Description
This Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is a comforting and vibrant dish featuring tender shredded chicken thighs, aromatic herbs, fresh vegetables, and bright lemon juice, all simmered with orzo pasta in a flavorful chicken broth for a nourishing meal perfect for any season.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Aromatics
- 1 lb chicken thighs
- 1–2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup white wine or white wine vinegar
- 2 carrots, quartered and diced
- 2 celery ribs, halved and diced
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon fresh sage, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Soup Base and Finishing Touches
- 1 cup orzo
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (more as desired)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, roughly chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Pat chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and season both sides generously with salt and black pepper. Heat olive oil in a dutch oven or large stew pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cover with a lid. Cook for 5-7 minutes until golden brown on the bottom, then remove the lid and flip the chicken thighs. Cook covered for another 5-7 minutes until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature 165˚F). Remove chicken to a bowl, shred with two forks, and set aside.
- Deglaze the Pan: Drain any excess fat from the pan and return it to heat. Pour half of the white wine or vinegar into the pan, scraping the browned bits off the bottom to deglaze while keeping them in the pan for flavor.
- Sauté Vegetables: If needed, add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery, sautéing over medium-high heat until softened, about 7 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant.
- Second Deglaze: Pour in the remaining white wine or vinegar, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan to deepen the flavor.
- Add Soup Ingredients: Stir in shredded chicken, orzo, chicken broth, fresh thyme, rosemary, and sage. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 10-15 minutes until orzo is tender.
- Finish with Greens and Lemon: Remove the lid, stir in fresh baby spinach and lemon juice, allowing the spinach to wilt for 1-2 minutes while simmering gently.
- Season and Garnish: Remove the pot from heat. Adjust salt, pepper, and lemon juice to your taste. Garnish with roughly chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately for best freshness and flavor.
Notes
- You can substitute chicken breasts if preferred; adjust cooking time accordingly to avoid drying out.
- For a gluten-free version, replace orzo with gluten-free pasta or rice.
- Adjust lemon juice to your taste for more brightness or mildness.
- Leftover soup can be refrigerated up to 3 days; orzo may absorb broth, so add extra broth or water when reheating.
- White wine can be omitted or replaced with extra chicken broth or white wine vinegar for different flavor profiles.
- The soup can be blended slightly for a creamier texture, if desired.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmering, Sautéing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: lemon chicken soup, orzo soup, chicken thigh soup, Mediterranean chicken soup, lemon orzo chicken soup, healthy chicken soup, easy chicken soup
