Lemony Chicken Orzo Soup –
A Bright & Comforting Classic!

This Lemony Chicken Orzo Soup is a bright, refreshing twist on a classic! Made with dehydrated vegetables (or fresh if you prefer), it’s a family favorite that’s both comforting and flavorful.

Lemony Chicken Orzo soup, in a square bowl with a spoon

For an extra burst of citrus, use fresh lemon zest or a sprinkle from your dehydrated lemon stock—either way, the hint of lemon takes this soup from ordinary to extraordinary!

And yes, I committed the ultimate sin—I ate this right in front of my computer instead of at the table! 😂 But no matter where you enjoy it, this soup is pure comfort in a bowl.

Feeling inspired? Pair it with homemade bread—this recipe made me feel like a pro baker! I bet you’ll nail it too. 😉

Substitute White Rice for Orzo

NOTE: If you're out of orzo, you can very easily substitute white rice for the orzo, though the rice will need about 5 to 10 minutes more to cook through. I like Orzo, though, because of the way the orzo plumps up so big!

Also, the Nutrition Facts shown are for orzo only.

See more about the difference between orzo and rice at the bottom of this post, thanks.

Top of Recipe

Lemony Chicken Orzo Soup Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 slice dehydrated elephant garlic
  • 1 tablespoon dehydrated onion
  • 1 tablespoon dehydrated carrots, crumbled into small pieces
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup orzo
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 lb. pre-cooked dehydrated chicken or leftover chicken from last night's dinner! You can use canned chicken in water too—works great!
  • Italian (dried) herbs to taste (about 1/4 teaspoon)
  • handful fresh chopped parsley
  • salt* and pepper to taste
  • lemon juice (a good squirt!) or dehydrated lemon, or lemon zest to taste

Instructions

  1. Use clean cold water or freshly boiled water to rehydrate the dehydrated items above.
  2. When they are sufficiently plump, add the olive oil to a heavy pan on medium heat.
  3. Add the onion and carrots, and cook for about 5 minutes.
  4. Add the chicken stock, then add the garlic—crumbled finely, and the remaining ingredients—bring to a boil and cook an additional 8 minutes.
  5. At the end of cooking, add a good squirt of lemon juice (I choose to use the ReaLemon brand). We just need to detect a taste of lemon in the soup, and not overwhelm it with lemon!

*IF you need to add salt, do so, BUT be careful NOT to over-salt as the bouillon has salt in it.

Nutrition Information

  • Servings: 6 servings
  • Calories: 217kcals
  • Fat: 6.2g
  • Protein: 11.9g
  • Carbohydrates: 31g
Bottom of Recipe

Want to Use Fresh Ingredients?

If you want to use fresh ingredients that you may have on hand, do this:

Carrot, onion, garlic

Exchange the dry ingredients in the recipe, above, for these fresh ingredients listed below!

  • 1 slice fresh elephant garlic, or 1 small clove of "regular sized" garlic
  • 1/8 to 1/4 of a large onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 medium carrot, washed, peeled, and sliced/diced

Check out how to dehydrate garlic by reading How To Dehydrate Garlic!

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What is Orzo?

a pile of orzoORZO: looks yellow and is 'fatter and flatter'
a pile of riceRICE by comparison: is whiter, and looks 'slimmer'

Orzo is a type of pasta that is shaped like a large grain of rice.

Some key facts about Orzo:

  • Orzo comes from the Italian word for "barley" - it resembles a large barley grain.
  • It is made from semolina flour or durum wheat and sometimes eggs.
  • Orzo is commonly grown in Italy, Turkey, Greece, and other Mediterranean countries.
  • The most common variety is about 3mm in diameter, though orzo can range from 2-5mm in size.
  • Orzo has a chewy, nutty flavor and aroma similar to rice or barley.
  • It works well in soups, salads, casseroles, stir-fries, and as a side dish.

To cook Orzo:

  • Bring lightly salted water to a boil and add the orzo. Cook for 7-9 minutes until al dente.
  • Drain and rinse in a colander. From there it can be added to dishes or served on its own with oil or sauce.
  • For 1 cup dry orzo use 4 cups water or broth and salt to taste. Adjust liquid as needed.
  • For more flavor, cook orzo in broth, or tomato sauce, or infuse it with herbs.

Orzo is a versatile Mediterranean wheat pasta shaped like rice that can be prepared similarly to rice or pasta in a variety of dishes. As noted above, cook it in boiling salted water until tender.

Why Does Orzo Cooks Faster than Rice?

'The reason why orzo cooks faster than rice is because orzo is actually a type of pasta, while rice is its own separate grain.

Some key differences that cause the cooking time variance:

  • Pasta is made from wheat flour while rice is made from rice grains.
  • The wheat flour in pasta contains gluten, which gives it a chewy texture. Rice does not contain gluten.
  • Pasta is made with semolina or durum wheat flour which is coarser than all-purpose flour. This coarser flour helps pasta retain its shape better.
  • Rice has higher starch content which requires more time to gelatinize and soften during cooking.
  • Pasta is dried during production which removes more moisture allowing it to cook more quickly. Rice still contains its original moisture.
  • The shapes used for pasta like orzo allow it to cook evenly and quickly. Rice grains are denser and take longer for water to penetrate fully.

Thanks for stopping by. Please try this Lemony Chicken Orzo Soup - it's delicious!

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