Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

This Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is one of those simple recipes that manages to be both comforting and fresh. Tender chicken, carrots, fennel and orzo simmer in chicken broth, then a generous squeeze of lemon and fresh dill brighten everything up just before serving.

I first discovered this recipe years ago in a Weight Watchers Weekly handout and have loved it ever since. It’s essentially a lighter, brighter cousin of classic chicken noodle soup—and because it starts with already-cooked chicken, it’s on the table in less than 30 minutes.

It’s especially good when you have leftover or rotisserie chicken in the refrigerator and want to turn it into something completely different.

Why I Love This Chicken Orzo Soup

• Quick and easy — One pot and less than 30 minutes from start to finish.
• Fresh and comforting — Lemon and dill give familiar chicken soup a wonderfully bright flavor.
• Great for leftover chicken — Cooked or otisserie chicken makes this especially easy.
• Light but satisfying — Chicken, vegetables and a little orzo make it filling without feeling heavy.
• Easy to adapt — No fennel? Use celery. No orzo? Another small pasta works just fine.
• WW friendly — A generous 1¼-cup serving has just 201 calories and 3 Points.

Ingredients and Easy Substitutions

You only need a handful of simple ingredients.

Reduced-Sodium Chicken Broth — The foundation of the soup. Using reduced-sodium broth lets you control the seasoning yourself.

Carrots — Add sweetness, color and familiar chicken-soup flavor.

Fennel — Fennel gives this soup a subtle aromatic flavor that works beautifully with lemon and dill. If you don’t have fennel—or simply don’t care for it—celery is an easy substitute.

Orzo — This tiny rice-shaped pasta is perfect for soup. Ditalini, small shells or another small pasta can be substituted.

Cooked Chicken Breast — Leftover baked, grilled, poached or rotisserie chicken all work. This is a great recipe for using up whatever cooked chicken you already have.

Fresh Lemon Juice — This is what makes the soup special. Add it at the end so its bright flavor doesn’t get lost during cooking.

Fresh Dill — Dill is wonderful with both chicken and lemon. Fresh parsley also works if that’s what you have.

Salt and Black Pepper — Season according to the saltiness of your broth and your own taste.

How to Make Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Step 1: Start the broth

In a large soup pot, bring the chicken broth, salt and pepper to a boil over high heat.

Step 2: Add the vegetables and orzo

Stir in the carrots, fennel and orzo. Return to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the vegetables and orzo are tender.

Step 3: Add the chicken

Stir in the cooked chicken and simmer for another minute or two, just until heated through.

Step 4: Finish with lemon and dill

Remove the pot from the heat before stirring in the fresh lemon juice and dill.

Taste and add more lemon, dill, salt or pepper as needed.

That’s it. Dinner is ready.

Martha’s Tips for the Best Chicken Orzo Soup

Add the lemon at the end. Fresh lemon juice loses some of its brightness when cooked for too long. Stirring it in after removing the soup from the heat gives you a much fresher flavor.

Don’t overcook the orzo. Small pasta cooks quickly and will continue absorbing broth as the soup sits.

Use rotisserie chicken for an easy shortcut. It’s one of my favorite ways to turn leftover chicken into an entirely new meal.

Keep extra broth handy. The orzo will absorb liquid as it sits, so leftovers will usually be thicker than the freshly made soup. Just add a splash of broth when reheating.

Taste before adding more salt. Chicken broth and rotisserie chicken can both contain quite a bit of sodium.

What Is Orzo?

Despite looking a lot like rice, orzo is actually pasta. Its small rice-like shape makes it especially good for soups because it’s substantial enough to make them satisfying without overwhelming the other ingredients.

You’ll usually find orzo alongside other dried pasta at the grocery store.

If you don’t have it, substitute another small pasta such as ditalini, small shells, acini di pepe or even broken spaghetti.

What About the Fennel?

If fennel isn’t something you normally cook with, don’t let it keep you from making this soup.

Fresh fennel has a mild licorice-like flavor when raw, but that flavor becomes much softer and sweeter as it cooks. It’s particularly good with lemon, chicken and dill.

To prepare it, cut off the stalks and feathery fronds, slice the bulb in half lengthwise and remove the tough triangular core. Thinly slice or chop the remaining bulb.

And if fennel simply isn’t your thing, substitute a couple of thinly sliced celery stalks. The soup will still be delicious.

Easy Variations

This simple soup is also easy to change depending on what you have.

• Add more vegetables: Stir in frozen peas, baby spinach or chopped zucchini.
• Use another pasta: Ditalini, small shells or any other small pasta will work.
• Make it gluten-free: Use your favorite gluten-free small pasta or substitute cooked rice.
• Use leftover turkey: This is a great soup to remember after Thanksgiving.
• Change the herbs: Substitute fresh parsley for dill or add a little of both.
• Make half a batch: The recipe is easy to cut in half if you’re cooking for one or two and don’t want lots of leftovers.

What to Serve with Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Because the soup already contains chicken, pasta and vegetables, it doesn’t need much to turn it into a meal.

I like it with:

• A slice of crusty or whole-grain bread
• Toasted pita
• A simple green salad with lemon vinaigrette
• Half a sandwich
• Crackers and a piece of fresh fruit

For lunch, a warm bowl of this soup with a few crackers is often plenty for me.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerator: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freezer: You can freeze the soup for up to 3 months, although the orzo will become softer after freezing and thawing.

Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave (affiliate link). Since the orzo continues to absorb broth while sitting, you’ll probably want to add a splash of chicken broth or water when reheating.

A Make-Ahead Tip

If you’re intentionally making this soup for meal prep or freezing, consider cooking the orzo separately and adding it to individual bowls as you serve them. This prevents the pasta from continuing to absorb the broth and becoming overly soft.

How Many Calories & WW Points?

Each serving (1-1/4 cups) of this light and luscious low calorie soup has:

• Calories: 201
• WW Points: 3
  To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
  (You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
• Old WW Points: 5 PointsPlus

If you’ve made this Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Source: Weight Watchers Weekly

More Easy Chicken Soup Recipes

• Slow Cooker Southwest Chicken Soup – A zesty healthy soup with onion, peppers and corn.
• Slow Cooker Chicken Vegetable Soup – A WW-friendly classic packed with vegetables.
• Quick Chicken White Bean Salsa Soup – A longtime favorite of mine that is fast, zesty, and filling.
• Chicken Vegetable Rice Soup – Comforting and perfect for leftovers.
• Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup – A lightened-up copycat favorite.
• Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Posole Soup – Another Mexican-inspired easy, healthy family favorite of ours.

Looking for more Easy Healthy WW Friendly Soups?

Love easy, healthy soups? My Skinny Soups eCookbook is packed with WW-friendly slow cooker and stovetop recipes that make meal planning simple and delicious.