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chicken orzo soup recipe lemon dill herbs slow cooker

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

By Kimberly Killebrew
This soup features a deliciously rich and nutritious broth with chicken and healthy veggies. It makes terrific leftovers so make a double batch while you're at it!
5 from 8 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 45 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion , finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced
  • 3 carrots , diced
  • 1 large leek , sliced, thoroughly rinsed in colander, and drained
  • 6 cups quality chicken broth
  • 1 pound bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (dark meat/drumsticks and thighs recommended for the best flavor)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 cup uncooked orzo (or pasta of choice, or rice)
  • or gluten free orzo
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
  • juice of one lemon

Instructions
 

  • Heat the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the onions until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the leek, carrots and garlic and cook for another 4-5 minutes.
  • For Slow Cooker: Transfer the cooked veggies to a slow cooker. Add all remaining ingredient except for the orzo, dill, and lemon juice. Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours. Remove the chicken pieces, discard the skin and bones and chop the meat into small pieces. Return the chicken to the slow cooker along with the orzo and dill and cook on HIGH for another 30 minutes or until the orzo is tender. Stir in the lemon juice and add salt and pepper to taste.
    For the Stovetop: Follow the instructions in Step 1. Add the remaining ingredients except for the orzo, dill, and lemon juice. Bring the soup to a boil then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover the pot and simmer for 90 minutes. Remove the chicken pieces, discard the skin and bones and chop the meat into small pieces. Return the chicken to the pot along with the orzo and dill. Simmer for another 10-12 minutes or until the orzo is tender. Stir in the lemon juice and add salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

* If you don't like dill you can use fresh parsley or half the amount of fresh rosemary.
* This soup tastes fantastic as leftovers. The orzo will expand and the soup will become thicker, so add a little more chicken broth as needed when reheating.

Nutrition

Calories: 282kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 18gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 554mgPotassium: 493mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 5541IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 2mg
Course Entree, Main Dish
Cuisine All
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