Lemony Chicken Orzo Soup is light and bright, as well as hearty and full of flavor. And this cozy soup is ready in just 30 minutes!

A silver ladle scooping up lemony chicken orzo soup with spinach from a large pot.

Apparently I have a thing for lemon + chicken + orzo.

This lemony chicken orzo salad has been a longtime favorite and I’ve taken it to many a friend or neighbor in need. It makes a delicious lunch or light dinner anytime.

And I love serving this Instant Pot lemon chicken over some orzo to help soak up some of that incredible sauce.

(I also love this lemon garlic shrimp over orzo.)

Today though, we’re enjoying these flavors in soup form.

Chicken soup with orzo pasta, spinach and carrots in a large red soup pot.

Lemony chicken orzo soup is brothy, hearty and has a flavorful hit of lemon in each bite.

It feels comforting and cozy but also light and bright.

And when winter is ending and spring is coming on, with some cool evenings still in the forecast, it's perfection.

Plus, it takes just 30 minutes to make!

So let’s get cooking.

Ingredients laid out in separate bowls for making a chicken orzo soup with spinach.

Chopped onions, celery and carrots in a large pot before being sautéed.

Broth being poured over a veggie and seasoning mixture in a large pot.

Orzo pasta being added to a large pot of soup.

A chicken pasta soup being cooked in a large red pot.

Fresh baby spinach being added to a soup in a large red pot.

Chicken orzo soup with spinach being cooked in a large red pot.

Now, I’ve got some notes, tips and substitutions coming up below on how to make lemon chicken orzo soup. Just tryin’ to be helpful.

If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

Ingredient Notes:

Chicken: The chicken for this recipe needs to be cooked and chopped, so please plan accordingly. You can use a store-bought rotisserie chicken or some crock pot shredded chicken.
Broth: I use and recommend low-sodium chicken broth to control the amount of sodium in the soup. Start with 6 cups to cook the orzo, but you may want to add some more broth at the end to get the soup to your desired consistency.
Orzo: You can use regular or whole wheat orzo; they cook in about the same time. You could also substitute another small pasta, but you may need to adjust the cook time.
Spinach: I just buy and use the entire bag of a 5-ounce bag of baby spinach. You could also try substituting baby kale, but it’ll need a few more minutes to soften.
Lemon: You need the zest AND the juice, so be sure to get that zest before you slice your lemon to juice it.

Close up of a large red soup pot with a lemon chicken pasta soup with spinach.

Now, the beauty of this soup - besides the taste - is that it’s an all-in-one meal. You’ve got your protein, carbs and veggies all together in your bowl.

It certainly doesn’t need a thing, but you know I love me some toppings, so I thought I’d share some ideas.

Topping Ideas:

Grated Parmesan cheese
Chopped fresh herbs (such as basil or parsley or dill)
Soup crackers

A bowl of lemon chicken orzo soup with spinach served in a white bowl with fresh shaved Parmesan and bread slices to the side.

You can also serve this with some fresh baked bread or crescent rolls.

Serious yum.

Last thing, let’s talk about what to do with any leftovers.

This chicken orzo soup, once cooled, can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

You can also freeze the leftovers. Let cool, then pack up in a freezer-safe container. Label and date it and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Reheat the soup in a small pot on the stove over medium low until warmed through. Add extra broth, if needed, to get it to the right consistency.

Lemony chicken orzo soup served in a white bowl with lemon slices to the side and a bowl of fresh shaved Parmesan in the background.

A bowl of lemony chicken orzo soup with fresh Parmesan on top and lemon slices to the side.

To note: The texture of the orzo can be a little extra soft after freezing and thawing and reheating. I think it’s delicious, but if you’re particular about that, you may want to enjoy it all when it’s freshly made.

OK, there you have it!

A delicious soup to help you transition from winter to spring.

Happy cooking and enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

Yield: 6 servings

Lemony Chicken Orzo Soup

Name: Lemony Chicken Orzo Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 1 medium onion, chopped; 1 cup chopped carrots; 1 cup chopped celery; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 6 cups low sodium chicken broth, plus extra to add at the end; 6 oz. orzo pasta; 2 cups chopped cooked chicken; 1 (5 oz) package baby spinach; 1 lemon, zested and juiced; Grated Parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, fresh baked bread, soup crackers, etc.

Lemony Chicken Orzo Soup is light and bright, as well as hearty and full of flavor. And this cozy soup is ready in just 30 minutes!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 cups low sodium chicken broth, plus extra to add at the end
6 oz. orzo pasta
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 (5 oz) package baby spinach
1 lemon, zested and juiced

For serving (optional):

Grated Parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, fresh baked bread, soup crackers, etc.

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute, until fragrant.
Add the salt, thyme, oregano, pepper, red pepper flakes and broth. Bring to a boil. (You can increase the heat to help this along.)
Add the orzo, partially cover the pot, return to medium heat and cook for 6 minutes.
Add the chicken and stir to incorporate and warm through for about 2 minutes.
Add the spinach and stir to help it wilt in for about 2 minutes.
Check to make sure the pasta is cooked through, add additional broth if needed to get it to your desired consistency, then turn off the heat and add the lemon zest and juice. Serve immediately.

Notes

Chicken: The chicken for this recipe needs to be cooked and chopped, so please plan accordingly. You can use a store-bought rotisserie chicken or some crock pot shredded chicken.

Broth: I use and recommend low-sodium chicken broth to control the amount of sodium in the soup. Start with 6 cups to cook the orzo, but you may want to add some more broth at the end to get the soup to your desired consistency.

Orzo: You can use regular or whole wheat orzo; they cook in about the same time. You could also substitute another small pasta, but you may need to adjust the cook time.

Spinach: I just buy and use the entire bag of a 5-ounce bag of baby spinach. You could also try substituting baby kale, but it’ll need a few more minutes to soften.

Lemon: You need the zest AND the juice, so be sure to get that zest before you slice your lemon to juice it.

Leftovers: This chicken orzo soup, once cooled, can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the leftovers. Let cool, then pack up in a freezer-safe container. Label and date it and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Reheating: Reheat the soup in a small pot on the stove over medium low until warmed through. Add extra broth, if needed, to get it to the right consistency. To note: The texture of the orzo can be a little extra soft after freezing and thawing and reheating. I think it’s delicious, but if you’re particular about that, you may want to enjoy it all when it’s freshly made.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 505Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 492mgCarbohydrates: 66gFiber: 4gSugar: 5gProtein: 26g