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Anything with the words ‘creamy’, ‘lemon’ or ‘orzo’ in, and I’m sold. So how could a soup with all three of these in, plus CHICKEN, be anything but delicious? And the best thing is, this creamy lemon chicken orzo soup only takes 30 minutes to make!
There are so many cool things about this creamy lemon chicken orzo soup, I’m not sure where to begin. I think what I like most about it is that while it’s a nice chunky soup with plenty of veggie goodness in it (don’t you just hate those soups that you buy from the supermarket that are all watery and have about half a veggie in them?), it’s also ‘light’ enough to throw in a Tupperware and take to work for lunch.
And of course, as I’ve already said (but I’ll say it again just so you get how much I love this soup), it’s got that triple whammy of creamy, lemon and orzo in it to make it extra yummy.
You might be wondering why I didn’t use milk to win a few more points in the ‘healthy’ department? Well, to be honest I did consider it, but I was worried about the lemon juice curdling the milk, which doesn’t happen so easily with cream.
And the thing is, there is really quite a small amount of cream in it – only a third of a cup in the whole pot, which serves at least 4, if not more.
Not that we’re worried about a little cream, of course.
The other little trick I used to make this lovely and lemony (but not overwhelmingly so) was to add just 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, which is equivalent to about the juice of a small lemon. But then I added the zest of the lemon, too. This way there’s no chance of any unpleasant curdling.
What’s orzo, anyway?
The orzo, or risoni – which is sort of rice-shaped pasta, in case you were wondering – is the soup version of the icing on the cake. You only need about ¾ of a cup, less if you like, to make a lovely hearty soup.
And if you can’t find orzo where you live (it’s fairly tricky to find here in the UK, actually!), giant or Israeli couscous would work instead. Or any small pasta shape really.
If you want to go completely wild, why not sub the orzo for gnocchi, or tortellini? Both of these cook quickly, so you could just add them in at the appropriate moment just before the soup’s finished cooking.
Do you cook the orzo before adding it to the soup?
Nope. Add it with the stock and let it simmer for 10 minutes as you would regular pasta. Delicious!
This is definitely going to be a regular in our soup rotation. It’s a perfect winter warmer for this time of year, exciting and filling enough to cheer you up on a dreary mid-winter day, but not so heavy that you don’t have room for dessert! 😉
P.S. like to use a cast iron Dutch oven pot like this one to cook this soup! This pot is great. Just like a Le Creuset cast iron pot, but not as expensive.
And if you like this recipe…
- You might also enjoy this baked Greek chicken orzo. It’s also a perfect quick and easy meal for midweek that the whole family will enjoy!
- How about this 30-minute Greek mac and cheese bake? It has a creamy evaporated milk and egg sauce (no roux and flour) and works great as an easy midweek main dish or side.
- This easy crockpot chicken gnocchi soup is very popular and you can make it either in your slow cooker or pressure cooker.
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Creamy lemon chicken orzo soup (30-minute recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken thighs skinless & boneless, chopped into small pieces and rolled in about 2 tablespoons plain flour
- 1 onion diced
- 2 carrots large, diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1.5 teaspoons Italian herbs dried, or ½ teaspoon each oregano, thyme, basil
- 2 bay leaves (optional)
- 1 parmesan rind (optional)
- 7 cups chicken broth (UK/Australia = stock)
- 0.75 cups orzo pasta dried (or other small pasta)
- 0.33 cups cream
- 2 handfuls spinach chopped
- 1 lemon small (zest & juice), equal to about 3 tablespoons juice
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Pan fry the chicken pieces in a large saucepan or heavy-bottomed casserole dish in a large drizzle of oil for a few minutes until all the pieces have turned white. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add a little more oil to the pan and saute the onion, carrots, and celery together for about 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the garlic and herbs to the pan and stir for a few seconds, then add the bay leaves and parmesan rind (if using), stock, and orzo. Add the chicken back into the pot. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the orzo is cooked.
- Finally, add the cream, spinach, lemon zest and juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir and serve!
Trisha says
We love this recipe. It’s creamy without being heavy and the lemon is great. . Our preference is for thighs over breasts because they have so much more flavor. One key thing: this is NOT a 30 minute recipe. The cook time is closer to 45 and the prep is EASILY the same. It’s worth the time but anyone who is expecting this to be a fast prep meal will be disappointed. I’ve made it twice and each time has been about 1.5 hours total. No one chops and preps all those ingredients in 5 minutes!! Worth the time but plan accordingly.
Helen says
Hi Trisha, and thank you so much for your review. I’m so glad you love this recipe, and thanks also for the honest feedback on the cooking time. I’ll let you into a secret. I made this again recently. We loved it as much as ever but you’re right – it did take longer than 30 minutes to prepare! Maybe if you have a double espresso before starting the prep it’s just about possible to get it on the table in about half an hour, but otherwise it might take longer 😉
Jamie says
We love this soup! So cozy and rich with just the right amount of brightness from the lemon.
I just made a huge batch and I have one question, can this recipe be frozen?
Thanks!
Helen says
Hi Jamie! Oh, soooo great to hear this! THANK YOU so much for letting me know – this sort of feedback makes my day!
And yes, absolutely you can freeze it! Enjoy!
April says
Oh my gosh, that looks and sounds absolutely wonderful. I love lemon in my soup, and I can’t wait to try this!
Helen says
Hi April, thanks for the top rating!
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
You beat me too it! My comment would have gone along the lines of ‘Anything with the words creamy, lemony or pasta in it and I am sold’
Which is so true. I am drawn to everything savour and creamy. Tomato pasta doesn’t make me truely happy, but creamy pasta….now we are talking. Turing it into a soup means better slurpability and the chance to dunk bread in, which is another food love.
Seriously I need this in my kitchen!
Helen says
Great minds think alike, Claire!!
After reading your brunch pasta post, I should have known this post would be up your street!
Hope you try this some day. It’s addictive!
marcie says
I’m a huge fan of lemon in chicken soup, Helen, and orzo is just the best! No worries about adding cream, sometimes there’s just no substitute. This soup looks so creamy and delicious, and I love that it’s ready in 30 minutes!
Helen says
Hello Marcie – so happy that you approve of the soup. Isn’t lemon just the best? Unfortunately Mr. Scrummy isn’t a huge fan, but I still keep on throwing it into loads of recipes, the poor thing!! 🙂
Marissa says
I’m with you! You’ve combined some of my favorite flavors into one gorgeous looking soup. Love that it’s easy enough to make on a weeknight too!
Helen says
Thanks Marissa! 🙂
Shashi at RunninSrilankan says
Helen,you are so spot on – there are so many cool things about this soup and I so love how chunky and thick it is!
Helen says
Thank you, dear Shashi! 🙂
mira says
This soup looks fantastic! Perfect for the cold weather around here! Pinning to try it! Hope you guys are doing well 🙂
Helen says
Thank you so much, Mira. We’re doing OK, thanks. There are some tough moments in these first few weeks, but we’re so happy to have him with us. I hope you’re well too!
Eva says
Que des bons ingrédients! J’adore cette soupe, à faire d’urgence! J’aime beaucoup l’idée que soit un plat unique! x
Helen says
Merci, Eva. C’est si simple, mais si delicieuse!