Greek Chicken Soup With Lemon And Orzo (GF)

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Greek Chicken Soup With Lemon And Orzo is a comforting dish. Combining chicken, lemon, spinach, and gluten-free orzo makes this soup hearty and refreshing. It is the perfect balance of flavors for any season.

Greek Chicken Soup in a black bowl with a spoon.

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This recipe brings together ingredients that are clean, wholesome, and satisfying. Fresh parsley adds a layer of aroma and taste, while the broth provides a soothing base. It's an ideal meal for cozy dinners or light lunches.

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Ingredients
Additions & Substitutions
Recipe Tips
Confidence Tip
Storage And Reheating
Frequently Asked Questions
Salads To Serve With This Soup
Greek Chicken Soup With Lemon And Orzo (GF)

What sets this soup apart is that it can be a quick weeknight dinner or an easy lunch. This recipe is versatile and simple to make. It’s a wholesome meal that’s easy to make yet tastes like something you’d savor in a cozy Mediterranean bistro.

This high-protein recipe contains chicken, chicken broth, and eggs. Total grams of protein are at a whopping 16 grams.

This dish was inspired by the Lemon Chicken recipe as well as the Greek Lentil Salad, Greek Lamb Moussaka, and the Greek Village Salad. I love Greek food! I also love shrimp, which is Mediterranean and this Sheet Pan Shrimp is a super quick dinner!

Ingredients

You will need the following ingredients to make this Greek soup:

Ingredient Notes

Orzo - I use a gluten-free orzo for this recipe but feel free to substitute white rice, quinoa, or a regular orzo. I love DeLallo gluten-free orzo. It's not easy to find but I buy this on Amazon.
Broth - I like using a chicken bone broth as the base to ramp up the nutrition; however, you can use any broth you like or use a chicken base like Better Than Bouillon or Cook's Delight.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Additions & Substitutions

Additions:

Veggies - Along with the carrots, celery, and spinach you can add zucchini or baby kale. I also like to add sometimes parsnip or turnip to sweeten up the soup sometimes.
Herbs - While parsley is a staple in this recipe, dill and mint also work well. You can ramp up the spice by adding crushed red pepper or Aleppo pepper.

Substitutions:

Protein - You can use shredded rotisserie chicken from the grocery store in place of the chicken in this recipe. Just add it at the end of the cooking as it is already cooked. You can substitute turkey or chickpeas in place of the chicken.

How To Make Greek Chicken Soup With Lemon And Orzo: Step-By-Step

Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with the exact ingredients are in the printable recipe card:

Simmering carrots, celery, and onion in a stockpot.

Step 1: Heat a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil.

Add the celery, carrots, and onion. Add a pinch of salt. Saute until just tender.

Adding the broth, chicken, and spices to the carrot mixture in the stockpot.

Step 2: Add the chicken broth, chicken, lemon zest strips, cloves, and the bay leaf.

Bring to a boil and then turn the burner down so the stock simmers. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is nearly cooked through.

Remove the chicken and place it on a plate and reserve. Remove the lemon zest strips and the cloves.

Adding the orzo and shredded chicken to the stockpot.

Step 3: Add the orzo and turn up the heat to bring the stock to a boil.

While the orzo is cooking, shred the chicken breasts and add them back to the pot.

Continue cooking until the orzo is al dente, about 8 minutes.

Whisking the eggs with the lemon juice before tempering with the chicken stock.

Step 4: Turn off the heat.

Whisk the eggs together with the lemon juice.

Temper the eggs by slowly adding some of the hot stock to the eggs while whisking constantly.

Step 5: Add the eggs back to the stock and combine by whisking constantly until the soup has thickened.

Adding in the spinach, parsley and scallion to the soup before serving.

Step 6: Stir in the spinach, parsley, and scallion. Taste the broth and add salt to taste.

Serve.

Recipe Tips

Shred the Chicken Easily: Use two forks or a hand mixer to quickly shred the cooked chicken.
Season Gradually: Add salt in small amounts and taste as you go to avoid over-seasoning, especially if you are using store-bought broth, which can be salty.

Confidence Tip

Make sure you temper your eggs or the eggs will scramble when you add them to the soup!

When I think of comfort food or easy food to prep and have in the house, my mind goes straight to Grandma's Chicken Soup recipe. I simply add noodles or make matzo balls and I am in heaven! Between this Greek chicken soup and my Grandma's soup I have all the bases covered!

Storage And Reheating

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or in the stock pot you used to cook the soup in. The soup should last 3-4 days in the refrigerator. I wouldn't recommend freezing this soup because the eggs may curdle.

Spooning a bit of the soup out of the black bowl.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does orzo get mushy in soup?

Orzo is an easy pasta to use in soup. It does not get mushy like other pasta shapes do when cooked in the soup.

What does avgolemono mean in Greek and why is this soup sometimes called avgolemono?

Avgolemono when translated literally means egg lemon. Avgolemono has been used both as a soup and a sauce in recipes.

What does a Greek Lemon Soup taste like?

The soup has a creamy texture without adding in dairy. You will taste lemon, which brightens the soup.

Salads To Serve With This Soup

Let me know your thoughts on this Greek Chicken Soup With Lemon And Orzo by leaving a star rating below or by sharing it on Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, or Pinterest!

Thank you!

Gwen