Description
A warm and soothing lemon chicken soup featuring tender orzo pasta, bright lemon zest, and hearty chicken, perfect for a cozy meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1½–2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or a mix of thighs and breasts
- 1 cup uncooked orzo (or small pasta like stelline)
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 lemons (zest of one and juice of both)
- 6 cups chicken stock or homemade broth
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried thyme (or fresh thyme)
- Handful chopped parsley or dill
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Trim and pat dry the chicken; season with salt and pepper.
- Zest one lemon and juice both; set aside. Chop vegetables and measure the orzo and stock.
- Heat a pot over medium-high heat, add olive oil and butter, and sear the chicken until golden brown (4–5 minutes per side). Remove chicken.
- Sauté onion, carrots, and celery until translucent (6–8 minutes); add mushrooms if using, and sauté another 3–4 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook for 30–45 seconds. Pour in stock, return chicken, add bay leaves and thyme. Simmer for 25–35 minutes until chicken is tender.
- Remove chicken, shred meat, and return to pot. Stir in orzo and simmer until al dente (8–10 minutes).
- Off heat, stir in lemon juice and zest; finish with chopped parsley or dill. Serve hot.
Notes
Serve with crusty bread or a simple green salad. Optional additions include a swirl of cream or a sprinkle of grated Parmesan.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: lemon chicken soup, comfort food, orzo soup, cozy meal, homemade soup
