I have a confession to make.
I never really follow recipes unless I’m baking.
I like to glean inspiration from multiple sources and will typically tweak a handful of recipes to make them my own. I will print out a few that fit the bill, and then make cross outs and notes galore. I adapt most of my recipes to make them healthier, omitting extra butter or oil to save calories and adding veggies to bulk up the dish with nutrition.
I believe that it’s important to taste recipes as you go along, adding your own flair- an extra dash of this, another pinch of that, etc. This method is what works for me and my taste buds. It especially rings true in this recipe, and in my opinion, most soups, stews, sauces, etc. That being said, it’s always particularly hard for me to re-write a recipe that I loosely followed. I have to copy my notes right away or chances are I will forget what my scribble meant and it will be too far after the fact to remember how much of which ingredients yielded my end result.
Lucky you! This recipe was so foodgasmic that I had to jot it down immediately so that I will always have it handy! I hope you’re hungry… this recipe makes a lot of soup! It’s a perfect “cook once, eat twice twelve times” weeknight meal.
Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo
Serves 12
Ingredients
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2 tsp EVOO
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1 bag of carrots, peeled and cut
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1 medium white onion, diced
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4 stalks of celery, diced
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1 lb. cooked chicken breast, shredded
- 3 (32 oz.) containers low sodium chicken stock, or homemade stock
- 1 C uncooked orzo (more or less depending on desired consistency)
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10 springs fresh thyme
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1/2 C lemon juice
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4 cups baby spinach, chopped
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1/4 tbsp garlic salt
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1/2 tsp salt
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fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Directions
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Heat a large saucepan over medium heat, coating with oil. Add carrot, celery, onion and 2-3 sprigs of thyme. Cook until soft.
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Add chicken, and pour in broth. Bring to a boil.
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Add orzo, remaining sprigs of time, lemon juice, and spinach.
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Add garlic salt, salt and pepper, to taste.
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Turn down heat and simmer for 30 minutes or longer.
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Adjust seasonings to taste.
*Notes*
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I started with stock using the carcass of my very first roast chicken. (I based my chicken on Ina Garten’s recipe for Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken and this recipe for Roast Chicken with Lemon and Thyme.)
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After straining my stock, I realized I was going to need much more broth. Not wanting to water down the flavor, I added a container of chicken broth.
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After letting it simmer, I realized the 2 cups of orzo I added had thickened considerably, so I added yet another container of broth to thin it out a bit.
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I had intentions of using the roast chicken specifically for this soup, so my meat was already beautifully flavored. I used only the white breast meat for the soup.
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Make sure to taste to see what your preference is for the lemon juice. I liked it with 1/2 C but you make enjoy it with more or less.
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I overcomplicated this recipe on myself by wasting time making my own stock, which I don’t think was necessary.
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I also have a terrible habit of thinking that I need to add more pasta, only to have it thicken into a stew-like consistency later, which always results in me thinning it out with more stock.
I first tried Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup at Panera about a month ago. It was love at first slurp. I knew I would waste no time recreating this soup in my kitchen. While it doesn’t have quite the same flavor profile, it quelled my craving for lemon chicken soup!
It’s easy to make (if you don’t complicate things like me!) and it’s a nice change from your classic chicken noodle. To me, soup screams “comfort food” and what better way to celebrate the change of the seasons than this soup?! With its lemony broth it’s the perfect way to transition summer flavors to a fall dish. The thyme is the perfect complement the to the bright, fresh lemon and delicate orzo.
This recipe is destined to be a regular in the BITNB household. Lloyd is already asking for more. And next time, I will definitely follow this recipe to a T!
Yummm this soup looks great! I love the lemon and chicken flavor combo
Awesome chicken soup recipe. It’s a classic and one we always have to make when it starts to get cold out. You’re not alone in not following the recipe. Rachel does it all the time. Drives me bonkers. Lol
I just made a lemony orzo soup sans chicken. It was delicious! Yours looks good too!
This soup looks great! I’ll definitely try this out since it started to get so cold already here in New England!
Completely agree – baking is the only time I measure. This looks so comforting!
That soup looks wonderful! I also don’t really follow recipes for cooking, more use them as a guide.
Lemon, chicken and orzo is a match made in heaven. definitely no need to measure when it comes to soups!
Yum! I love lemon, especially with orzo!
Oh yes, You KNOW that I will be making this..and I’m kind of so glad that you mentioned that I don’t have to use a chicken carcass..I don’t know why, but it always creeps me out.
Oh & twin similarity #3054858- I always add way too much pasta, becuse I swear it’s never enough..and then it turns out to be like ALL pasta
@Holly, I know, right!!! You’re like psssht, not enough pasta!!! And dump in ohhhh, another CUP?! Haha!
@sarah@spinach and spice, Me too!
@Emily @ A Cambridge Story, Except for that pasta…
@Lauren at Keep It Sweet, Same here! I glean inspiration from lots of places and wing it!
@Belinda @zomppa, Comforting indeed… wishing I had som emore!
@Jamie, I’m in New England too!
@Kelli H (Made in Sonoma), I bet it’s just as good!
@Chris @ TheKeenanCookbook, Haha! It’s a girl thing, maybe!
@Savannah @ Sweet and Savvy, Me too!
I love orzo! Looks delicious!
yummy!
Sounds like a great soup. Lemon really brightens the flavor of chicken soup.
I love this soup! I had the one at Panera too and have always remembered it. I’m so glad you wrote the ingredient measurements down this time! My recipes are very similar, and I’m really working on trying to write down what I do as I do it… The recipes in my kitchen usually don’t come out the same twice in a row.
I could eat 12 bowls of that soup! It looks wonderful. I know what you mean about following recipes. The only time I usually follow them is when I’m baking, and even then I often times change something!
One of my favorite soups, yet oddly have never made it! Thanks for the post, saved.
Delicious looking. I’d like some now – can’t shake this head cold!
I thought you moved from New England for some reason!
mmm. I know I’ll be craving this soup when it gets a bit colder and I need a little warmth, so I’m glad it makes so much!! Thanks for sharing!
Wow. This look amazing. I am so glad that soup weather is here!
There is something about using lemon in chicken soup that just makes it so much better!! This soup looks yummy!
Lemo soup is so good!
I am a citrus freak so I love the idea of creating a lemony chicken soup. But this has to be my all-time favorite soup: http://www.flavorfulfork.com/2011/05/curried-shrimp-and-mango-soup/
Mmm, what a fabulous idea, I’ve never had a lemony chicken soup before
Oh, such a nice soup for a cold autumn day. I love chicken with lemon.
Oh this look good I love lemony chicken soups! I need to make this!
@Lindsey@Lindselicious, It was a winner!
@Kerstin, Try it!
@Fran {The Flavorful Fork}, Wow, that looks great!
@Lindsay @ Schnoodle Soup, Yea, on day 5 of a cold over here!
Looks delicious- I love this kind of stuff. I don’t follow recipes either (unless baking… but even then I’m not very good at it!)
I remember you tweeting about this soup and me wanting to see the recipe so bad! We’re on a major soup kick here (ok, I’m on a major soup kick here, Handsome just deals with it) and this looks like a great addition.
You are a girl after my own heart. I use that same recipe from Ina for my chicken- it’s the best! So glad to have found your blog. I’m a fellow Bostonian as well- although I live in the burbs now!
i looking forward to trying this
stupid california weather refuses to get cold (and stay cold) so i’ll probably just make it sometime soon 
This was a hit with the whole family tonight! I cooked the chicken in advance and used boxed stock – from prep to serve in under an hour. And I prepped/cooked a casserole at the same time!
Thank you!