Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup (One-Pot, Greek-Inspired)

Lemon chicken orzo soup garnished with herbs and parmesan cheese in a bowl.

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Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup (One-Pot, Greek-Inspired)

My one-pot Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is cozy but bright, hearty but not heavy, and packed with fresh herbs that make the whole kitchen smell incredible. Ready in under 50 minutes. A Mediterranean twist on classic chicken noodle soup.

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Total Time50

Course: Appetizer, Soup

Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean

Servings: Servings

Author: Luay Ghafari

Cost: $15

Ingredients

2 tbsp Olive oil
1 Onion (finely diced)
2 Carrots (diced)
2 Celery stalks (diced)
½ tsp Kosher salt - Start low, you can add more later
¼ tsp Black pepper
3-4 Garlic cloves (minced)
1 lb Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
6 cup Low-sodium chicken stock
1 Bay leaf
½ cup Orzo

To Finish and Serve

3 tbsp Lemon Juice - Use more or less
Garnish with chopped parsley, dill, and grated parmesan
Lemon wedges on the side

Instructions

Build the Base. Heat 2 tbsp Olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 Onion (finely diced), 2 Carrots (diced), 2 Celery stalks (diced), ½ tsp Kosher salt, and ¼ tsp Black pepper. Cook for 5–7 minutes, until softened and fragrant. Stir in 3-4 Garlic cloves (minced) and cook for 30 seconds.
Simmer the Chicken. Add 1 lb Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, 6 cup Low-sodium chicken stock, and 1 Bay leaf. Bring everything to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 20–25 minutes, until the chicken is tender and fully cooked through.
Shred the Chicken. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it into bite-sized pieces using two forks. Return the shredded chicken back to the pot.
Add the Orzo. Stir in ½ cup Orzo and simmer for 8–10 minutes, until just al dente. Keep an eye on it. Orzo cooks quickly and can over-soften if left too long.
Finish with Lemon. Off the heat, stir in 3 tbsp Lemon Juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed. This soup should be bright and lemon-forward. You can even grate some lemon zest over the soup.
Serve and Garnish. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with chopped parsley, dill, and grated parmesan. Serve Lemon wedges on the side.

Notes

Refer to the blog post above for step-by-step recipe photos if you need them, helpful tips and menu ideas.

Key Ingredient Notes:

Aromatics: I am using the holy trinity of aromatics in this recipe (onion, carrots, and celery). I would encourage you to use all three, but let’s say you don’t have celery or carrots; it's not a big deal. The onion is non-negotiable!
Orzo Pasta: A small pasta that makes the soup hearty; you can substitute it with small pasta shapes or rice.
Boneless, Skinless Chicken: I personally prefer to use leaner Chicken Breasts, but you can totally use chicken thighs. It’s up to you. Thighs are juicier, but breasts are leaner and shred beautifully. You could use bone-in and skin-in chicken, too, but you’ll have more work to do when it’s time to shred it.
Chicken Stock: You’re not boiling the chicken long enough to extract much flavor, so using a boxed or canned chicken broth helps add more flavor to the soup. I would choose a low-sodium option so that you can customize the salt level to your preference.
Fresh Herbs: A combination of fresh parsley and fresh dill gives this soup a vibrancy that’s unmistakably Eastern Mediterranean.
Parmesan Cheese: Use real Parmigiano Reggiano. Grate it or shave it with a peeler at the very end for serving.

Other Key Tips:

Add lemon at the end. Heat dulls acidity. Stirring in lemon juice off the heat keeps the flavor vibrant.

Enjoy it on its own for lunch, as a starter with one of my Mediterranean Main Dishes, with some lovely Homemade Same-Day Focaccia or crusty bread. It even works as a main with one of my Mediterranean Salad Recipes for a complete meal.

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