup, and let it cook until the broth thickens slightly. Stir in the lemon juice, zest and dill just before serving. Cook the orzo separately on the stove and add it to bowls when serving.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup FAQs
Orzo keeps soaking up broth as it sits, so the soup thickens in the fridge. Stir in a splash of warm broth when you reheat it. If you’re making it ahead, cook the orzo separately and add it to bowls when serving.
If it’s too lemony, add a splash more broth and a pinch of salt. If it tastes flat, add salt first, then more lemon juice, a little at a time. Low-sodium broth usually needs more salt at the end.
Eva M. says
Delicious recipe! My family loved it! Easy directions and wouldn’t change anything.
Ellen says
Super pleased with the taste! Decreased on the Oregano, just my taste buds. Great soup!!
Jay says
Just made this and bookmarked the recipe. It was so easy and delicious!
Ana says
It was very simple to make, all the ingredients are accessible as well. My husband said it tasted restaurant style. I added a little dill weed as well and it added a little something. Very happy and have eaten 2 bowls already.
Jill Baird says
I have some left over rotisserie chicken and this is calling my name!