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Lemon Orzo Soup With Chicken (30 Minutes)

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.

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

More easy orzo recipes

If you like this recipe, please leave a 5 star rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟in the recipe card below. And if you REALLY like it, consider a review in the comments. Thanks very much!

lemon orzo soup with chicken, veggies and coconut milk in yellow bowl.
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5 from 17 votes

Lemon Orzo Soup With Chicken (30 Minutes)

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.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8

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.

Instructions

  • SAUTE VEGETABLES: Heat oil in large soup pot to medium heat. Add diced onion, celery and carrots. Saute for 7 minutes. Add garlic and red chili flakes (if using). Saute 30 seconds.
  • MAKE SOUP: Add flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Stir in broth, lemon juice and salt. Bring to boil. Add orzo (Note 1). When mixture comes to boil again, lower heat to medium and simmer for about 8 minutes or until orzo and vegetables are tender (or still have a slight bite if you prefer).
  • FINISH SOUP: Stir in coconut milk and lemon zest. Add chicken and spinach. Stir until spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasoning (salt, lemon, chili flakes). Note 2. Garnish with chopped cilantro or basil if desired. 

Recipe Notes

  1. Orzo: If you plan to have leftovers and you don’t like your orzo too soft, you can boil it (and store it) separately, just adding it to soup when serving. You will need to cook the soup, regardless, for about 8-10 minutes to soften the vegetables. 
  2. Thickness of soup: This soup will thicken up as it sits around since the orzo absorbs some of the broth. You may need to add extra broth. If, instead, the soup is too thin at the end and you prefer your soup full bodied (almost like a chowder), mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water until smooth, then add it to the simmering broth to thicken it. 
  3. Variations and substitutions: 
    • instead of orzo, use any other very small pasta, egg noodles or rice noodles (you might have to adjust cooking time)
    • instead of rotisserie chicken, use leftover chicken. Or add a fresh chicken breast or thighs to the simmering broth and cook for 15 minutes, then remove and dice it up. 
    • other vegetable options are celeriac (celery root), parsnips, mushrooms, zucchini and bok choy.
  4. Tip: some grocery stores now sell small cans of coconut milk (e.g. 1/2 cup/56 ml) which is the amount you need for this recipe. 
  5. Make ahead:
      • I love this soup even more the next day – and the next. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container for up to 4 days
      • You might have to add extra broth as it sits around in the fridge as 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.
    •  
Nutrition values are estimated using a nutrition calculator. 

Nutrition

Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 450mg | Potassium: 622mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5521IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg
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Recipe Rating




2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Comforting, very flavourful, super duper easy to make! Instead of straight up boiling the chicken (I had boneless chicken thighs) I fried them just a bit in beef fat first, and then cooked them in the broth. I also added a potato. The recipe is a keeper!