Print

Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe

Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Greek-inspired lemon chicken soup with tender chicken, fresh vegetables, and bright lemon flavor. Easy to make on stovetop, crockpot, or Instant Pot.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cups diced carrots
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • ½ cup finely chopped celery
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon dried parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup dry orzo pasta
  • ½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 3–4 lemons)

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion, celery, and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables soften and become fragrant.
  2. Add black pepper, parsley, thyme, salt, bay leaves, chicken breasts, and chicken broth to the pot. Stir to combine and cover with lid.
  3. Increase heat and bring soup to a boil, about 10 minutes. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and simmer covered for 20-25 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature.
  4. Turn heat back to medium-high. Remove chicken breasts and bay leaves from pot. Let chicken rest, then shred with two forks.
  5. Add dry orzo to the pot and cook for 5-6 minutes until just barely tender. It will continue cooking in the hot broth.
  6. Remove pot from heat. Stir in shredded chicken and fresh lemon juice. Let rest 5 minutes. Mix well and adjust seasoning to taste.

Notes

  • Cook pasta for only 5-6 minutes (less than package directions) as it continues cooking in hot soup. This prevents mushy noodles.
  • Use chicken thighs instead of breasts for richer flavor. Add 5 extra minutes to simmer time for thighs. Rotisserie chicken cuts prep time in half.
  • If using regular broth instead of low sodium, reduce or omit the added salt and adjust to taste at the end.
  • Add fresh spinach or cauliflower rice for extra vegetables. Fresh dill or parsley make great garnishes.
  • Leftover soup may need ½-1 cup additional broth when reheating as pasta absorbs liquid overnight.
  • Store pasta separately from soup if meal prepping to maintain best texture.
  • Add parmesan cheese rind while cooking for extra depth of flavor (remove before serving).

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.benefitiany.com/easy-lemon-chicken-soup/