Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
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If you’re craving something cozy but not too heavy, this lemon chicken orzo soup delivers—creamy, comforting, and bright with lemon.
If you’re in the mood for something cozy that still feels light, this lemon chicken orzo soup hits the mark. It’s loaded with tender chicken, hearty veggies, and orzo, plus dill and plenty of lemon to brighten it up. A splash of cream adds just enough richness without making it heavy.
For a complete meal, serve it with my easy artisan bread or dinner rolls. It’s the kind of cozy-but-fresh soup you’ll want to make on repeat—especially this time of year.
What You’ll Need To Make Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
- Chicken (bone-in, skin-on breasts and/or thighs) – Adds rich flavor to the broth and makes the soup hearty and satisfying; thighs are more tender and forgiving, but either works.
- Vegetable oil & butter – For searing and sautéing; the combo adds flavor and helps prevent burning.
- Onion, carrots, celery & garlic – The classic soup base that builds depth and savory flavor.
- All-purpose flour – Lightly thickens the broth.
- Chicken broth – The backbone of the soup, adding depth as it simmers.
- Orzo – Makes the soup hearty and satisfying; cook just until tender.
- Heavy cream – Adds a bit of richness and gives the broth its creamy finish.
- Lemon zest & fresh lemon juice – Brighten everything up and balance the richness.
- Herbs – Bay leaf adds depth as the soup simmers, while dill adds a fresh, bright finish.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Season the chicken. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Sear the chicken. In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering, then add the chicken skin-side down and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. (Don’t discard the flavorful fat in the pot.)
Step 2: Cook the veggies. Melt the butter into the chicken fat in the pot, then add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook until they start to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds, then sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for about 1 minute until lightly golden.
Pro Tip: Keep the garlic moving and cook it just until fragrant. If it turns brown, it becomes bitter and can overpower the delicate flavors of the lemon and dill in the soup.
Step 3: Simmer the soup. Add the broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom, then add the bay leaf and return the chicken and its juices to the pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes for breasts or 20 minutes for thighs.
Pro Tip: Maintain a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil once you return the chicken to the pot. This slower cooking method ensures the meat stays tender and juicy.
Step 4: Shred the chicken. Use tongs to transfer the chicken to a cutting board, then discard the skin and bones and shred the meat into bite-size pieces.
Step 5: Cook the orzo. Bring the soup back to a gentle boil and add the orzo. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until the pasta is al dente (check the package for timing).
Step 6: Finish the soup. Stir in the cream, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, and the shredded chicken, and simmer until warmed through. Discard the bay leaf, then stir in the lemon zest and dill and adjust the salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.
Step 7: Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve. The soup can be made up to adding the orzo and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Pro Tip: The orzo will continue to absorb liquid as the soup sits. If you have leftovers, you may need to add a splash of broth or water when reheating to bring it back to a soup-like consistency.
Lemon Chicken ORzo Soup Video Tutorial
More Chicken Soup Recipes You’ll Love
Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 1¾ lb bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts and/or thighs, trimmed of excess skin or fat
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, cut into ½-in (13-mm) pieces
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-in (13-mm) pieces
- 2 celery ribs, cut into ½-in (13-mm) pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 qts (8 cups) chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1¼ cups orzo
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon
- 1½ tablespoons chopped fresh dill (or 1½ teaspoons dried)
Instructions
- Season the chicken all over with the salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken, skin-side down, and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside (don’t discard the flavorful fat in the pot).
- Add the butter to the pan and let it melt into the chicken fat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they just start to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Do not brown. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly golden and no dry bits of flour remain, about 1 minute.
- Add the broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the bay leaf and return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through—about 15 minutes for breasts and 20 minutes for thighs.
- Use tongs to transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Discard the skin and bones, then shred the meat into bite-size pieces.
- Bring the soup back to a gentle boil and add the orzo. Cook, uncovered, stirring frequently so it doesn’t stick, until al dente (check the package for timing). Stir in the cream, the lemon juice, and shredded chicken, and simmer a few minutes more until everything is warmed through. Fish out and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the lemon zest and dill, then taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, and lemon juice if needed.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I threw this together in under an hour for dinner tonight. So delicious! Creamy, savory, and the lemon zest and fresh lemon juice give it a subtle tanginess. I love dinner options with lean protein and vegetables. I will be making this again!
I made this as written but used boneless thighs. Amazing flavor even on day one (my husband jokes we have to wait until day two to eat soup so flavor is better!) This will go in my soup rotation along with your vegetable pesto soup. Thanks, Jenn 😋
Really delicious soup. Made it according to recipe directions, and it was superb. Will definitely be making it again.
Excellent soup. Serves at least 8 people. Goes great with One Upon a Chef’s homemade cornbread and a nice salad!
I made the soup for dinner tonight, and it was so delicious. I was given a gift of dried dill with finishing salt and I sprinkled a bit on the soup, and we loved it. Again, thank you for such a perfect recipe.
I just made this tonight, and WOW!!! Jenn knocks it out of the park again. The lemon, dill, and cream set this over the edge. I can’t wait to make it again and again. Thank you, Jenn!
The minute I saw this recipe I knew it was one I had to make. It did not disappoint! I made it exactly as written, ( except used a 1/4 cup less of orzo) and with a combo of a bone in chicken breast and thigh. The lemon and cream take it to another level beyond ordinary chicken soup. Thanks Jenn for another outstanding recipe!
The recipe sounds amazing, but what can you recommend instead of the heavy cream? Dairy and nut free in our household! Many thanks . We adore all of your recipe, fyi !
Hi Jan, thanks for your kind words – so glad you like the recipes! For a non-dairy option in recipes, some readers have commented that they’ve used Rich’s non-dairy coffee creamer (frozen), Silk’s heavy whipping cream alternative, and Trader Joe’s unflavored non-dairy creamer. (Please keep in mind that I haven’t tried any of these.) You could also just leave it out – the soup will still be delicious without it. Please LMK how the soup comes out if you try it!
Made this last night, and it’s a winner! I used a combo of breast and thigh meat and upped the amount of lemon and dill—because I love that combo. Creamy, but also light. Truly a perfect meal for a chilly spring day! Thank you, Jenn!
Amazing. My wife exclaimed ‘Oh my God’ several times when eating.