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–+ servings
A bowl of lemon chicken orzo soup.
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5 from 1 vote

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!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Entree
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Author: Julie Maestre

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs chicken thighs and legs bone-in skin-off
  • 1 onion finely diced
  • 1 cup carrots finely diced
  • 1 cup celery finely diced
  • 3 garlic cloves finely minced
  • 1 sprig rosemary fresh
  • 1 sprig thyme fresh
  • 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon paste *if not using chicken bouillon paste, use homemade or store-bought chicken stock*
  • 3 tsp granulated garlic
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 1 cup orzo pasta
  • 8 cups water
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Heat about 3 tbsp of oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 7-8 minutes while stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in the fresh garlic, rosemary, and thyme, and cook for 20 seconds. Add the chicken, garlic powder, turmeric, Italian seasoning, chicken bouillon paste, and 8 cups of water. Increase the heat to high and bring it to a boil. 
  • Once it comes to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 25 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Once the chicken is fully cooked through, 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. 
  • 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! 

Notes

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.
If you like it very lemony, use 2 lemons instead of one. 

Nutrition

Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 155mg | Potassium: 173mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2747IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg