Name: Lemon Orzo Soup With Chicken (30 Minutes)
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 inch/1.3 cm ((3-4 carrots)); 2 cups diced celery, 1/2/1.3 cm ((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 fresh 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); 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water (optional - to thicken soup, Note 2.)

Jump to Recipe

We added a twist to this chicken and lemon orzo soup with dairy-free coconut milk that adds a lovely creaminess and a hint of coconut flavor. Packed with veggies, it’s a nutritious soup ready in 30 minutes.

Think of the soup as a comforting meal-in-a-bowl that takes chicken noodle soup with veggies in a new direction.

lemon orzo soup with chicken, veggies and coconut milk in yellow bowl.

There’s a reason we associate a bowl of chicken soup with pure comfort food. It’s warm, flavorful and soothing. But this isn’t your ordinary chicken soup.

It has a bright twist of fresh lemon and, instead of using cream, we add coconut milk, giving the broth a creamy texture. The lemony broth complements the orzo pasta, the tender chicken and fresh vegetable perfectly.

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.

What to expect

Meal in a bowl: I’m calling this a soup, but it’s very substantial, so you can easily serve it as a main meal with some crusty bread or a salad.

Quick and easy recipe: The soup comes together in about 30 minutes as long as you dice the vegetables fairly small so they will cook more quickly.

Great flavor combo: The soup has a lemony overtone with a touch of coconut and optional spiciness. You can amp up these flavors if you like.

Ingredients – tailored to your taste

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

Orzo: Orzo is a small pasta that resembles rice. You can use other small pasta or egg noodles instead. Or even rice noodles.

Chicken: I use a store-bought rotisserie chicken, but of course, leftover chicken or even fresh chicken thighs or breasts (cooked in the chicken stock or broth for about 15 minutes then diced) would be perfect too.

Coconut milk: Use unsweetened coconut milk.

Fresh Vegetables: I use onions, carrots, celery and fresh baby spinach for extra nutrition. Feel free to use what you have on hand and what you like. Some good options are celeriac (celery root), parsnips, mushrooms, zucchini and bok choy.

Other variations to try:

Experiment with flavors by adding coriander, basil and/or ginger to the soup. Feel free to add your favorite fresh herbs such as a bay leaf or chopped fresh parsley, thyme or fresh dill.
Add more coconut milk if you like and reduce the amount of broth accordingly.
Vary the spice with as much or as little chili flakes as you like. Or leave it out and add some pepper.

Step by step instructions

diced onions, celery, carrots on cutting board. — Dice carrots, celery and onions to a small size.

chopped rotisserie chicken and chopped baby spinach on cutting board. — Dice chicken and chop spinach.

carrots, onions, celery sauteing in pot. — Saute veggies in large pot or Dutch oven. Add flour and seasonings. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

soup with broth, orzo and veggies in pot. — Add broth and orzo. Simmer until vegetables and orzo are tender.

finished soup with chicken, veggies and orzo on ladle over soup pot. — Add the shredded chicken, fresh spinach and coconut milk. Taste and adjust seasonings.

lemon orzo soup with chicken and veggies in yellow bowl.

Tips

Orzo: The orzo in the soup absorbs a lot of liquid when sitting in the fridge. If you are planning on leftovers, you can make and store the orzo separately. Or, just add more broth the next day 🙂

Coconut milk: Many stores now sell coconut milk in small sizes (56 ounces/0.7 cups) when you just need 1/2 cup (118 ml) – like for this recipe.

To speed up cooking time: Dice the veggies small. Larger pieces will take longer to cook which is fine if you have the time.

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 lemon chicken orzo soup recipe even more the next day – and the next. Leftover soup will keep in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
You might have to add extra broth as the soup sits around in the fridge because the orzo absorbs quite a bit of it. Or make and store the orzo separately.
It’s best to freeze the soup without the orzo as it absorbs too much liquid. While cream soups don’t do well in the freezer, this one has coconut milk which is ok to freeze.

What to serve with lemon orzo soup

Because this is a substantial soup with protein, grains and vegetables (lots of vitamin A!), it can certainly be served as a complete meal. That’s typically how I eat it – either for lunch or dinner, sometimes with some garlic bread or a green salad.

If, however, you serve just a cup of this delicious soup as a starter, it will pair well with a crispy ground chicken burgers, Vietnamese grilled chicken, and spicy honey-lime chicken skewers, to name a few.

More easy orzo recipes

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