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Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Lemon chicken orzo soup with bright lemon-herb broth and tender orzo. Cook it until silky and finish with spinach and dill for a cozy Mediterranean main dish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast
  • 1 cup orzo pasta
  • 3 carrots
  • 3 celery
  • 1 onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 8 cup chicken broth
  • 0.33 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp lemon zest
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cup baby spinach
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 eggs optional, for Greek egg-lemon/avgolemono style
  • 0.5 salt to taste
  • 0.5 pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté vegetables
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot, then sauté the onion, carrots, and celery over medium heat for 5 minutes until softened with a light sheen.
Simmer chicken
  1. Add the garlic and dried thyme and cook for 1 minute, stirring until fragrant.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth, add the chicken breast, and bring to a simmer, then simmer for 18 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
Shred and cook orzo
  1. Remove the chicken breast, shred it, and return the shredded chicken to the pot.
  2. Add the orzo pasta and simmer for 8-9 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick.
Add lemon (choose one style)
  1. For avgolemono style: whisk the eggs with the fresh lemon juice, then slowly ladle hot broth into the eggs while whisking, and stir the tempered egg-lemon mixture back into the pot.
  2. For regular style: stir in the fresh lemon juice and lemon zest directly into the soup.
Finish with spinach and herbs
  1. Add the baby spinach and stir until wilted, then add the chopped fresh dill.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then simmer briefly just to heat through before serving.

Notes

To keep the broth silky in avgolemono style, temper the eggs by adding hot broth slowly while whisking so they don’t scramble. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; freeze up to 2 months (best if you freeze before adding the spinach and dill, then thaw and reheat, adding them afterward). For a dairy-free option, the recipe is naturally dairy-free; if you want it gluten-free, swap orzo pasta for a gluten-free orzo blend and cook to the package timing.