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Chicken Lemon Orzo Soup Thai-Style

Name: Chicken Lemon Orzo Soup Thai Style
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 cup diced onion ((1 medium)); 2 cups diced carrots, 1/2-3/4 inch ((3-4 carrots)); 2 cups diced celery, 1/2-3/4 inch ((3-4 stalks)); 3 teaspoon minced garlic ((3 cloves)); 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes ((or more to taste)); 3 tablespoon flour ((use 4 tbsp. if you want a thicker soup with more body)); 8 cups chicken broth ((64 ounces or 2 boxes)); 1 lemon (juice + zest) (or more to taste); 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste ((depends on saltiness of broth)); 1 cup dried orzo; 1/2 cup coconut milk ((for cooking, not dessert)); 3 cups cooked chicken cut into 1 inch chunks ((2/3-1 rotisserie chicken is perfect)); 3-4 cups fresh baby spinach; Garnish: chopped or dried coriander or basil (Optional)

ByCheryl February 7, 2019January 5, 2022 Updated onJanuary 5, 2022

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No question that Chicken Lemon Orzo Soup is pure delicious comfort food in 30 minutes.

We’ve added a Thai-style twist – a splash of coconut milk and some heat – that takes it in a new direction.

Still dairy-free, this yummy soup has a lemony overtone with a hint of coconut and spiciness. I used only 1/2 cup of coconut milk so it is not overpowering. You can, of course, increase the ratio of coconut milk to chicken broth. You can also add other Thai flavors such as basil or cilantro as garnish.

I ate this soup for days and could have kept going. I gave away some to my friend Jordan who quite loved it as well.

I’m calling this a soup, but it’s really a meal in a bowl, loaded with carrots, onions, celery, spinach, orzo and chicken. As always, the variations for this kind of recipe are pretty endless, so create away.

The whole thing comes together in about 30 minutes as long as you dice the vegetables fairly small so they will cook more quickly.

How to make Chicken Lemon Orzo Soup Thai-Style

Ingredients: rotisserie chicken, orzo, coconut milk, onion, lemon, garlic, flour, celery, carrots, spinach, broth, salt, pepper

Tailor To Your Taste

Here are a few variations and substitutes you can try with this chicken lemon orzo soup.

Experiment with flavors by adding coriander, basil and/or ginger.
Add more coconut milk if you like and reduce the amount of broth accordingly.
Instead of orzo, use other small pasta or even rice noodles. It might be better to cook rice noodles separately and add them to the soup before serving.
Vary the spice with as much or as little chili flakes as you like. Or leave it out and add some pepper.
I use a store-bought rotisserie chicken, but of course left over chicken or even fresh chicken (cooked in the broth for about 15 minutes then diced) would be perfect too.

Shortcuts

Use diced rotisserie chicken.
You can chop the onions, carrots and celery by pulsing them in the processor.
Use chopped garlic from a jar or frozen minced garlic cubes (I love those).

Make Ahead

I love this soup even more the next day – and the next.
As noted in the recipe, you might have to add extra broth as it sits around in the fridge as the orzo absorbs quite a bit of it.
Alternatively, cook the orzo separately and store it in the fridge in a separate sealed container, then add it as needed.