Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
This creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup recipe is flavorful, hearty, and tastes so fresh! It's packed with veggies and protein and one of our favorite healthy soup recipes.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 399kcal
Cost: 14
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons butter (20 grams)
- 1 ½ Tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ cup onion , diced, (about 1 small onion)
- 1 cup carrots , diced, (about 2 medium carrots)
- 1 cup celery , diced, (about 2 ribs)
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth 2 liters
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (680 grams)
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon paste
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta (200 grams)
- 1 lemon , juice and zest
- 1/3 cup heavy cream* slightly warmed (80ml)
- salt and pepper , to taste
- ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley , Italian (15 grams)
Instructions
- Sauté Veggies: Heat oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Once melted, add onions, carrots, and celery then sauté for several minutes, until softened. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add chicken, Italian seasoning, thyme, rosemary, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes (or until chicken reaches 160 degrees F).
- Chop chicken: Remove chicken to a plate, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest before chopping in pieces.
- Stir in orzo and cook for 8 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
- Finish soup: Reduce heat to low and stir in lemon juice, zest, cream, parsley, and season generously with salt and pepper. Return the chicken to the pot. Taste the soup and add additional seasonings or bouillon if needed.
Notes
Serving Size: about 1 1/2 cups
Cream: could substitute a few Tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt, instead of heavy cream.
Make Ahead Instructions: chop the vegetables beforehand and keep in an airtight container in the fridge to make the prep of orzo soup go quicker.
To Freeze: I recommend freezing the lemon chicken soup base, just before adding the orzo (so the noodles don't taste mushy when reheated). Transfer soup base to a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, reheat on the stove and add orzo, cooking until tender. Stir in lemon juice, zest, cream, parsley, and season generously with salt and pepper
Nutrition
Calories: 399kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 444mg | Potassium: 930mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4171IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2mg
Recipe Link
