Description

This comforting Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is a flavorful, hearty dish perfect for any season. Featuring tender shredded rotisserie chicken, tender orzo pasta, fresh spinach, and a bright zing of lemon, this soup offers a perfect balance of savory and citrusy notes. The soup is thickened with a cornstarch slurry for a silky texture and enriched with aromatic herbs like thyme and fresh garlic. Ideal for a wholesome lunch or dinner, it’s simple to prepare in one pot with fresh vegetables and wholesome broth.

Ingredients

Scale

Vegetables and Aromatics

1 small onion, diced
3 medium carrots, peeled and thinly diced
2 small celery stalks, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh thyme (for garnish)
3 cups baby spinach
1 small lemon, sliced (for garnish)

Seasoning and Spices

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

Proteins and Grains

3 cups cooked, rotisserie chicken, shredded (no skins, no bones; preferably legs and thighs, about 1.5 lb)
1 cup dry orzo pasta

Liquids and Thickener

1 tablespoon olive oil
7 cups chicken stock or broth
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 large lemon, juiced

Instructions

Sauté Vegetables and Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, carrots, chopped celery, garlic powder, onion powder, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and slightly caramelized. Add minced garlic during the last 2 minutes, stirring continuously to prevent burning.
Add Stock and Herbs: Pour in the chicken stock, scraping the pot’s bottom to loosen any browned bits for extra flavor. Add fresh thyme and bring the stock to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for a couple of minutes. Remove ⅓ cup of the hot stock and set it aside to cool for thickening later.
Cook Orzo and Chicken: Stir in the dry orzo pasta and shredded chicken into the simmering stock. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or according to the orzo package instructions, stirring frequently to avoid the pasta sticking to the bottom of the pot. The orzo should be almost fully cooked at this point.
Make Cornstarch Slurry: Whisk the cornstarch with the reserved cooled chicken stock until completely smooth, forming a slurry with no lumps.
Thicken Soup: Pour the cornstarch slurry into the soup gradually while stirring to combine. Let the soup simmer for 5 minutes, allowing it to thicken and the orzo to finish cooking.
Add Spinach and Lemon Juice: Stir in the baby spinach and squeeze in half of the large lemon’s juice. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the spinach wilts in the hot soup.
Final Seasoning: Remove the soup from heat. Taste and squeeze in the remaining lemon juice gradually to your liking, stirring well. Adjust seasoning by adding salt and pepper as needed.
Serve: Ladle the warm soup into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley, fresh thyme sprigs, and a slice of lemon for added brightness and presentation.

Notes

For extra flavor, use homemade chicken stock if available.
If you don’t have cornstarch, you can substitute with all-purpose flour but make sure to whisk it well.
Rotisserie chicken makes this recipe quick and easy, but leftover cooked chicken can also be used.
Orzo can be substituted with other small pasta like acini di pepe or small ditalini.
The lemon juice should be added gradually to avoid overpowering the soup’s delicate flavors.
This soup stores well refrigerated for up to 3 days and can be reheated gently on the stovetop.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Soup
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Keywords: lemon chicken soup, chicken orzo soup, easy chicken soup, healthy chicken soup, lemon soup, comfort soup, one pot soup