Lemon Pepper Chicken Orzo Soup (Printable)

Bright, comforting brothy soup with tender chicken, orzo, zesty lemon, and black pepper—ready in 45 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz total)

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Broth & Seasonings

06 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
07 - Zest of 1 lemon
08 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
09 - 1.5 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
11 - 1 dried bay leaf

→ Pasta

12 - 2/3 cup orzo pasta

→ Finishing

13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
14 - Extra lemon wedges for serving
15 - Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish, optional

# Directions:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat a splash of olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, sliced carrots, and celery; sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables are softened.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the chicken breasts, chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, black pepper, salt, and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15–18 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
04 - Remove the chicken breasts to a plate and shred with two forks. Discard the bay leaf.
05 - Bring the broth back to a boil. Stir in the orzo pasta and cook uncovered for 8–10 minutes, or until al dente.
06 - Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or additional lemon juice as desired. Remove from heat and stir in chopped parsley.
07 - Ladle into bowls. Garnish with extra black pepper, lemon wedges, and grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The lemon cuts through the richness without any cream, so you get pure comfort food that doesn't leave you feeling heavy.
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means you can have something restaurant-quality on a random Tuesday night without the stress.
02 -
  • The lemon juice should go in raw at the end if you want maximum brightness, but a little in the broth while cooking helps meld the flavors—I learned this by adding everything at once and ending up with a flat-tasting soup.
  • Don't skip tasting the broth before adding orzo; chicken broths vary wildly in saltiness, and you'll avoid an over-salted disaster by checking first.
03 -
  • Save a small ladle of plain broth before adding the orzo—if your soup gets too thick after sitting, you can stir it back to the right consistency without diluting the flavor.
  • The secret to silky shredded chicken is letting it cool just slightly before shredding; it pulls apart more cleanly and holds its shape in the broth rather than breaking into stringy bits.
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