Description
A bright and hearty Lemon Chicken Soup featuring tender chicken, fresh vegetables, and a zesty lemon finish, perfect for a comforting meal any time.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Seasonings
- 2 cups diced carrots
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- ½ cup finely chopped celery
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 bay leaves
Protein and Liquids
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
Grains
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta
Cooking Oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Heat Oil and Sauté Veggies: In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add diced carrots, chopped onion, celery, and minced garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables are softened.
- Add Seasonings and Broth: Stir in black pepper, dried parsley, thyme, salt, bay leaves, chicken breasts, and chicken broth. Mix well to combine all ingredients.
- Bring to Boil and Simmer: Cover the pot and bring the soup to a boil, which should take about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove Chicken and Bay Leaves: Increase heat to medium-high. Remove the chicken breasts from the soup and set aside. Discard bay leaves from the pot.
- Cook Orzo Pasta: Add the dry orzo pasta to the soup and stir well. Cook the orzo for half the time recommended on the package to prevent overcooking, usually around 4-5 minutes.
- Shred Chicken: While the orzo cooks, shred the chicken breasts using two forks into bite-sized pieces.
- Finish Soup: Remove soup from heat. Add shredded chicken and fresh lemon juice to the pot and stir to combine. The orzo will finish cooking in the hot soup as it cools.
- Optional Tips: For firmer pasta, cook orzo separately in boiling water and add to each serving bowl instead of cooking in the soup.
Notes
- You can use any kind of pasta noodles as a substitute for orzo; cook separately and add at the end.
- Adding a Parmesan cheese rind while cooking enriches the flavor of the soup.
- Any broth works well including bone broth, chicken stock, or vegetable stock for variation.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute beans for chicken and use vegetarian broth.
- Cooking times and method may vary slightly depending on the equipment used (stovetop, crockpot, or instant pot).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cup
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
