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Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is a bright Greek-inspired chicken soup with tender orzo pasta and a silky lemon finish. You’ll sauté the vegetables, simmer the orzo until just tender, then temper eggs with hot broth for a lightly thickened, velvety texture.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Greek
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Soup base
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 cup chicken broth
  • 2 cup cooked shredded chicken
  • 1 cup orzo pasta
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
Lemon finish
  • 0.25 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
  • 2 eggs optional, for egg-lemon thickening
Seasoning & garnish
  • salt and black pepper, to taste
  • fresh dill and parsley, chopped for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté the vegetables
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring often so they cook evenly.
  2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Stir continuously until fragrant, about 60 seconds, without letting it brown.
Simmer the orzo
  1. Pour in the chicken broth and bring it to a boil. Once bubbling, keep the heat at a steady boil before adding pasta.
  2. Add the orzo pasta and cook for 8–9 minutes. Stir occasionally until the orzo is just tender with a slight bite.
Warm the chicken and finish with lemon
  1. Stir in the shredded chicken and dried oregano. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until the chicken is warmed through.
  2. For a silky egg-lemon finish, whisk the eggs with the lemon juice. Slowly whisk in a ladle of hot broth to temper, then return the mixture to the pot off heat and stir until slightly thickened.
  3. If skipping eggs, stir in the lemon juice directly. Heat is off so the flavor stays bright without turning the soup cloudy.
  4. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Stir well, then ladle into bowls.
  5. Garnish each bowl with fresh dill and parsley. Serve right away while the orzo is tender.

Notes

Pro tip: if you use the egg-lemon thickener, keep the pot off the heat after tempering—this reduces the chance of scrambling while still giving a silky texture. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat gently, adding a splash of broth if the orzo absorbs liquid. Freezing is not recommended because orzo can soften too much when thawed. For a lighter option, make the egg-free version and use only lemon juice for brightness.