Gluten-Free Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

A bowl of this gluten-free lemon chicken orzo soup is sure to warm you up from the inside out! With plenty of chicken, veggies, tender orzo, and a bright lemony broth, it’s easy, nourishing, and delicious!

This gluten-free lemon orzo chicken soup is the perfect meal for a chilly day!

If you haven’t had this delicious soup before, it’s a lovely spin on classic chicken noodle soup. We combine tender chicken, savory veggies, and gluten-free orzo in a lemony broth that’s full of flavor.

This simple recipe is one of my favorite nourishing soups for a chilly day, and it all starts with simple ingredients…

Simple Ingredients To Start

• Olive Oil. Just a bit, to help cook the vegetables!
• Mirepoix. This vegetable trio of onion, carrots, and celery is known as mirepoix. It’s a savory vegetable base that adds delicious flavor to all kinds of soups, stews, and dishes, and it definitely does it’s job in this gluten-free chicken orzo soup!
• Garlic. A must, especially to complement the veggies and lemon flavors in the soup.
• Salt & Pepper. Simple, but classic! Kosher salt and black pepper add great flavor to this cozy soup.
• Bay Leaf. If you have them on hand, bay leaves are a great addition for another layer of flavor.
• Chicken. 99% of the time, I love to use cooked, cubed or shredded rotisserie chicken. It’s just so much easier for me on a busy weeknight. Don’t have any leftover chicken on hand? I’ve got directions for cooking some in the recipe card!
• Gluten-Free Orzo. Orzo (a rice-shaped pasta) is a lovely addition, and a great change of pace from egg noodles or rice. You MUST buy certified gluten-free orzo (like this one from Delallo) to stay celiac safe. Regular orzo isn’t gluten-free!
• Fresh Spinach. It’s amazing how the spinach just disappears into this healthy soup recipe. It’s a great way to add some greens without tasting them. (You can add even more than I do, if you want!)
• Fresh Dill or Fresh Basil. Lemon and dill work beautifully together, but if you prefer, some fresh basil is also delicious. (Or fresh parsley!)
• Egg Yolks. This might seem like a weird ingredient for soup, but it’s kind of like a magic trick! You JUST need the yolks for this recipe. Add the leftover whites to scrambled eggs, oatmeal, or just freeze for later!
• Fresh Lemon Juice. For that beautiful, vibrant lemon flavor. I don’t recommend bottled lemon juice here!

How To Make Gluten-Free lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Cook Veggies. In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery and cook 8-10 minutes, until tender. Add garlic, salt, and pepper and cook 1 minute more.
2. Add Broth & Chicken. Next, add chicken broth and cooked chicken, then tuck bay leaf into the soup. Bring the soup to a simmer over medium heat.
3. Cook Orzo. When the soup is simmering, add orzo. Cook soup at a low simmer 10-12 minutes, or until orzo is just tender. Stir regularly so the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
4. Add Greens. When the orzo is cooked, reduce heat to low and add spinach and fresh herbs.
5. Temper Eggs. In a small heatproof bowl, combine egg yolks and 3 Tablespoons lemon juice. Whisk until totally smooth. Whisking constantly, gradually add 1 ladle full of warm broth to the egg mixture to temper the eggs (this keeps them from scrambling in the soup!). When the mixture is smooth, pour the egg mixture into the soup, stirring to combine. It should look creamy.
6. Taste & Adjust. Before serving, taste soup and add additional seasoning, lemon juice, or fresh herbs, to taste. Remove bay leaf from soup and enjoy warm! (Keep in mind that, like most soups, the flavor of this soup will continue to develop with time. It’s even better the next day!)
7. Serve & Store. Enjoy warm and store leftover lemon chicken orzo soup in an airtight container in the fridge 2-3 days. Reheat leftover soup in the microwave or on the stovetop. (We don’t recommend freezing this soup.)

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Choose GLUTEN-FREE Orzo! Regular orzo pasta is NOT gluten-free, so you need to look for certified gluten-free orzo. We like Delallo brand.

Use FRESH Lemon Juice Please! Since lemon is one of the star flavors in this soup, it’s important to use fresh lemon juice for best results. Bottled lemon juice can run bitter, which will make your soup taste sour, bitter, and overly acidic. I promise it’s worth it to use fresh lemon juice for that delicious fresh flavor!

Don’t Have Cooked Chicken on Hand? No worries. If you don’t have any cooked chicken or store-bought rotisserie chicken, you can add raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts to the soup and simmer 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through. Remove chicken breast from the pot and shred or dice. Only AFTER the chicken is cooked should you add the orzo to the soup.

Can I Freeze This Soup? I LOVE freezing soup for another day, but gluten-free chicken orzo soup doesn’t freeze very well. The orzo can get gritty or dissolve after thawing.

Can I Use Rice Instead? Technically yes, but rice will absorb more liquid from the soup, so you may need to add more broth.

Cheese Fan? If you tolerate cheese, you can try adding a parmesan rind or grated fresh parmesan cheese on top next time. It’s delicious! 

More Cozy Gluten-Free Chicken Soup Recipes To Try

Gluten-Free Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Gluten-Free Chicken Noodle Soup

Gluten-Free Chicken Pot Pie Soup (Dairy-Free!)

Recipe Card

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Emily Dixon, One Lovely Life
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 8 cups 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

A bowl of this gluten-free lemon chicken orzo soup is sure to warm you up from the inside out! With plenty of chicken, veggies, tender orzo, and a bright lemony broth, it’s easy, nourishing, and delicious!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 3–4 carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 stalks celery, diced (about 3/4 cup)
• 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 cups chicken broth (we prefer bone broth)
• 12 ounces cooked chicken, cubed or shredded*
• 1 cup gluten-free orzo* (uncooked)
• 3–4 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
• 2 egg yolks*
• 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon fresh dill or basil

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Instructions

1. Cook Veggies. In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery and cook 8-10 minutes, until tender. Add garlic, salt, and pepper and cook 1 minute more.
2. Add Broth & Chicken. Next, add chicken broth and cooked chicken. Bring the soup to a simmer over medium heat.
3. Cook Orzo. When the soup is simmering, add orzo. Cook soup at a low simmer 10-12 minutes, or until orzo is just tender. Stir regularly so the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
4. Add Greens. When the orzo is cooked, reduce heat to low and add spinach and fresh herbs.
5. Temper Eggs. In a small heatproof bowl, combine egg yolks and 3 Tablespoons lemon juice. Whisk until totally smooth. Whisking constantly, gradually add 1 ladle full of warm broth to the egg mixture to temper the eggs (this keeps them from scrambling in the soup!). When the mixture is smooth, pour the egg mixture into the soup, stirring to combine. It should look creamy.
6. Taste & Adjust. Before serving, taste soup and add additional seasoning, lemon juice, or fresh herbs, to taste. Remove bay leaf from soup and enjoy warm! (Keep in mind that, like most soups, the flavor of this soup will continue to develop with time. It’s even better the next day!)
7. Serve & Store. Enjoy warm and store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge 2-3 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave or on the stovetop. (We don’t recommend freezing this soup.)

Notes

• Chicken. If you don’t have any cooked chicken, you can add raw chicken breasts to the soup and simmer 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through. Remove chicken breast from the pot and shred or dice. Only AFTER the chicken is cooked should you add the orzo to the soup.
• Orzo. Traditional orzo pasta is NOT gluten-free, so you need to look for certified gluten-free orzo. We like Delallo brand.
• Eggs. This technique is inspired by the Greek chicken soup avgolemono. It’s a great way to add a creamy touch to this soup without any dairy. If you don’t tolerate eggs, you can absolutely omit them here. Or, you can omit them and add a splash of heavy cream, if you prefer.
• Herbs. I love to let the lemon flavor shine through, but if you want more herbs, you can add 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning along with the salt and pepper! 

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Category: Soup
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size:
• Calories: 256
• Sugar: 2.5 g
• Sodium: 438 mg
• Fat: 5.3 g
• Saturated Fat: 1.1 g
• Carbohydrates: 28.2 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 23.1 g
• Cholesterol: 86 mg