Simple ingredients make this weeknight Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup hearty, comforting and easy when a soup craving hits. Top with fresh herbs, fresh black pepper and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese just before serving for a hint of freshness and colour.
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Traditionally chicken noodle soup starts with a French Mirepoix or rather a combination of onion, carrot and celery. It’s also known as the holy trinity and popular in Italian cooking. This flavour base is the start and adding layers will get you to a delicious tasting soup in no time.
An Easy Meal
Chicken breasts are cooked in the broth to add more flavour. Although you can use leftover rotisserie or roast chicken in this soup or any soup that calls for chicken.
Some days we buy a couple roast chickens just so we can have leftovers to make an easy meal. No shame there! These might include a Chicken Taco Salad or a comforting Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry. Our quick and easy Tandoori Chicken Naan Pizza always hits the spot.
Soup and Noodles
Whenever I make a noodle soup that involves a flour made noodle (not rice noodle) I will cook the noodles separately and add to each individual bowl. When you have leftovers, this prevents the noodles from soaking up all the liquid while being stored.
Except with orzo. These little rice shaped noodles don’t soak up as much of the broth since, well, they are really not that big. Instead they cook in the soup and take in a little flavour making them perfect, pillowy morsels of goodness.
PRO TIPS & CHANGE UPS
Change up onion with shallots or leeks. Add a couple chopped carrots for colour, or some washed chopped spinach or kale adding a pop of green.
Instead of using orzo add in some precooked white, brown or wild rice.
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is a hearty and healthy meal on its own but you can serve it with some crusty bread, cheese toast or fresh cut up veggies on the side.
Soup on my mind
Soup talk always makes me hungry so here’s a few other soup recipes we recommend you try. This popular Carrot Cumin Soup is requested regularly by our neighbour for herself and her mom. Add some Mexican flair to your meal times with this Chicken Tortilla Soup that eats like a meal. Pizza Soup is a meal you never knew you needed until you try it.
If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans and please comment below!

Ingredients
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
- 4 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 parmesan rind, optional
- 1 tsp tumeric
- 3/4 cup orzo
- salt and pepper
- 1/3 cup lemon juice or juice of one lemon
- 1-2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Over medium heat add oil, onion and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add in garlic and cook another 1 minute.
- Toss in bay leaves and chicken stock. Turn heat up to a boil.
- Once boiling add chicken breasts and turn heat to a simmer. Add in parmesan rind if using and tumeric.
- Cook for about 15 minutes and remove chicken to a plate. Stir in orzo, salt and pepper. Orzo will take about 8-10 minutes to cook.
- Shred chicken using two forks and return to soup pot. Once orzo is al dente (about 7-8 minutes) soup is ready.
- Add lemon juice. Remove bay leaves and parmesan rind. Ladle into bowls and serve with fresh herbs and black pepper.
Yum, the brightness from the lemon took me by surprise. A great surprise though this soup was super flavourful and going into rotation!
I love that you use a mirepoix as a base for adding the flavor to this soup! It’s one of my favorite additions to just about any soup and this lemon chicken orzo one looks incredible and I know my kids will eat it too. I can’t wait to make it.
I tried this recipe last night with leftover chicken, and it was absolutely amazing. The lemon and chicken work so well together. It’s yummy.
Love all the ingredients, canโt wait to try this! It looks so delicious and easy!
This soup is extremely flavorful and delicious. Its perfect for a rainy day or if you are feeling under the weather. Also, my two toddlers are extremely picky and they both finished their entire bowls! This is one recipe we are definitely keeping!
YUM! This is seriously the easiest soup to make and so incredibly delicious! I was kind of hoping we’d have leftovers for lunch, but we couldn’t stop eating it. Guess I’ll just have to make more! Thanks for this recipe, I’m going to be making this one a lot!