This post is brought to you from my couch, located at the intersection of I Feel Like Crap and Please Make Me Tea.
If there ever was a time for Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, friends, it’s this week. Last week I graduated from yoga teacher training, taught my first class (eep!), and headed off for a quick getaway for my sweetie’s birthday. It was all wonderful and lovely and happy-making. And then, practically the minute we got home, a seriously nasty virus tackled me hard. Has that ever happened to you? You power through all the important things you have to do, and then vacation time rolls around, and … boom. Down you go. Adrenaline crashes, and illness pounces.
Luckily, I’d recently made a fresh batch of chicken stock, so I wasted no time assembling a pot of this Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup. It’s the most comforting of all my go-to soup recipes. Even when you don’t have much of an appetite, this really hits the spot. Savory with herbs, bright with lemon, and creamy (without a drop of dairy)? Yes, please. It’s the culinary equivalent of a soft, cozy blanket.
This is a simple version of classic Greek avgolemono soup, featuring the savory-tart combination of chicken, lemon, and thyme. Including prepping your veggies and chicken, you can be serving up hot bowlfuls in less than an hour. And it checks the boxes for some major comfort foods: veggies, steaming hot broth, and pasta (or rice, if you want to make it GF).
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup’s lush texture comes not from cream, but from a genius mixture of egg and lemon, which is tempered with a little warm broth (so the eggs don’t scramble) before being whisked into the pot. Just make sure you don’t let it boil after adding the egg mixture.
I am compelled to note that obviously, you need not be at death’s door to enjoy this soup. It’s a perfectly dreamy weeknight dinner to whip up for your family, served with a loaf of crusty french bread. And maybe a simple salad of butter lettuce, avocado, and tomato. Ooh, and maybe some peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies for dessert?
I’m starting to feel better already.
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Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
Welcome to your favorite new weeknight chicken soup. Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is perfectly tart, savory, and creamy – and comes together in minutes for a cold-busting mug full of comfort.
Ingredients
1 TB olive oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 tsp salt
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup (about 3 stalks) celery, diced
1/2 cup (2–3 medium) carrots, diced
2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade, divided
1/4 cup uncooked orzo
1 large egg
3 TBS fresh lemon juice
zest from one lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a dutch oven or soup pot. When oil shimmers, add chicken and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt. Cook, allowing chicken to brown, until cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer chicken to a separate dish and set aside.
In the same pot, add onion, celery, carrot, and thyme. Cook over medium heat until vegetables begin to soften, 5-10 minutes. Add 5 cups of chicken stock, reserving one cup. Bring the soup to a boil, add the orzo, and cook until orzo is al dente, about 10 minutes. Add reserved chicken and turn the heat down to low.
In a separate small pan, heat the reserved cup of stock until steaming (not boiling). In a small bowl, beat the egg, then mix in lemon juice and zest. Slowly pour in the hot stock, stirring constantly, then whisk the egg-stock mixture into the soup. Return the soup to low-med heat until soup is heated through and thickened slightly (do no allow the soup to boil or you’ll risk scrambling the eggs). Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve hot in bowls, garnishing with thyme sprigs if desired.
Notes
… Dice chicken breasts while they’re partially frozen – it makes them much easier to cut.
… You can make this recipe gluten-free by substituting an equal amount of cooked rice for the orzo (just don’t cook it quite as long)
Well, I must say, you’ve knocked this one outta the park! Sick or no sick, it’s impressive! A+ for effort A +++ for damn, fine looking soup! Rest up, be well!❤️
So excited to try this one. I’m currently visiting my mom, who has a Greek restaurant just down the street. Their traditional lemon chicken soup is TDF. Never thought of making my own…til now! I’ll be back to comment once I’ve made this.
Can’t wait to hear what you think!