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This savory and warm Chicken Orzo Soup recipe is full of hearty ingredients and made with bright flavors from fresh lemon and Parmesan. Wilted spinach is placed in the silky broth and simmered with diced tomatoes and seasoning for the perfect chicken mushroom soup!
You may also like my chicken cabbage soup or my chicken vegetable soup.
Soup made with savory ground chicken is a great way to add some ease and lean protein to your week. This Chicken Orzo Soup recipe comes together without a fuss and delivers comforting flavors that are great for cooler weather.
Fresh garlic, parsley, oregano, and whole Parmesan rind give this soup beaming flavors that allow this soup recipe to be considered one of the best. Make this soup with turkey to switch things up or fit whatever types of leftovers you have.
Recipe Summary
- Easy: This chicken orzo soup is one of the easiest soup recipes out there! I make this chicken orzo soup often whenever I am looking for something quick that is made in one pot.
- Mouthwatering: Soothing and delicious, the ingredients of this recipe simmer in the chicken stock and blend this soup to perfection.
- Healthy: Fresh spinach is loaded with iron and fiber which gives this chicken soup a healthy balance. Whole-wheat orzo pasta is used to keep things wholesome.
- Great for Busy Nights: With very few steps, this soup is a great option whenever you need ease and simplicity.
Ingredients you will need
This is just a list of ingredients you will need to make this lemon and Chicken Orzo Soup. The full measurements are listed further down this post.
- Oil: I used olive oil, but you may also use avocado oil
- Ground chicken or turkey: Rotisserie chicken works
- Herbs, fresh oregano to cook with, and parsley for topping
- Mushrooms, freshly sliced Cremini mushrooms
- Fresh garlic, freshly minced
- Stock: chicken stock, either homemade or store-bought
- Diced tomatoes, canned
- Lemon, the rind from a lemon
- Parmesan, freshly grated is best
- Seasoning, salt, and pepper
How to Make Chicken orzo Soup
- Heat oil: In a large Dutch oven or saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
- Cook the chicken: Next, add the chicken or turkey to the pot and cook from six to seven minutes until it is lightly browned. Chicken and turkey are a little lighter than beef when they cook.
- Add oregano: Add the fresh oregano, mushrooms, and garlic to the thicken and continue to cook for five minutes while occasionally stirring.
- Pour stock: Pour the chicken stock into the pot in addition to the water, diced tomatoes, lemon, and Parmesan rind. Add the salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil: Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes while keeping an eye on the soup.
- Add pasta: Next, add the orzo and continue to simmer for about about seven minutes or more. Make sure the pasta is cooked until al dente. Add the spinach and stir th wilt it in the warm soup.
- Finally, serve chicken orzo soup hot and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and freshly chopped parsley if desired.
Notes, Tips, and Substitutions
- Vegan option: Instead of meat, substitute this soup with meatless crumbles, veggie stock, and vegan Parmesan. You can also just leave the protein element out altogether.
- Vegetarian: Leave out the meat and substitute the stock for vegetable stock.
- Customize: Easily customize this chicken soup with your other favorite ingredients, such as carrots, potatoes, corn, or peas.
- Substitute: Instead of olive oil, use any kind of oil that can handle high temperatures. If you would rather use fresh tomatoes, then use them instead of canned tomatoes. I just like to use canned diced tomatoes because they are easy and quick.
- Mushrooms: Use any variety of mushrooms, such as portobello, shiitake, oyster, or button mushrooms. I don’t recommend canned mushrooms.
- Pasta: Although I like orzo for this chicken soup, use any kind of pasta or noodle. You can also use spiralized vegetables also known as zoodles. Also, you may swap the orzo with rice.
- Gluten-Free: For gluten-free orzo soup, use a gluten-free variety of pasta.
- Leftovers: Store the leftovers in an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to four days. To freeze this soup, place it in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze it for up to four months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Orzo soup can be made in a variety of ways, but this way is with ground chicken, mushrooms, lemon, and herbs. A lot of people like to cook orzo soup like classic chicken noodle soup. Another great option is to make Greek or Mediterranean flavored soup.
This tiny pasta is used for a ton of recipes like soups, pasta salads, casseroles, and more. You can use orzo in almost any pasta or soup recipe.
Although the two looks the same, orzo and rice are different! Orzo is shaped like rice but very different in texture. Orzo is not rice and is more categorized as pasta.
If you overcook orzo, then it becomes too soft and mushy. Be sure to follow the recipe exactly the way it is written.
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Lemon and Parmesan Chicken Orzo Soup
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Sharp knife
- cutting board
- Dutch oven or large pot
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, or any kind of oil
- 1 pound ground chicken, or turkey
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
- 4 ounces Cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped or pressed
- 3 cups chicken stock, or vegetable stock
- 2 cups water
- 15 ounces canned diced tomatoes, or fresh tomatoes, about 1 cup
- ½ teaspoon lemon rind, grated
- 1 Parmesan rind, leftover
- Kosher salt
- pepper
- ¾ cup whole-wheat orzo pasta, uncooked
- 3 cups fresh spinach
Toppings
- grated Parmesan
- fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add turkey and cook, crumbling it with a wooden spoon as you stir, for about 6-7 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Add oregano, mushrooms, and garlic and continue to cook and stir occasionally for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the stock, water, diced tomatoes, lemon and parmesan rind; add the salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow it to simmer for 20-25 minutes.
- Add in the orzo, and continue to simmer for about 7 minutes more.
- As soon as the orzo is cooked to al dente, add the spinach and stir to wilt.
- Serve while hot and garnish with grated parmesan and freshly chopped parsley is desired.
Notes
- Vegetarian option: Skip the chicken/turkey and use vegetable broth.
- You can add any of your favorite veggies to this soup
- Instead of orzo use rice.
- If you do not want to use canned tomatoes you may use ripe fresh tomatoes.
- You can use frozen spinach but thaw and drain excess liquid.
- Use any of your favorite mushrooms or whatever you have on hand.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was amazingly delicious! I put boneless chicken breast in a food processor. Tastes better than ground. So many flavors going on! Love it!
This was perfection in a bowl. I love soup and all your soup recipes are delicious and easy to make, and let’s not forget healthy.
Perfect! Glad you loved it