Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

My comforting, creamy Greek lemon chicken orzo soup is a quick and nourishing family dinner, on the table in just 35 minutes.

Serve this satisfying soup by itself, or with crusty bread for the easiest fuss-free meal.

This easy Greek lemon orzo soup is creamy from the eggs (there's no cream in it!), is flavoured with zesty lemon, and packed with chicken and vegetables.

Based on the traditional Greek egg and lemon soup, Avgolemono, I have replaced the rice with Orzo, a small rice shaped pasta that is delicious in a pasta salad as well as soups. It makes this lemon orzo chicken soup thick and filling, and if your family is anything like mine, a pasta dinner is always popular!

You cannot beat a bowl of comforting soup to warm you up on a cold winters day, especially a bowl of nutritious chicken soup. From chicken and rice soup to healthy creamy chicken and vegetables soup, creamy chicken and mushroom soup or chicken, corn and noodle soup; it is without doubt, the perfect winter food.

Why You're Going To Love This Recipe

• Quick and easy recipe - by using cooked chicken, this Greek orzo soup is on the table in just 35 minutes and makes a delicious easy mid-week dinner for those busy evenings.
• Budget friendly - made with basic and inexpensive ingredients, this is a nourishing and filling economical meal.
• Use up leftover chicken - this lemon orzo chicken soup recipe is a perfect option for a no-fuss weeknight dinner, using leftover cooked or BBQ rotisserie chicken.
• Family friendly - using kid friendly ingredients like chicken and pasta means this soup is always a hit with younger family members.

What You Need

This comforting Greek lemon chicken orzo soup is made from just a handful of basic ingredients.

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.

• Olive oil.
• Minced garlic - or 1 garlic clove, crushed.
• Brown onion - or yellow onion.
• Carrot - this inexpensive vegetable is available all year round and adds a sweetness to the soup - as well as extra veggies!
• Liquid chicken stock - a good quality, shop-bought liquid stock is convenient to use. Or make up the stock from powdered stock according to the directions.
• Orzo pasta - often called risoni in Australia.
• Eggs - I use size large eggs (approximately 55g each). Use room temperature eggs.
• Lemon juice - I recommend using fresh lemon juice in this recipe, from approx 2-3 lemons.
• Chicken - cooked and shredded chicken. Greek lemon chicken orzo soup is a great recipe for using leftover cooked chicken, leftover BBQ chicken, or rotisserie chicken.
• Baby spinach leaves - if you don't have baby spinach leaves you can substitute with roughly chopped regular spinach.

Equipment Required

• Large saucepan;
• Bowl and fork - for whisking the eggs.

Step By Step Instructions

It takes just 15 minutes and a few simple steps to prepare this creamy orzo chicken soup.

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.

Step 1 - Sauté The Vegetables

Add the olive oil to a large pot and sauté the garlic, onion and carrot over medium heat on the stove-top. Continue stirring until the onion has softened and is translucent (approximately 3 minutes). 

Step 2 - Add The Chicken Stock And Orzo

Add the liquid chicken stock and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the orzo (risoni) pasta and cook, covered, according to the packet directions (but minus a minute from the recommended time). 

Step 3 - Whisk The Eggs

While the pasta is cooking, whisk the eggs in a bowl. Add the lemon juice and mix through. Slowly add a large scoop of the hot liquid stock to the egg mixture, whisking constantly.

Tip: Adding some stock to the egg mix will stop them from scrambling when added to the soup.

Step 4 - Add The Shredded Chicken And Spinach

Stir the chicken and spinach through the soup and cook for 2 minutes. 

Step 5 - Add The Eggs

Reduce soup to a low temperature and very slowly add the egg mixture while stirring. 

Cook on a low heat for 2 minutes or until the soup is creamy and slightly thickened. 

Tip: Do not boil once the eggs have been added.

Season Greek lemon chicken orzo soup with salt and pepper and serve.

Expert Tips

• Using eggs adds a creaminess to the soup as it thickens, something flour cannot do.
• Adding hot stock to the whisked eggs before adding the eggs to the soup will help stop the eggs from scrambling when added to the soup in the pan.
• Don't bring the soup back to the boil once the eggs have been added, just heat it gently over a low heat.
• To make Greek lemon chicken orzo soup gluten free, use rice instead or rizoni/orzo.
• Store any leftover cooled soup in the fridge for up to 2 days. Stir as you gently reheat the soup to stop it from separating.
• Freezing - you can freeze Greek lemon chicken orzo soup for up to 3 months, thaw in the fridge overnight or gently reheat directly from frozen.

FAQs

Related Recipes

If your family is like mine, an easy chicken dinner recipe is always...well, a winner! Here are some more of our favourite chicken recipes that are always popular.

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