WW Chicken Orzo Soup with Lemon Recipe
Orzo, the rice shaped pasta, replaces traditional noodles in this light and luscious version of chicken noodle soup, brightened by the addition of fresh lemon juice and dill.
Servings: 4
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or more to taste)
- 2 medium uncooked carrots, sliced into thin rounds
- 1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced and then chopped
- 1/2 cup uncooked orzo pasta
- 1 cup chopped cooked skinless chicken breast
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill (or more to taste)
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, combine broth, salt and pepper; bring to a boil over high heat.
- Add carrots, fennel and orzo; bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer, with a lid partially covering the pot, until orzo and vegetables are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in chicken; cook until heated through.
- Remove pot from heat; stir in lemon juice and dill. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt, pepper, dill, and/or lemon juice as necessary to suit your tastes.
Notes
Serving size: 1-1/4 cups
WW Points: 3
Check the WW Points for this recipe and track it in the WW app.
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 5 PointsPlus (Old plan)
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 5 PointsPlus (Old plan)
Variations and Substitutions
- Fennel flavor: Fennel is a bulbous vegetable with a mild licorice-like taste that mellows beautifully when cooked. It adds a fresh, aromatic note that brightens the soup without overpowering it.
- How to slice fennel: Trim away the stalks and feathery fronds, then cut the bulb in half lengthwise. Remove the tough core with a small triangle cut. Slice each half thinly and then chop if smaller pieces are desired.
- No fennel: Simply use 2 thinly sliced celery stalks for a similar crunch and texture.
- Extra veggies: Frozen peas, spinach, or zucchini can be added for extra bulk and nutrition.
- Pasta swaps: If you don't have orzo, any small pasta shape works—ditalini, mini shells, or even couscous.
- Extra Veggies: Stir in frozen peas, spinach, or zucchini for added nutrition.
- Different Protein: Try leftover turkey, shredded rotisserie chicken, or even shrimp.
- Gluten-Free: Substitute gluten-free pasta or cooked rice.
- Half-Batch Option: Easy to cut in half if you don’t want leftovers.
- Vegetarian: Substitute veggie broth and tofu or beans.
Nutrition
Serving: 1-1/4 cups | Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 1298mg | Potassium: 550mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5198IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 1mg