Chicken Orzo Soup

Brimming with lemon flavor and a hint of fresh ginger, our Chicken Orzo Soup is easy to make and will be on your table in just 30 minutes.

Chicken Orzo Soup

There’s nothing quite like a bowl of chicken soup to warm the soul. Add in the bright flavor of lemon, notes of fresh ginger and tender orzo pasta, and every spoonful will be a taste of heaven.

Our homemade chicken and orzo soup recipe is a bowl full of comfort food.

And it’s so easy to make our lemon orzo soup on your stovetop. Simply saute the vegetables and seasonings until they just begin to soften.

Then add in the broth and once it comes to a boil, stir in uncooked orzo pasta and shredded cooked chicken. Now let that cook until the pasta is al dente.

The finishing touches are bright notes of lemon juice and fresh parsley.

Homemade soup is one of the easiest things to make from scratch and really doesn’t take much time at all. Here at Swirls we have lots of easy homemade soup recipes for you to try!

This orzo soup is definitely one of my favorites with it’s vibrant citrus flavor and tender pasta. Enjoy!

Be sure to give our escarole soup a try too. You'll love the unexpected dollop of pesto!

And if you love a creamy soup then you will also want to check out our Homemade Chicken and Dumplings Recipe too!

Swirls of Flavor Recipe Tips

• Stir in cooked white rice in place of the orzo
• No fresh ginger, you can just leave it out and this soup will still taste delicious!
• Substitute dried oregano or dried marjoram for the Italian seasoning
• Stir in baby spinach
• Make this soup vegetarian, omit the shredded chicken and make with vegetable broth

How to make chicken orzo soup

Scroll down for the full recipe instructions and ingredient amounts in the recipe card below

1. Cook vegetables and seasonings in oil until just tender.
2. Add broth and bring mixture to a boil
3. Add shredded chicken and uncooked orzo
4. Cook until orzo is al dente
5. Stir in lemon juice and parsley

Orzo Soup FAQ’s

What is orzo soup made of?

A typical orzo soup is made of chicken, orzo, onions, celery, carrots and broth. You can also add in garlic and seasonings.

Is orzo a pasta or rice?

Orzo is a short cut pasta that is shaped like a large grain of rice. It is traditionally made from white flour but can also be made with whole grain.

Can you freeze orzo soup?

Yes, you can freeze orzo soup although the texture of the orzo may change slightly.

Homemade Chicken Soup Recipes

• Creamy Chicken Soup
• Avocado Lime Chicken Soup
• Hearty Chipotle Chicken Soup from Bowl Me Over
• Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup from Grumpy's Honeybunch

Ingredients for orzo soup

• olive oil – to saute the vegetables in
• onion – for savory notes
• carrots – for sweet notes
• celery – gives a depth of flavor
• fresh ginger – an added surprise flavor
• garlic – lends a bit of savory
• dried Italian seasoning – for a Mediterranean touch
• chicken broth – the base of the soup
• cooked chicken – provides protein
• orzo – tender pasta gives lots of body to the soup
• lemon juice – adds a bright citrus flavor
• parsley – fresh herb notes

Easy Orzo Recipes

Blueberry Peach Orzo

Blueberry Peach Orzo is filled with lime-kissed orzo pasta is studded with fresh juicy peaches and succulent blueberries. Tender peppery arugula leaves offset the fruity sweetness creating a perfect balance of flavors. 

Check out this recipe

Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad

Our Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad combines an array of vegetable colors and flavors with pasta and alemony vinaigrette. This orzo pasta recipe with roasted vegetables and creamy feta cheese makes the perfect side dish on your dinner menu.

Check out this recipe

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5 from 5 votes

Chicken Orzo Soup

Our homemade Chicken Orzo Soup is a bowl full of comfort food. Brimming with lemon flavor and a hint of fresh ginger, our chicken and orzo soup recipe is easy to make and will be on your table in just 30 minutes.

Course Soup

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword chicken orzo soup, how to make orzo soup, orzo soup

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 243kcal

Author Gwynn Galvin

Ingredients

• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• ½ cup chopped celery
• 2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic , minced
• 1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup shredded cooked chicken
• 2/3 cup uncooked orzo pasta
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• 3 Tbs. lemon juice

Instructions

• Heat oil in saucepot over medium-high heat.
• Cook onion, carrots, celery, ginger, garlic and Italian seasoning until vegetables are tender crisp, 5-7 minutes.
• Add broth and bring to a boil.
• Stir in chicken and uncooked pasta and cook, uncovered, until pasta is al dente, about 9 minutes.
• Stir in parsley and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired.

Notes

Makes 6 cups/4 servings

Swirls of Flavor Recipe Tips

• Replace the italian seasoning with dried oregano or dried marjoram 
• Stir in your favorite baby greens

Nutrition

Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 1355mg | Potassium: 680mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5762IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 2mg