Fresh dill and a squeeze of lemon juice gives this lemon chicken orzo soup a cleansing feel and a refreshing taste!
This may not be your grandma’s chicken soup but it’s one you will fall in love with anyway! This lemon chicken orzo soup is the ‘spa’ version of the classic chicken noodle soup: it’s light, lemony, healthy and restoring.
It’s one of those dishes that feels good when you eat it and is followed by an ‘aaaah’ as you throw your napkin into the empty bowl. Happy tummy.
There are plenty of veggies added to this soup: garlic, zucchini, carrots, onions and celery.
The vegetables are stirred into a pot of chicken stock filled with bite size chicken pieces and orzo pasta. So comforting. It’s then seasoned with fresh thyme and dill and a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice. It’s not only nutritious and delicious – it’s also filling despite tasting so refreshing!
I’ve had the sniffles for the past couple of weeks with the weather being so up and down lately. So when Ben surprised me with a hot and comforting bowl of lemon chicken orzo soup (he usually makes me a big pot of creamy congee), I couldn’t have been happier. Wrapped in a blanket, I slurped on this savory, fragrant and acidic soup that warmed me up to the core.
I felt instantly restored!
Other comforting soups you might like to try: easy chicken pho, hearty Tuscan soup, white bean swiss chard soup, one pot navy bean soup, vegetarian split pea soup, cream of cauliflower soup, eggplant miso soup, vegetable potage, crock pot potato soup, and spicy dahl.
Did you like this recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!
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Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
- Prep Time: 7 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 4 people 1x
- Category: Soups
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
Fresh dill and a squeeze of lemon juice gives this lemon chicken orzo soup a cleansing feel – and it’s ready to eat in half an hour!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breast (or fillets) (chopped bite size)
- 1 small onion (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon thyme (chopped)
- 1 medium carrot (diced)
- 2 stalks celery (diced)
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 1 zucchini (diced)
- 1/2 cup dry orzo pasta
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill (chopped)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a pot over high heat, add extra virgin olive oil and chicken, and cook for 3-4 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- In the same pot, add onions, garlic and thyme and cook for 2-3 minutes, until onions are translucent.
- Add carrots, celery and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add zucchini and orzo and cook for 8-10 minutes, until orzo is cooked al dente.
- Turn the heat off, add chicken, lemon juice and dill and stir well.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.
Notes
Transfer the soup to an airtight storage container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 284
- Sugar: 7.7g
- Sodium: 404mg
- Fat: 10.9g
- Saturated Fat: 1.9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25.6g
- Fiber: 2.3g
- Protein: 8.6g
- Cholesterol: 44.5mg
