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    Home » Recipes » Soup

    Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

    Published by Melissa on January 15, 2022 | Updated June 10, 2022 | Leave a Comment

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    This creamy 30-minute Lemon Chicken Orzo soup is made with rotisserie chicken, spinach and Italian herbs for a super fast, creamy soup that’s hearty, comforting and family-friendly. 

    Lemon chicken orzo soup in a bowl

    ❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe: This soup comes together in no time, thanks to pre-cooked rotisserie chicken. It’s a great way to use up leftovers and is full of rich, cheesy flavor. 

    pinterest button for lemon chicken orzo soup

    How to Make Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

    I like to make this soup in a heavy-duty enameled dutch oven or cast iron dutch oven. However, any large pot will work!

    The great thing about this soup is that it’s very flexible. Here are some simple substitutions to try if you don’t have all of the ingredients:

    • Use pecorino romano or even cheddar instead of parmesan
    • Sub the shallot for a half of an onion, diced
    • You can use vegetable broth instead of chicken
    • Use kale or another green veggie instead of spinach
    ingredients for orzo soup with chicken and spinach

    Using Raw Chicken

    No rotisserie or pre-cooked chicken? No problem, to use fresh chicken, simply cut it into bite-sized pieces. Then simmer the chicken in step 2 until it’s cooked through.

    You can also use frozen chicken breasts and quickly thaw them using this how to pressure cook frozen chicken guide. 

    collage of cooking aromatics for chicken orzo soup

    Lighter Creamy Orzo Soup

    If you want to lighten this recipe up a little, simply reduce the amount of parmesan cheese by half, and omit the cream cheese. 

    You also don’t need to add the butter at the end.  However, I don’t recommend omitting all of the cheese and cream, because then it wouldn’t be *creamy*.

    Adding Extra Vegetables

    You certainly can boost the veggies in this orzo soup! Try adding sliced mushrooms, potatoes, or squash. 

    Just dice whatever vegetables you have, add them into the dutch oven when sauteeing the carrots, shallot, and celery, and continue to follow the recipe as written.

    adding orzo and chicken to soup in a pot

    Thicker Chicken Orzo Soup

    If you’re eating soup with a slice of bread or baguette, you might like thick, dip-like soup!

    To thicken up this soup, add 4 cups of broth instead of 5. 

    adding cream cheese and lemon to orzo soup with chicken

    Storage Suggestions

    To save leftovers, let the soup cool, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days.

    You can reheat the soup in a pot on the stove over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes. 

    collage of finishing lemon chicken orzo soup with butter and cream

    Freezing Leftover Chicken Soup

    This soup freezes great. It’s perfect as a make-ahead dinner. To freeze, place the soup into individual, freezer-safe containers. Leave about ½ inch of space at the top for expansion, then freeze for up to three months.  

    To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat over the stove in a pot for 5-10 minutes.

    bowls of lemon chicken orzo soup

    More Easy Chicken Soup Recipes

    If you’re on a soup kick this winter, try these other popular recipes next:

    • Easy Lemon Chicken and Rice Soup has a refreshing citrusy flavor and a thick, creamy texture. 
    • The BEST Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup from Pressure Cooking Today is a super fast and warming veggie-packed soup.
    • Spicy Chicken Soup has a delicious kick to it and juicy pieces of chicken. 
    Lemon chicken orzo soup in a bowl
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    5 from 1 vote

    Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

    Creamy, delicious, comforting, perfect-for-fall chicken orzo soup will be your new go-to! This soup is filled with soft chicken, chopped spinach, and perfectly cooked orzo swimming in a creamy, cheesy broth brightened up with lemon!  Ready in just 30 minutes!
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time25 mins
    Total Time30 mins
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 5 Servings
    Calories: 418kcal
    Author: Barbara Bakes LLC
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    Equipment

    • OXO Good Grips Utility Cutting Board
    • Victorinox Firbox Pro Chef’s Knife, 7.5 Inch, Black
    • IMUSA USA Heavy Duty Cajun Oval Cast Aluminum Roaster 18″, Silver

    Ingredients

    • 4 tbsp butter or olive oil
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 2 carrots diced
    • 2 ribs celery diced
    • ½ shallot minced
    • ½ tsp Italian seasoning dry
    • ½ tsp oregano dry
    • ½ tsp thyme dry
    • 5 cups chicken broth
    • 1 ½ cups prepared rotisserie chicken shredded
    • 1 cup orzo
    • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice ½ lemon
    • 2 tbsp cream cheese
    • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
    • ¼ cup heavy cream
    • 2 cups spinach chopped
    • Salt + pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • In a large pot or dutch oven, add 2 tbsp butter (reserve the other 2 tbsp), minced garlic, diced carrots, diced celery, and minced shallot over medium heat.  Add the spices and saute for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked throughout. 
    • Add the broth, shredded chicken, and orzo.  Bring to a simmer for 3 minutes, then turn the heat down to low.   Add the lemon juice (about ½ of a squeezed lemon), cream cheese, and grated parmesan.  Stir until the cheese is melted. This will take about 5-10 minutes.
    • Turn off the heat and add the heavy cream, chopped spinach, and remaining 2 tbsp butter.  Stir, salt and pepper (you probably won’t need much salt if any, as the parmesan gives it a saltier flavor) to taste, serve immediately.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 418kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 1626mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g
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    About Melissa & Barbara

    As of June 2022 Melissa Griffiths now is the one adding recipes. So think of it as Barbara Bakes, and Melissa too! Melissa and Barbara have been blogging friends for over 10 years and when Barbara was ready to retire and spend more time with her family, Melissa took over the site. Read more...

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