My Light Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is simply delicious. Utilizing fresh, nutrient-dense ingredients this soup is something you can feel good about fueling yourself with–and your family! Perfect for a chilly day, tender shredded chicken breast combines with orzo in a lemony broth that is so good you should expect to add this to your winter soup rotation. Even better? This recipe is “lightened-up” and will keep you from having to reach for those sodium-packed canned soups. Get your favorite show ready to watch on the TV or a good book, and curl up under the covers with my Light Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup. Is there anything better?
What you need to make my Light Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
- Light butter
- Olive oil
- Carrots
- Celery
- Onion
- Garlic
- All purpose flour
- Dried oregano
- Kosher salt
- Fresh cracked pepper
- Chicken stock
- Lemon
- Chicken breast
- Orzo
- Fresh dill (optional)
How to make this Light Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
To start, melt the butter and olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Follow by adding the carrots, celery and onion and cook until tender. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the oregano and kosher salt and toss to combine. Now, sprinkle the flour in the pot, and incorporate it into the vegetables.
Cook for 1 minute, and then add the chicken broth and juice of the lemon. Raise the heat and bring the liquid to a boil, and then add the chicken breast. Cover the lid and reduce the heat to simmer, and cook the chicken for 15 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the pot and cut into pieces (or shred). Add the cooked chicken back to the pot, along with the uncooked orzo. cook the soup uncovered for 20 minutes until the pasta is cooked and consistency of the soup is to your liking. Garnish with fresh dill, if desired. Taste for seasoning.
Soups–from someone who is not a soup person!
I admit that I am normally not the biggest soup fan. The only soups I really enjoy are those that have lots of texture to them. I’ve worked hard to make sure my soup recipes feel decadent and satisfying. For example, this soup could easily serve as a main course because of all of the protein you are getting from the addition of chicken. However, soups also pair beautifully with a crisp salad for a light lunch, or a grilled cheese or sandwich for a filling dinner. Either way, you can’t go wrong.
If you’re like me and boring soups aren’t your thing, try one of my filling and flavorful soup recipes below:
- Lightened-Up Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Healthy Italian Wedding Soup
- Tortellini Soup with Chicken Sausage and Spinach
- Creamy Potato Leek Soup
- Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Corn Soup

Light Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup
Equipment
- dutch oven or soup pot
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp light butter, used: Land o Lakes Light Butter with Canola Oil
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1.5 lbs chicken breast, raw
- 4 oz orzo, dry, uncooked
- fresh dill, optional
Instructions
- Melt the butter and olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the carrots, celery and onion and cook until tender.
- Then, add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute
- Add the oregano and kosher salt and toss to combine. sprinkle the flour in the pot, and incorporate it into the vegetables. Cook for 1 minute, and then add the chicken broth and juice of the lemon.
- Raise the heat and bring the liquid to a boil, and then add the chicken breast. Cover the lid and reduce the heat to simmer, and cook the chicken for 15 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and cut into pieces (or shred).
- Add the cooked chicken back to the pot, along with the uncooked orzo.
- Cook the soup uncovered for 20 minutes until the pasta is cooked and consistency of the soup is to your liking.
- Garnish with fresh dill, if desired. Taste for seasoning. Add more lemon juice for more of a lemon flavor.
this has the heartiness and comfort of chicken noodle soup, with the best spin on flavor! can definitely see this being made again!
This looks delicious! Is the 4 oz of Orzo by weight or by volume? Thanks!
Comfort soup at it’s finest!!
This was so delicious and comforting!! I whisked one cup of the broth with three egg yolks at the end and then added them back into the soup (like my Greek mother taught me) and it made it even creamier. Already know I’ll make this a few more times throughout the rest of the winter 🙂
My husband and I have Covid and this soup is just what the doctor ordered!
It really is delicious…
Do you think this could be done in a crockpot and if so, what modifications would I need to do?
Thank you.
Delicious!! I added extra lemon to mine. Loved it!
I think this soup is wonderful!! The only thing I might add more of is lemon.
Can I use rotisserie chicken instead? Would it taste the same and would it change the cooking time?
Absolutely delicious! It’s like a warm hug for your tummy.
I made this yesterday for dinner and it was very good. Based on other reviews, I included the juice of two lemons, and next time I would use 3 or 4. The lemon flavor was too subtle for me – but the soup was still delicious.
I was going to be out of the house in the late afternoon, so I prepared to soup on the stovetop up until adding the Orzo – and then transferred to my crock pot. I added the Orzo when I got home, and let it cook for about 15 minutes and the texture was good.
Thanks for another tasty recipe!
Made this recipe twice already. Followed it exactly and came out delicious!!
Had most of the ingredients on hand and wow so easy and flavorful soup!
This was so delicious! Even my picky kids enjoyed it 🙂 thank you!
This soup is a winner! I added 1/4 tsp. dry dill. It made for a very hearty main course. We absolutely loved it! I will be making this over and over.
This is a recipe that will be on repeat, especially through the winter months!
Absolutely delicious!
I loved this! I added more pepper and lemon for my taste! I also used chicken thigh and homemade chicken stock!
Delicious hearty soup that the whole family loved! I am not a fan of lemon so I was a little worried how this soup would be, but you couldn’t really even taste lemon. The lemon just added flavor and made the soup unique. Definitely will be making this over and over again! Even my kids asked for seconds.
So delicious. My entire family enjoyed it- even my picky children. Easy to make and comes Together quick!