Indulge in the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean with our Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, a symphony of zesty lemons, tender chicken, and fluffy orzo pasta. This delectable dish is a harmonious blend of tangy, savory, and comforting flavors that will transport you to the sun-kissed shores of Greece. This article offers a collection of three distinct recipes that cater to your culinary preferences: a classic stovetop method, a convenient slow-cooker version, and a vibrant Instant Pot variation. Each recipe comes with a detailed step-by-step guide and nutritional information to ensure a seamless cooking experience. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a novice in the kitchen, this comprehensive guide will empower you to create this authentic Greek soup like a pro.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
LEMON CHICKEN ORZO SOUP
This lemon chicken orzo soup recipe is light, healthy, and cozy. It uses wholesome everyday ingredients and is sure to become a family favorite!
Provided by Natasha Bull
Categories Soup
Time 50m
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Sauté the celery, carrots, and onions in a large soup pot with the butter and oil over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, then add the flour and cook for another minute or so.
- Pour in chicken broth and stir until the flour has dissolved, then add the Italian seasoning and chicken. Bring the soup to a boil.
- Cover the soup (lid slightly ajar), and reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir in the orzo and cook for another 10 minutes or until the orzo is cooked through. I keep the lid off and stir it fairly often because it tends to stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Take the chicken out of the pot and cut it up, then add it back in. Add the lemon juice (you may want to add more than I suggest - I didn't want to make the soup too lemony for some people), parsley, and season the soup with salt & pepper as needed. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 298 kcal, Carbohydrate 26 g, Protein 29 g, Fat 8 g, SaturatedFat 2 g, Cholesterol 78 mg, Sodium 1036 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 2 g, ServingSize 1 serving
LEMON CHICKEN ORZO SOUP
Inspired by Panera Bread's version, this soup delivers on flavor. Tender chicken in a lemony broth with orzo pasta, carrots, onions, celery, and baby spinach. This has quickly become one of my family's very favorite soup recipes.
Provided by ReneePaj
Categories Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes Soup Recipes Noodle Soup Recipes
Time 1h20m
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook orzo in the boiling water until partially cooked through but not yet soft, about 5 minutes; drain and rinse with cold water until cooled completely.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir carrots, celery, and onion in hot oil until the vegetables begin to soften and the onion becomes translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Season mixture with thyme, oregano, salt, black pepper, and bay leaf; continue cooking another 30 seconds before pouring chicken broth into the pot.
- Bring the broth to a boil. Partially cover the pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the vegetables are just tender, about 10 minutes.
- Stir orzo, lemon juice, and lemon zest into the broth; add chicken. Cook until the chicken and orzo are heated through, about 5 minutes. Add baby spinach; cook until the spinach wilts into the broth and the orzo is tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls; garnish with lemon slices and Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 167.3 calories, Carbohydrate 21.7 g, Cholesterol 20 mg, Fat 4.1 g, Fiber 2.6 g, Protein 12.1 g, SaturatedFat 1.5 g, Sodium 186.9 mg, Sugar 3.8 g
GREEK LEMON CHICKEN SOUP AKA AVGOLEMONO
Provided by Jeff Mauro, host of Sandwich King
Time 1h
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- In a large stockpot, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the chicken breasts and then lower to a simmer. Simmer until the chicken is just cooked through and the internal temperature registers 160 degrees F, 15 to 20 minutes; remove to a bowl. Once cooled, shred the chicken and reserve.
- Add the orzo or rice to the pot with the chicken stock and cook until al dente, 5 to 8 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and most of the lemon juice, reserving some to add later as needed. Fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites. Once combined, ladle in some hot stock to temper the egg mixture, whisking constantly and adding the hot liquid slowly. Very slowly, add the warm whipped egg/lemon mixture into the pot, whisking constantly to prevent any curds or clumps from forming. Continue to cook over medium-low to medium heat, whisking, until the soup thickens, about 10 minutes more.
- Add the shredded chicken and any reserved juices to the soup. Add the lemon zest and season with salt and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper. Taste and add additional lemon juice if needed. Garnish with chopped parsley.
GREEK LEMON CHICKEN SOUP
This soup is perfect as an introduction to a full Greek meal, or a hearty bowlful for a meal in itself. Serve with fresh pita triangles, and you'll be sure to please your guests!!
Provided by Shelley Ross
Categories Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes Soup Recipes Chicken Soup Recipes Chicken and Rice Soup Recipes
Time 1h5m
Yield 16
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- In a large pot, combine the chicken broth, lemon juice, carrots, onions, celery, soup base, and white pepper. Bring to a boil on high, then simmer for 20 minutes.
- Blend the butter and the flour together. Then gradually add it to the soup mixture. Simmer for 10 minutes more, stirring frequently.
- Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks until light in color. Gradually add some of the hot soup to the egg yolks, stirring constantly. Return the egg mixture to the soup pot and heat through. Add the rice and chicken. Ladle hot soup into bowls and garnish with lemon slices.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 124.1 calories, Carbohydrate 9.1 g, Cholesterol 110.3 mg, Fat 6.6 g, Fiber 1.1 g, Protein 7.8 g, SaturatedFat 1.7 g, Sodium 1236.8 mg, Sugar 1.7 g
GREEK LEMON CHICKEN SOUP
Provided by Valerie Bertinelli
Categories main-dish
Time 40m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- In a large saucepan, combine the chicken stock with 4 cups water, the carrot, celery, dill, shallot and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breast, lower the heat to a bare simmer, and cook, turning occasionally, until just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the breast to a plate. Remove the carrot, celery, dill and shallot from the broth, and discard.
- Raise the heat to a brisk simmer. Add the orzo to the broth and simmer until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, shred the chicken.
- Whisk the eggs with the lemon juice in a medium bowl. When the orzo is cooked, slowly ladle about 1/2 cup of the hot broth into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Pour back into the saucepan and cook, whisking occasionally, just until the broth returns to a simmer, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the shredded chicken, and season with salt.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with dill.
CHICKEN LEMON ORZO SOUP
Provided by Jeff Mauro, host of Sandwich King
Time 1h5m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- In an 8-quart soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the celery, carrots, garlic and shallots, and saute until just tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Deglaze with the sherry, and then add in the stock, bay leaves and thyme. Add in the chicken, bring to a simmer and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the chicken and let it cool. Simmer the soup for 10 minutes more. Season, and remove the thyme and bay leaves.
- Shred the cooled chicken. Add any accumulated juices from the chicken plate back to the pot along with the lemon zest and juice. Add in the butter and adjust seasoning.
- Portion the orzo and shredded chicken into 4 bowls. Ladle the soup over and garnish with the tarragon and a lemon wedge. Serve with a ton of butter crackers.
GREEK LEMON CHICKEN AND ORZO CASSEROLE
Provided by Jeff Mauro, host of Sandwich King
Categories main-dish
Time 55m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- For the orzo: Whisk together the stock, butter, salt, cornstarch, dill, lemon zest and juice and garlic in a bowl. Mix in the orzo.
- For the chicken: In a separate bowl, mix together the coriander, salt and pepper. Coat the chicken all over with the seasoning.
- Pour the stock/orzo mixture into a glass 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add the chicken breasts, laying them at an angle so all but the tops of the breasts are submerged. Shingle the lemon slices in between the chicken breasts.
- Bake, uncovered, until the chicken registers an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, 35 to 40 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes. Top with the chopped parsley before serving.
MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN ORZO SOUP
My husband is Greek, so I'm always trying new Mediterranean recipes. This lemon chicken orzo soup is his favorite dish that I make. Serve it with a little feta or Parmesan and a side of toast. -Kristine Kosturos, Olympia, Washington.
Provided by Taste of Home
Time 45m
Yield 6 servings (2-1/2 quarts).
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 6-8 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove from pan., In same pan, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add vegetables, salt, oregano and pepper; cook and stir 4-6 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add wine, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Stir in broth, rosemary and bay leaf; bring to a boil., Add orzo. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 15-18 minutes or until orzo is tender, stirring occasionally. Return chicken to pan; heat through. Stir in lemon zest and juice; remove bay leaf. If desired, top each serving with parsley.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 223 calories, Fat 6g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 31mg cholesterol, Sodium 630mg sodium, Carbohydrate 23g carbohydrate (2g sugars, Fiber 5g fiber), Protein 17g protein. Diabetic Exchanges
Tips:
- Use a good quality chicken broth. This will make a big difference in the flavor of the soup.
- Don't be afraid to use a whole lemon. The zest and juice add a lot of flavor to the soup.
- If you don't have any orzo, you can use another small pasta shape, such as ditalini or macaroni.
- Add the orzo to the soup towards the end of cooking so that it doesn't get too mushy.
- Serve the soup with a sprinkle of fresh parsley or dill.
Conclusion:
Greek lemon chicken orzo soup is a delicious and easy-to-make soup that is perfect for a weeknight meal. It is packed with flavor and the orzo adds a nice heartiness to the soup. This soup is also a great way to use up leftover chicken. So next time you have some leftover chicken, try making this soup. You won't be disappointed!
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