Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe with Orzo
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Dive into a bowl of Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo, a light yet satisfying dish that’s perfect for springtime meals.
This delightful soup combines juicy chicken, vibrant lemon, and tender orzo pasta, creating a refreshing and nourishing experience with every spoonful.
Whether you’re looking for a quick lunch or a light dinner option, this soup is an excellent choice, offering a burst of fresh flavors that celebrate the season.
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While you may prefer to skip to the recipe card, we recommend reading through the blog post to avoid missing valuable tips and substitution suggestions and to ensure you have the necessary ingredients, equipment, and understanding of the steps and timings.
Lemon Chicken Soup
This lemon chicken orzo soup recipe is just one of the ways you can make Greek avgolemono soup.
We use tender chicken, orzo pasta, and some aromatic vegetables and fresh herbs to create a delicious soup that is ideal to serve in the spring. It is often served at Easter, and as someone with Greek Cypriot heritage, Avgolemono Soup is a family favorite!
It is equally the perfect soup to eat on a cold winter night—comfort food at its finest (for us, at least!), and it’s also great when feeling under the weather.
What is Avgolemono?
Avgolemono literally means egg-lemon in Greek and is a family of sauces and soups made with egg yolks and fresh lemon juice mixed with broth, heated until they thicken.
Greek recipes from Greece and Cyprus, from village to village and even from family to family, can vary greatly. Some will make this soup with lamb or fish. It is also used to make a soup called Giouvarlakia, which contains meatballs and rice. Avgolemono sauce can be poured over vegetables like artichokes or roasted meats.
If you’re pressed for time, try our Authentic Greek-Cypriot Avgolemono – Egg Lemon Soup Recipe, which is made from start to finish in about 20 minutes, using ready-made chicken stock, egg, lemon, and rice.
We have more Easy Soup Recipes for you to try, including Classic Chicken Noodle Soup made in an Instant Pot, Tomato Soup, Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup, and Gluten-Free Minestrone Soup with Cannellini Beans.
How To Make Lemon Chicken Soup
If you want the quick printable recipe card, scroll to the bottom of this post to print it out. But for all the tips, keep reading!
Number of Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 60 minutes | Additional Time: n/a
Total Time: 70 minutes
Step 1 – Gather Your Ingredients
This recipe’s ingredients and tools are conveniently linked to online retailers like Amazon, Amazon Fresh, Instacart, and Walmart.
- Fresh Produce – Onion, Carrots, Lemons, Dill, Parsley.
- Protein – Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts.
- Chilled & Dairy – Large Eggs.
- Pantry – Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Black Pepper
- Chicken Broth/Stock – This can be from a carton, can, stock cubes, or Homemade Chicken Stock.
- Orzo Pasta – A versatile, rice-shaped pasta that’s great for soups, risotto, and salads. You can use whole wheat orzo or rice if you prefer.
The complete list of ingredients with measurements is on the recipe card at the end of this post.
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Step 2 – Kitchen Tools
- Sharp Knife
- Chopping/Cutting Board
- Cooking Utensils – A wooden spoon or spatula for sauteeing the vegetables.
- Large Pot
- Pyrex Measuring Cup/Jug – Or a heatproof bowl for whisking and tempering the eggs and lemon mixture.
- Whisk
- Ladle
The complete list of ingredients with measurements is on the recipe card at the end of this post. The Purple Pumpkin Blog uses both cups and weighted measurements in its recipes, making American cups and kitchen food scales valuable tools for trying all the recipes. We provide US customary, imperial, and metric measurements. Still, it’s important to note that while you can combine cup measurements with weighted measures, never mix US customary/imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.) with metric (kilograms, grams, liters, etc.).
Step 3 – Saute Vegetables
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
Step 4 – Cook Chicken
Add the chicken and chicken broth to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and transfer to a plate to cool. Then use two forks to shred the chicken.
Step 5 – Cook Orzo
Add the orzo to the pot and simmer for 8-10 minutes (or according to package instructions) until tender.
Step 6 – Make Egg & Lemon Mixture
Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and lemon juice together in a heatproof bowl/jug/cup. Set it aside.
Step 7 – Temper Egg & Lemon Mixture
Slowly pour ½ cup (or ladle) of the hot soup into the egg mixture while constantly whisking. This will temper the eggs so they do not scramble.
Continue whisking and pour another two or three ½ cups of broth into the egg mixture.
TIP! This step is very important! Tempering eggs involves gradually mixing beaten eggs, whether cold or at room temperature, into a hot liquid to avoid scrambling or curdling. Proper tempering activates the eggs’ ability to thicken, resulting in a smooth and luxurious texture.
Step 8 – Finish Soup
Pour the tempered lemony egg mixture back into the pot with the shredded chicken.
Cook for another 5-10 minutes, stirring constantly until the chicken is warmed through and the soup has thickened.
Step 9 – Garnish & Serve
Remove the pot of soup from heat and add the fresh dill and parsley. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Storing Leftovers & Freezing
- Storing Leftovers:
- Cool leftover soup (within 1-2 hours), transfer to an airtight container, and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop, stirring occasionally.
- Freezing Instructions:
- Not suitable for freezing.
- With all leftovers, ensure the food looks and smells okay before consuming.
- You can always consult the Food Standards Agency in your country for the most up-to-date advice on storing and freezing foods: Food Standards Agency (UK) | Food Safety (USA).
Printable Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe Card
The printable recipe card is below—please leave a star rating and quick review to share your experience with others!
Lemon Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 1 lb 450g. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise
- 8 cups 2L. chicken broth/stock
- ½ cup orzo
- 5 large eggs
- ½ cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ¼ cup fresh dill chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
SUGGESTED PRODUCTS
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the chicken and chicken broth to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and transfer to a plate to cool. Then use two forks to shred the chicken.
- Add the orzo to the pot and simmer for 8-10 minutes (or according to package instructions) until tender.
- Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and lemon juice together in a heatproof bowl/jug/cup. Set it aside.
Slowly pour ½ cup (or ladle) of the hot soup into the bowl of egg mixture while constantly whisking. This will temper the eggs so they do not scramble. Continue whisking and pour another two or three ½ cups of broth into the egg mixture.* - Pour the tempered lemony egg mixture back into the pot with the shredded chicken. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, stirring constantly until the chicken is warmed through and the lemony broth has thickened.
- Remove the pot of soup from heat and add the fresh dill and parsley. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Dinner Party Menu Suggestions
You’ve made the soup, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to create a menu for a dinner party or special meal:
- Appetizer: Flavorsome Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Dip
- Salad: Greek-Style Crispy Deep-Fried Squid Salad (Calamari Salad)
- Main Dish: Kleftiko – Greek Slow Cooked Lamb + Potatoes
- Side Dish: Cypriot Village Salad
- Beverage: Watermelon Mint Lemonade
- Dessert: Greek Baklava Recipe with Honey & Walnuts
More Greek Cypriot Recipes
Want to make more Greek food? Check out these recipes next:
- Greek Cypriot Recipe for Pilafi Pourgouri – Crushed Wheat Pilaf
- Manitaria Krasata – Mushrooms in Wine
- Delicious Tzatziki Recipe – A Cool and Creamy Greek Dip
Look here for more: Traditional Authentic Greek Cypriot Recipes from Cyprus