Description
This lemon chicken orzo soup recipe is light, healthy, and cozy. It uses wholesome everyday ingredients and is sure to become a family favorite!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 sticks celery, chopped finely
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped finely
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1.5 pounds uncooked chicken breasts
- 1 cup uncooked orzo
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, or to taste
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Sauté the celery, carrots, and onions in a large soup pot with the butter and oil over medium-high heat for 5–7 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, then add the flour and cook for another minute or so.
- Pour in the chicken broth and stir until the flour has dissolved, then add the Italian seasoning and chicken. Bring the soup to a boil.
- Cover the soup with the lid slightly open, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir in the orzo and cook for another 10 minutes or until the orzo is cooked through, stirring fairly often so it does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Take the chicken out of the pot and cut it up, then add it back in. Add the lemon juice, parsley, and season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can sub the chicken breasts for chicken thighs if you prefer.
- Chicken is safe to eat at 165F and can go from undercooked to overcooked quickly, so I recommend using an instant read meat thermometer whenever cooking chicken so you’re not guessing.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth if you’re sensitive to salt.
- You may need to add more chicken broth to leftovers as the orzo soaks it up.
- This recipe is also in the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials hardcover.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 345
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 9
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 39
- Cholesterol: 100