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A steaming bowl of creamy Greek lemon chicken orzo soup garnished with fresh dill and parsley.
Easy Mediterranean Recipes

Best Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Recipe (Greek-Inspired)

This cozy, Greek-inspired Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is naturally creamy, bright, and packed with flavor. Includes Avgolemono variation, meal-prep tips and an easy method to prevent mushy orzo.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 6
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean
Calories: 350
Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

Soup Base
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 2 carrots diced
  • 2 celery stalks diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs (see note)
  • 1 cup orzo pasta
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
Finishing Touches
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice or more to taste
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill chopped

Equipment

  • 1 Large Stockpot or Dutch Oven
  • 1 Cutting board
  • 1 Chef's Knife
  • measuring cups
  • spoons
  • 1 Whisk (for Avgolemono option)
  • 1 Ladle
  • 1 Lemon Juicer/Reamer

Method
 

Prepare Soup
  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Then sauté onion, carrots, and celery for 5-7 minutes until soft. After that, add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  2. Now add chicken broth and chicken to the pot. Then bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. And cook for 15-20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
  3. Lastly, remove chicken, shred and set aside. Then return broth to a rolling boil. Add orzo and cook for precisely 7-8 minutes (until al dente). Finally, remove the pot from heat immediately.
Finish and Serve
  1. Stir in the shredded chicken, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley and dill.
  2. Taste and adjust seasoning. If the soup is too thick, add more warm broth. Finally, Serve immediately or follow Avgolemono instructions (optional).

Notes

Avgolemono (Egg-Lemon) Option:
Whisk 2 egg yolks with 1/4 cup lemon juice. Then, temper by slowly adding 2-3 ladlefuls of hot broth to the egg mixture. Pour the tempered mixture back into the soup off the heat and stir gently. "Do not boil."
Meal Prep/Freezing:
For leftovers, cook the orzo separately. Freeze the soup base (broth/chicken/veggies) without the orzo. Add fresh orzo when reheating.