A spin off the traditional Greek egg-lemon soup, this lemon chicken orzo soup comes together in under 20 minutes and is great for prepping ahead. Leftovers make a great lunch!
Soup season lasts year round at my house. It doesn’t matter if it’s freezing outside in the middle of winter or hot in the heat of summer, soup is on the menu. And there is nothing more comforting than a bowl of chicken soup. Warm, creamy broth that makes you feel full, but not bloated. Simple ingredients that cook up into a delicious meal quickly. That’s what my Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is all about.
Ingredients
- Chicken broth: Low-sodium chicken broth is still super flavorful and a great broth for any soup.
- Orzo: Also known as risoni, it’s a short cut pasta that resembles a grain of rice.
- Cornstarch: Pretty much tasteless, it helps to thicken the soup as well as helps the eggs to blend without curdling.
- Lemon juice: Zesty, bright flavor that brings freshness to your bowl.
- Eggs: Thickens the broth and adds a creamy consistency and added protein.
- Chicken breast: Low in fat and high in protein, chicken is affordable, moist, and delicious in this comfort soup. You could also use chicken thighs.
How to Make Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Start your soup by bringing the chicken broth to a boil; remove about 1 cup of hot broth and set aside. Add the orzo, and season with salt and pepper. Let it simmer for 15 minutes until pasta is tender.
While pasta simmers, start your cornstarch slurry. Add the cornstarch slowly to the hot broth you have set aside, and whisk until fully incorporated.
Next, slowly whisk in the lemon juice to the slurry.
Finish the slurry by slowly whisking in the egg to the hot broth mixture, allowing the eggs to slowly raise in temperature so they don’t scramble or curdle.
Slowly add your egg/broth mixture back into the large pot with the orzo, and stir until soup thickens.
Add the shredded or cubed chicken to the pot. To make this dish even easier, I’ll use leftover rotisserie chicken!
Stir together until chicken is warmed through, and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
Serve warm and garnish with green onion or parsley, and enjoy your Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup!
Easy Substitutions
- Make it gluten free. Switch the orzo out for rice to make the soup gluten free.
- Add more veggies. You could add celery, carrots, onions, or potatoes to this soup.
- Make it vegetarian. While removing the egg and making this dish vegan drastically changes the flavor, you can swap the chicken out for tofu or seitan.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What does adding lemon to soup do?
Lemon brightens up whatever it is added to, and it also balances out the salty flavors!
Is orzo healthier than rice?
Orzo pasta is typically higher in protein and carbs than rice, so depending on what you’re looking for, it could be!
How does this differ from traditional Greek egg-lemon soup?
My recipe is simplified, using fewer ingredients and fewer eggs.
More Soups to Love
- Stuffed Pepper Soup with Beef and Rice
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Lebanese Lentil Soup with Greens
- Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup
- Lightened Seafood Chowder
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Whether you need a simple dinner with little prep time, or a delicious lunch made in advance, this Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is perfect.
Your spoon is waiting.
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup orzo (uncooked)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 large eggs (whisked)
- 8 ounces shredded cooked chicken breast (such as rotisserie)
- 1 bundle green onions (optional garnish)
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, bring chicken broth to a boil. Add orzo, salt and pepper and simmer until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes.
- Remove one cup of the broth from the pot and pour into a medium bowl. Add corn starch and whisk until dissolved. Pour in lemon juice and whisk once more.
- To temper the eggs, slowly add the whisked eggs to the broth/cornstarch/lemon juice mixture. Whisk constantly so that the eggs gradually come to temperature. Continue until all of the eggs are fully incorporated.
- Pour the warmed egg/broth mixture back into the large soup pot and stir until mixture begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Add shredded chicken breasts and cook until heated through. Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Serve warm.
The best recipe for this iconic Greek soup that I have ever had or made. It freezes well – doesn’t separate.
This soup is delicious and I’ll be making this again and again this fall and winter!