Greek-inspired orzo soup with chicken, lemon and vegetables.
This orzo soup with chicken and lemon is a light, deeply satisfying soup inspired by Greek cooking. It is full of fresh vegetables and aromatic herbs – thyme, rosemary and oregano – and finished with a splash of cream, plenty of freshly squeezed lemon juice and parsley.
I have chosen to poach a whole chicken, because the stock from a boiled chicken gives the most wonderful, flavourful base. It really lifts the soup and gives it a depth you can taste in every spoonful. If you don’t have time for that, you can easily make a quicker version with good chicken stock and cooked chicken breast – that works very well too. Read more further down in the introduction.
Once the vegetables and orzo are tender, the shredded chicken is folded in, and a little cream rounds the soup off gently. The orzo naturally adds body and a lightly creamy consistency, especially when it is cooked directly in the soup.
If you want to make the soup well ahead or keep leftovers, I recommend cooking the orzo separately and adding it when serving. It absorbs a lot of liquid as it sits in the fridge, and otherwise the soup can turn too thick the next day.
A truly flavoursome, light and warming soup that tastes of sunshine, lemon and warm Greek skies.
Chicken breast instead of a whole chicken
If you want to save a little time, you can use chicken breast instead of a whole chicken.
Just remember that the flavour of the soup depends on the stock – so make a strong base. For about 1.2 litres of liquid I recommend at least three stock cubes, so you still get the deep, rounded flavour that otherwise comes naturally from a boiled chicken.
You will still get a delicious, mild and creamy soup – but the flavour gets that extra lift when the stock is given a little extra attention.
Orzo Soup with Chicken and Lemon
Ingredients
- 25 g butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 250 g carrots
- 3 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 leek, sliced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 180 g orzo
- 1,2 l chicken stock – see introduction*
- 500 g shredded cooked chicken
- 75 ml cream
- 1/2-1 lemon, juice of
- 1 handful parsley, finely chopped
- Oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Method
- Melt the butter with a little oil in a saucepan and fry the onion and garlic until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the carrots, celery, leek and bay leaf – sprinkle over the herbs and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Let it heat through for a moment.
- Stir in the flour and cook it through for a minute or so, then add the orzo and stock. Let it simmer until the orzo is half cooked.
- Add the chicken and cream and let the soup simmer until the orzo is tender and the chicken is hot.
- Season the soup with freshly squeezed lemon juice and, if you like, a little lemon zest – plus salt and freshly ground pepper – and finally stir in the parsley.
- Serve the soup with a few fresh lemon slices for a pretty finish, if you like.
Nutrition
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