Description
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is a comforting and healthy one-pot meal featuring tender chicken thighs, orzo pasta, fresh vegetables, and a bright lemony broth enriched with Parmesan cheese and fresh dill. This cozy soup is perfect for a nutritious dinner and is versatile enough to customize with your favorite ingredients or freeze for later.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein and Fats
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, patted dry (or rotisserie chicken)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 3 medium carrots, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 zucchini, quartered and sliced thick
Seasonings
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Pinch to 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon or better than bouillon
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
Other Ingredients
- 10-12 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup orzo pasta (uncooked)
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice (more or less to taste)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (more or less to taste)
Instructions
- Sear Chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Season chicken thighs with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Sear chicken until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove chicken to a plate and leave the drippings in the pot.
- Sauté Vegetables: Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium-low heat in the drippings. Once melted, increase heat to medium-high and add chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 4 minutes while scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes, then cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Broth and Seasonings: Return the seared chicken to the pot. Add chicken bouillon, dried parsley, oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, and 10-12 cups of low sodium chicken broth. Partially cover the pot with a lid slightly displaced to allow steam to escape. Bring to a simmer and cook for 12-15 minutes until the chicken is tender and easy to shred, stirring occasionally.
- Cook Orzo and Zucchini: Remove chicken to a cutting board and shred once cool enough to handle. Meanwhile, stir the orzo pasta and sliced zucchini into the simmering broth. Cook until the orzo is al dente, about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Finish Soup: Reduce heat to low. Add shredded chicken back into the soup along with freshly grated Parmesan. Stir until the cheese melts. Add lemon juice and chopped fresh dill to taste. If desired, stir in additional broth to achieve preferred soup consistency. Adjust salt and pepper seasoning as needed.
Notes
- This recipe is versatile: swap orzo for rice, lentils, or different pasta shapes.
- You can use rotisserie chicken instead of searing thighs for convenience.
- To make this soup freezer-friendly, omit orzo during freezing and add fresh orzo when reheating.
- Serve with dinner rolls and a fresh salad for a complete meal.
- Adjust lemon juice and dill according to your taste preference for brightness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
