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Easy Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup (Avgolemono Style)

Close-up of a white bowl filled with bright yellow lemon chicken orzo soup, featuring shredded chicken, orzo pasta, and carrots.
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Make this bright, tangy, and comforting Greek-inspired soup with shredded chicken and orzo pasta. It is a simple stovetop recipe perfect for a weeknight meal.

Ingredients

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  • 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup shredded cooked chicken breast
  • 1/2 cup orzo pasta
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium carrot, finely diced
  • 1 celery stalk, finely diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced carrot and celery. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Add the shredded cooked chicken and dried dill. Let it simmer for 10 minutes.
  3. Add the orzo pasta to the simmering broth. Cook according to package directions, usually 8 to 10 minutes, until the pasta is tender.
  4. While the orzo cooks, prepare the egg-lemon mixture (avgolemono). In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs until light and frothy. Whisk in the cornstarch until completely smooth.
  5. Slowly whisk in the fresh lemon juice into the egg mixture.
  6. Temper the egg mixture: Ladle about 1 cup of the hot soup broth into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. This prevents the eggs from scrambling.
  7. Reduce the heat under the soup to low. Slowly pour the tempered egg-lemon mixture back into the pot in a thin stream, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk. Do not let the soup boil after adding the egg mixture.
  8. Heat through for 2 to 3 minutes until the soup thickens slightly. Season generously with salt and pepper to your taste.
  9. Serve this delicious winter soup immediately.

Notes

  • For a richer flavor, use homemade chicken stock instead of store-bought broth.
  • If you prefer a creamy lemon orzo soup, you can substitute 1/4 cup of heavy cream for 1/4 cup of the broth when tempering the eggs.
  • You can use rotisserie chicken for quick shredded chicken to make this a quick weeknight chicken soup.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://kingscook.com/lemon-chicken-orzo-soup-recipe/