Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

This lemon chicken orzo soup is bone-in chicken, vegetables, and pasta, simmered in a delicious broth. A flavorful soup that requires minimal ingredients and cooks in under an hour!

This recipe uses bone-in skin-off chicken thighs and legs so it will take a little longer to cook. But it’s so worth it! I truly believe that the best soups are made with bone-in chicken. It produces a hearty stock and juicy chicken.

Why You’ll Love This Soup

• It’s so versatile, you can use any type of pasta you prefer. You can also omit the orzo pasta and load it with just veggies and chicken.
• You can make it as lemony as you like.
• Makes the best leftovers!
• It’s comforting and perfect for those colder months.

Ingredient Notes

Chicken – I used chicken leg quarters but any type of chicken works. If using boneless chicken breasts, cut the cooking time in half since it cooks a lot quicker.

Poultry Seasoning – I used salt-free poultry seasoning which is just a blend of dried herbs, nutmeg, and black pepper. It adds great flavor!

Chicken Bouillon Powder – You can use chicken stock or chicken bouillon paste instead.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Heat about 2 tbsp of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes while stirring occasionally.
2. Stir the fresh garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the chicken, chicken bouillon powder, poultry seasoning, and 8 cups of water. Increase the heat to high and bring it to a boil.
3. Once it comes to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 25 minutes. Once the 25 minutes are up remove the chicken from the pot and add the orzo. The orzo takes about 9 minutes to cook. While the orzo cooks, shred or dice the chicken and discard the bones.
4. Place the chicken back into the pot, add the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired, and enjoy!

Top Tips

• Serve this soup with a salad and cheesy garlic bread for a complete meal.
• Don’t have lemons on hand? Use limes instead.
• Make it spicy! Add some green chilies or serve with hot sauce.

Storage

Let the soup cool completely, then place it in an air-tight container, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Add more water if necessary! You can also freeze it for up to 2 months, however, I recommend omitting the orzo pasta if you plan on freezing it. You can add the orzo pasta once you thaw and reheat the soup.

More Delicious Recipes You Might Enjoy

• Cabbage Roll Soup – Consists of cabbage, beef, and rice.
• Sopa de Salchichon – A hearty sausage soup!
• Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup – Super comforting.
• Sopa de Pollo – Homemade chicken soup with lots of spices.

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