Creamy lemon chicken orzo soup. This soup tastes unbeatably delicious, is super easy to make and ready in 30 minutes. Made with hearty ground chicken and tender orzo, simmered in an ultra-creamy broth, layered with garlic and brightened up with lemon juice. It’s rich, yet light-tasting and as comforting as it sounds. Stir in some extra veggies and serve with some crusty bread for a weeknight-friendly meal.
Why You’ll Love this Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
This soup is very straightforward, silky and thick, with a subtle fragrance of dill plus a nice hit of lemon. It’s super comforting and satisfying, but what really seals the deal is that the whole thing is made in one pot and tastes like can’t-stop-eating-delicious. It’s a family friendly and easy meal that feels special, which is what we all deserve now more than ever.
To shortcut a chicken soup recipe, we mostly use rotisserie chicken, which is a convenient hack, but cooked chicken doesn’t absorb flavors very well. However, browning ground chicken in olive oil with garlic, shallot and carrot, creates a deeply complex base. We simmer it with some chicken broth and a handful of tiny pasta. Lemon juice and cream cheese round it out into a tangy, savory soup with lots of aromatic flavor from the dill and chicken.
Add some vegetables like zucchini or spinach for a complete meal that cooks in 30 minutes. As for orzo, you can also use cavatelli or pearl couscous.
To make this creamy, comforting broth, we start by sautéing garlic, shallot and carrot. Then cook the ground chicken until brown and add orzo. Pour in chicken broth and simmer everything together. While the orzo cooks, it releases starch and thickens the soup. At the end of cooking, you have the option to stir in either heavy cream or half-and-half. Skip low-fat or nonfat milk, as they don’t add as much flavor or creaminess. Then add cream cheese, season and stir in some fresh dill. Ready!
Let me guide you through the recipe with this step-by-step VIDEO or follow along on YouTube.
Helpful Tips
- Add vegetables like spinach, kale, broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower, or chickpeas to enhance the nutritional value and flavor of your soup.
- Substitute ground chicken with Italian sausage.
- If you prefer a soup with a thinner broth consistency, consider cooking the orzo separately in another pot and add it directly to individual bowls when serving the soup.
- Make Ahead: For those planning to prepare a large batch of soup in advance, it’s best to hold off on adding the orzo. Incorporate it just before serving to maintain its ideal texture.
- When reheating leftovers, you’ll notice that the orzo absorbs more liquid, resulting in a creamy, risotto-like pasta consistency, which can be quite delightful.
- Experiment with different pasta options like cavatelli or pearl couscous. Keep in mind that you may need to adjust the quantity of broth since these alternatives can absorb more or less liquid compared to orzo.
- Customize the flavor profile by swapping out dill for other herbs like parsley, oregano, or thyme based on your personal preferences.
- If you’re a fan of zesty flavors, consider adding some lemon zest to your soup for an extra burst of citrusy deliciousness.
- Storage: Place the soup in airtight containers and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days to maintain freshness.
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Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 carrot chopped
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 1.1 pounds ground chicken
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 7 ounces orzo
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 5 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ cup cream 20% fat
- 3.5 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
For serving
- fresh dill
- freshly ground black pepper
- red chili flakes
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium. Add garlic, shallot and carrot, cook until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add ground chicken, break it up into crumbles, cook for 5 minutes.
- Stir in salt, black pepper, cumin, coriander and thyme. Add bay leaf and orzo. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, while stirring from time to time to prevent orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- When ready, add lemon juice, cream and cream cheese. Simmer for 5 minutes. Finish off with fresh dill, red pepper flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately, enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
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I didn’t have cream or cream cheese so I used Greek yogurt. I don’t think it was as thick as it should have been but the taste was fantastic!
So glad you enjoyed it Danielle!
Amazing flavor. One of our favorites!
Yay! It makes me so happy to hear that Courtney!