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Simple ingredients make this delicious Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup an easy weeknight favorite. It’s clean-eating and hearty, and ready in 35 minutes! I'm a big fan of soup. And lemons. And pasta. And, well, chicken, too, for that matter. So you can imagine my excitement that I have a new delicious recipe that uses all those wonderful things. But, when I told Dustin I was going to make a Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, he didn't sound too excited. In fact, he pretty much told me he didn't plan on eating it - that he'd "figure something else out for dinner" that night. Then, when he came home later that day and smelled how wonderful this soup had made the house smell, he decided to try a taste. And he loved it! Hooray! I laughed and told him I can always tell a winning recipe when it turns him from not even being interested into a full-on fan in one taste. He went on to finish the entire bowl, by the way. And had the left-overs the next day, too. Winner, winner :) HOW TO MAKE LEMON CHICKEN ORZO SOUP This soup is so easy to make, I am sure you will add it to your roster of hearty dinner dishes. The orzo cooks right in the pot, making this a quick recipe for a bust night. In a nutshell, the steps are straightforward. Dice slightly frozen chicken thighs Brown them in olive oil in the stock pot Remove the chicken and set aside Add your veggies, chicken stock, and orzo as directed Bring to a boil and then simmer Add the lemon and enjoy IS ORZO HEALTHY? Orzo is a pasta that looks similar to grains of rice. To get full benefits from the fiber, buy a whole wheat orzo as opposed to one made with white flour. Orzo contains 7 grams of protein in every serving and pairing it with another protein as we do in Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, ups the count even more. Orzo is also low-fat, with only 1 gram per serving. WHAT ARE OTHER OPTIONS FOR ORZO IN LEMON CHICKEN ORZO SOUP? Orzo is made from wheat semolina flour and can be used in both soups and salads. This small, versatile pasta resembles barley, which is the Italian translation for orzo. If you’d like to try this soup with something other than orzo, look to these options: Couscous Quinoa Brown Rice Cauliflower rice HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN-FREE LEMON CHICKEN ORZO SOUP To make lemon chicken orzo soup gluten-free, just switch regular orzo for a gluten-free variety of pasta, similar in size. The alternatives, if you cannot find a gluten-free pasta that you’d like to use, are often quinoa or lentils. Short-grain brown rice works, too. Buy chicken broth that is a gluten-free brand as well, or make your own stock the next time you cook a chicken. HOW TO MAKE LEMON CHICKEN ORZO SOUP VEGAN Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is easily made vegan by replacing the chicken with protein-rich chickpeas. Chickpeas are also high in fiber, folate, iron, phosphorus, and B vitamins, making them a great substitute for chicken. Many vegans will add ⅓ cup of tahini to add creaminess to the dish. Use low-sodium vegetable broth instead of chicken stock, and you are all set with a power-packed soup! HOW TO MAKE LEMON CHICKEN ORZO SOUP PALEO AND KETO For a paleo Chicken Orzo Soup, you simply replace the orzo with cauliflower rice. If you are on a keto regimen, use the same option of cauliflower rice. Most keto followers will leave out the carrots and use kale or spinach instead. HOW DO YOU STORE LEMON CHICKEN ORZO SOUP? Store lemon chicken orzo soup in the fridge in an airtight container and reheat the next day for a repeat meal of deliciousness. To warm up Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, place in a pot on the stove and add a bit more chicken stock. The orzo may absorb some of the liquid when stored, so adding stock will give it the liquid needed to make it savory and like a soup again. Don’t boil as your reheat, or you may toughen the chicken. This yummy soup can be frozen if you have any leftovers! Store in an airtight container and place in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight to reheat the next day. MORE HEALTHY SOUP RECIPES If you are a soup lover like me, you will want to try more recipes. I suggest these healthy soups as a place to start! Healthy Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup Cream of Tomato Soup Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup Easy Cream of Broccoli Soup Roasted Acorn Squash Soup Easy Turkey Noodle Soup Slow Cooker Hot and Sour Soup Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Recipe Video Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Simple ingredients make this delicious Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup an easy to make weeknight favorite. It’s clean-eating and hearty, and ready in 35 minutes! 1 lb boneless and skinless chicken thighs (about 6)1 1/2 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)1 tsp ground black pepper (plus more to taste)2 tbsp olive oil (divided)1 yellow onion (diced)3 carrots (diced)2 celery stalks (diced)3 garlic cloves (minced)1/2 tsp dried thyme1/2 tsp dried rosemary5 1/2 cups chicken stock3/4 cup uncooked orzo2 tbsp lemon juice (approx. 1 lemon)2 tbsp fresh Italian parsley (finely chopped) Dice the chicken into bite-size cubes. This is easiest to do if the chicken is just slightly frozen.Season the chicken cubes with the salt and pepper.Heat a stock pot with 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and cook until well-browned, stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes. Once browned, remove from stock pot and set aside, reserving the drippings in the pot.Add the remaining oil to the pot.Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook until the onion is tender, about 6 minutes.Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute, until fragrant.Add the thyme, rosemary, chicken stock, and orzo and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until orzo and carrots are tender, approx. 10-12 minutes.Add the lemon juice and parsley and stir to combine.Season to taste.*If storing for later, you will likely need to add additional chicken stock upon reheating since the orzo will absorb more liquid if not eaten right away. This post contains affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.