Easy One Pot Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

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Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is one of those beautiful comfort foods, one-pot meals that doesn’t get the love as much as plain ol’ chicken noodle soup…and that’s too bad. It’s naturally low fat, healthy and bright, fresh tasty bowl of goodness that is tasty and satisfying all seasons of the year.

With its lemony broth and garden-fresh herbs and veggies of rosemary, thyme, dill, garlic, and spinach. You know you’ll serving a bowl of healthy, nutrient packed yumminess to you’re family and friends.

LEMON CHICKEN ORZO DIETARY OPTIONS

Gluten Free

The pea sized orzo pasta could easily be swapped out for white or brown rice to make this comfort dish gluten free.

Vegetarian

Of course you’d eliminate the chicken. I think good substitutes would be tofu, white beans, some kind of meat substitute you get in the frozen section like vegan meatballs or chicken. What ever you sub with, the lemony broth is going to make all the above delicious. The broth needs to be changed out as well with veggie broth.

Pescetarian

Pescetarians, seafood only, would sub any kind of fish…which any fish is delish with lemon.

Meat Lovers

You don’t have to use just chicken! Turkey, beef or chicken meatballs would be awesome in this soup! Pick up a bag of frozen and make it really easy on yourself.

LEMON CHICKEN ORZO SOUP INSTRUCTIONS

• Boneless, Skinless Chicken, Thighs, Breasts, both or store bought Rotisserie Chicken (de-bone chicken if store bought rotisserie)
• Chicken Broth
• Rosemary Sprigs
• Onion, Carrots, Garlic (of course), Spinach
• Seasonings…Garlic-Herb, Italian Seasonings, Salt and Pepper
• Orzo Pasta
• Oil
• Parmesan Cheese
• Lemons
• Fresh Dill

EASY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Making this delicious soup is really easy, the hardest part is cutting up the veggies!

1. Sprinkle the boneless skinless chicken, thighs or breasts of both, with garlic and herb seasoning and spray with spray oil.
2. Spray dutch oven with spray oil, add 1 tsp of olive oil and heat up.
3. Add fresh rosemary twigs and chicken to pan and cook until chicken is opaque and lightly brown on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside.
4. Add chopped up veggies to the pan and spray with oil. Saute until veggies are just starting to soften.
5. Add chicken back in to pan. Add Italian herbs, salt and pepper, broth and cut up lemon.
6. Simmer for at least 30 minutes or until chicken breaks apart easily.
7. Remove chicken, rosemary twigs, and lemons…squeezing out lemon juice back into broth. Set chicken aside and cut up when cooled.
8. Bring broth back to a slow boil and add Orzo pasta. Turn heat down to a simmering low boil. Cook Orzo for about 6 minutes.
9. Add cut up chicken back in along with fresh spinach. Stir until spinach is wilted.
10. Turn heat off, taste for additional seasoning, and add more lemon if desired.
11. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
12. Enjoy!!!

COOKS SUGGESTIONS

I’m more or less an old fashioned cook and haven’t experimented with the instant pot yet but I am sure this soup is easily adapted to it.

For the Crock Pot you would need to follow steps 1-3, then add the veggies, seasonings and broth into to slow cooker. I would cook this on low for 4-5 hours.

Add orzo and turn heat up to high for about 30 minutes until the pasta is done. Turn off the cooker then add the spinach and let it set for 30 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Add lemon and extra seasonings to taste. Serve in bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

YUMMY SOUP TOPPINGS

Crispy and moist Cast Iron Easy Cornbread would be perfect with this soup!

Croutons or crackers would of course be delish in this soup.

Sunflower Seeds

Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas

Cheesy Herbed English Muffins would be so good.

Bacon Bits (they’re good on anything…right?)

Cheese Crisps, OMG those would be good!

KITCHEN HELPERS

Dutch Oven

Good Sharp Knife

Cutting Board

MORE COMFORT SOUPS

This beautiful soup is perfect for a cool spring or fall night but if you’re looking for something a little more hardy try these👇

Southern Chicken, Sausage, Shrimp Gumbo

Spicy Crockpot Mexican Chicken Soup

Cauliflower Shrimp Bisque

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Savory Drip Beef

The Best Ham and Bean Soup ever!!!

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Elise

Beautiful, bright, low fat and simply delicious soup.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Calories

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1.5 pounds Boneless, Skinless Chicken, Thighs, Breasts, both or store bought Rotisserie Chicken
  
  de-bone if store bought rotisserie
• Spray Oil
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 32 oz Chicken Broth
• 4 5 inch Rosemary Sprigs
• 1 Onion cut up
• 3 Carrots peeled and cut up
• 5 cloves Garlic skinned and cut up
• 2-3 handfuls Spinach
• 1 tbsp Garlic-Herb more to taste
• 2 tsp Italian Seasonings more to taste
• 2 tsp Salt and Pepper more to taste
• 1¼ cup Orzo Pasta more or less to desired
• 2 Lemons, divided
• Fresh Dill snipped to taste
• Parmesan Cheese sprinkled to taste

Instructions

 

• Sprinkle the boneless skinless chicken, thighs or breasts of both, with garlic and herb seasoning and spray with spray oil.
  
• Spray dutch oven with spray oil, add 1 tsp of olive oil and heat up.
• Add fresh rosemary twigs and chicken to pan and cook until chicken is opaque and lightly brown on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside.
• Add chopped up veggies to the pan and spray with oil. Saute until veggies are just starting to soften.
• Add chicken back in to pan. Add Italian herbs, salt and pepper, broth and 1 cut up lemon.
• Simmer for at least 30 minutes or until chicken breaks apart easily.Remove chicken, rosemary twigs, and lemons…squeezing out lemon juice back into broth.
• Set chicken aside and cut up when cooled.
• Bring broth back to a slow boil and add Orzo pasta. Turn heat down to a simmering low boil. Cook Orzo for about 6 minutes.
• Add cut up chicken back in along with fresh spinach. Stir until spinach is wilted.
• Turn heat off, taste for additional seasoning, and add more lemon if desired. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!!!
  

Keyword chicken, lemon, orzo, rosemary, spinach

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