Do you ever want soup, but not the heavy, sit-down-and-need-a-nap kind?

Lemon chicken orzo soup is lighter, fresher, and still filling enough to count as dinner.

 

This is the soup I’d pick when I want something warm but still fresh.

The chicken keeps it comforting, the orzo makes it filling, and the lemon stops the whole pot from feeling too rich.

I like adding the lemon right near the end so the flavour stays bright instead of fading into the broth.

The orzo cooks straight in the soup, which also gives the broth a little more body as it goes.

You can add spinach, carrots, or whatever vegetables you like, but I wouldn’t overload it.

The nice thing about this soup is how simple it is.

A bowl of this with a bit of bread on the side is usually more than enough.

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 medium carrots, sliced into rounds
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1.5 litres chicken stock
• 500 g boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs
• 180 g dry orzo pasta
• 3 packed cups fresh baby spinach
• Juice of 2 lemons
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus extra for serving
• Lemon slices or wedges, for serving
• Extra fresh dill, for serving

A couple of things worth knowing before the pot goes on

Use a decent chicken stock.

This soup has a clear broth, so there is nowhere for a bland stock to hide.

Homemade is wonderful if you have it, but a good-quality shop-bought stock is perfectly fine.

Chicken thighs will give you slightly richer meat and are harder to overcook.

Chicken breast keeps the soup a little lighter.

Both work, so choose based on what is already in the fridge rather than making your day unnecessarily complicated.

And keep an eye on the orzo.

It is tiny, innocent-looking pasta with absolutely no respect for personal boundaries.

Leave it sitting in the soup long enough and it will keep drinking broth until your soup has quietly turned into lemony pasta.

How to Make It

• Heat the olive oil and butter in a large soup pot over medium heat.
• Add the diced onion and sliced carrots.
• Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened and the carrots have started to lose their raw bite.
• Add the garlic, oregano and thyme.
• Stir for about 30 seconds, just until the garlic smells fragrant.
• Pour in the chicken stock.
• Add the chicken breasts or thighs along with the salt and black pepper.
• Bring the broth just up to a gentle boil, then immediately lower the heat.
• Cover partially and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
• Remove the chicken from the pot and place it on a board or plate.
• Add the orzo directly to the simmering broth.
• Cook according to the packet instructions, usually around 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so it does not catch on the bottom.
• While the orzo cooks, shred the chicken into medium-sized pieces using two forks.
• Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
• Add the baby spinach and stir for 1 to 2 minutes until it has just wilted.
• Turn off the heat.
• Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest and fresh dill.
• Taste the broth before adding anything else. If it needs more salt, add a little. If you want it brighter, squeeze in another bit of lemon.
• Spoon into bowls and finish with fresh dill, cracked black pepper and lemon slices.

Do the lemon bit at the end

This is probably the only part I would be mildly bossy about.

Do not pour all that fresh lemon juice in at the beginning and boil it for half an hour.

You lose the fresh citrus flavour that makes the soup so good.

Add the lemon after the pot comes off the heat.

The difference is obvious.

You want the broth to taste like chicken soup with fresh lemon running through it, not chicken soup that once met a lemon several hours ago.

Keep the broth loose

The soup should have plenty of golden broth around the chicken and orzo.

If it starts looking too thick, add another splash of hot chicken stock.

This is especially useful if the soup sits for a while before serving.

Orzo carries on absorbing liquid even after you have turned off the stove because apparently it enjoys causing minor inconvenience.

For leftovers, I sometimes keep cooked orzo separate and add it to each bowl when reheating.

That is the slightly fussy option, but it keeps the broth beautifully soupy for several days.

About the spinach

The spinach needs almost no cooking.

Drop it in near the end and let the heat of the soup wilt it.

That way it stays green and soft rather than dark and stringy.

You can add more than three cups if you want.

Fresh spinach shrinks so dramatically in hot soup that adding a huge handful always looks ridiculous for approximately thirty seconds and then completely normal.

If you want a little more richness

Stir in another small knob of butter just before serving.

It makes the broth slightly silkier without turning it creamy.

A little grated Parmesan can also work, although I actually prefer this soup without a heavy layer of cheese.

The lemon, dill and chicken are clean flavours, and sometimes it is better to let them get on with it.

What goes with it?

Crusty bread.

That is my first answer and probably my last.

You have a bright broth and lots of lovely little bits floating around in it, so bread for dipping is never going to be a bad decision.

A toasted sourdough slice rubbed with garlic is particularly good.

If you want something more substantial alongside it, a simple toasted cheese sandwich works brilliantly too.

Chicken soup and grilled cheese may not be glamorous, but neither is standing in front of the fridge eating cheese straight from the packet, and we have all survived that.

Leftovers without the swollen-pasta tragedy

Once the soup has cooled, refrigerate it in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

The orzo will absorb more broth as it sits.

That is normal.

Add a generous splash of stock or water when reheating and it will loosen back up.

Warm it gently on the hob until piping hot.

Add another squeeze of fresh lemon after reheating because some of that bright citrus flavour softens in the fridge.

I would not freeze this with the orzo already in it.

Cooked pasta can become very soft once frozen and reheated.

If you want to freeze the soup, make the broth with the chicken and vegetables, freeze that portion, then add freshly cooked orzo and spinach when you reheat it.

Q&A

Can I use leftover cooked chicken?

Absolutely.

Skip the poaching step and add about 3 to 4 cups of shredded cooked chicken once the orzo is nearly finished.

Rotisserie chicken is particularly handy here.

Can I use rice instead of orzo?

Yes.

The cooking time will change depending on the rice, so check the packet.

Long-grain white rice works well, although the texture of the finished soup will be a bit different.

Is this the same as Greek avgolemono soup?

No.

Avgolemono traditionally uses eggs and lemon to thicken the broth and give it a creamy-looking finish.

This soup stays brothier and lighter, with spinach, carrots and dill added to it.

How much lemon should I use?

Two lemons gives the soup a noticeable but balanced lemon flavour.

If your lemons are particularly large or juicy, start with a little less and taste.

You can always add more.

Taking lemon juice back out of soup is considerably harder.

Can I leave out the dill?

Yes.

Fresh parsley is the easiest substitute.

But if you normally think you dislike dill, I would still try a small amount here.

Lemon and dill together behave very differently from dill sitting aggressively on top of something by itself.

Why did my soup get so thick overnight?

The orzo absorbed the broth.

It has not gone wrong.

Add more stock while reheating until the consistency looks right again.

Can I make it spicy?

Yes.

Add a pinch of chilli flakes with the garlic or scatter some over the finished bowl.

I would keep the heat fairly gentle so it does not drown out the lemon and dill.

Can I use frozen spinach?

You can.

Thaw it first and squeeze out the excess water, then stir it in near the end.

Fresh spinach gives a nicer texture and colour, but frozen works when that is what you have.