Chicken Vegetable Soup with Orzo
There’s nothing like a steaming bowl of homemade chicken soup, but slowly simmering it for hours on a busy day isn’t always possible. Whether you need a quick meal for a busy weeknight, a soothing remedy for a cold, or just a bowl of cozy goodness and comfort, this Chicken Vegetable Soup with Orzo recipe will have you enjoying delicious chicken soup in no time!
Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
This recipe for Chicken Vegetable Soup evolved over my 22 years as a personal chef. It’s not the traditional long-simmered Polish way to make chicken soup, which is what I grew up on. Instead, it’s a modern take where fresh ingredients meet store-bought convenience, still delivering that cozy, comforting essence.
The traditional way of using a whole chicken or cut-up chicken parts on the bone took a lot of time in my customer’s kitchen, and although I was meticulous in removing the meat, there was always the chance of a small bone being left behind.
This recipe for chicken soup uses quality convenience products and the ease of boneless chicken breasts to achieve a rich taste in a fraction of the time. A generous addition of parsley at the ends adds freshness, vibrant color, and a subtle earthy, herbaceous flavor.
Like my Chicken, Kale, and Orzo Soup, this veggie-packed chicken and orzo soup recipe is:
- Easy! Some chopping and prep are involved, but if your cuts are perfect, don’t worry—this soup is forgiving, and everything will come together beautifully as it cooks.
- Nourishing and wholesome! It is packed with vegetables, lean protein, and a touch of turmeric for another boost of goodness!
- Great for meal prep! Gets even better overnight in the refrigerator and stores beautifully in the freezer for up to three months.
- Versatile! Vary the veggies and change out the orzo for rice, quinoa, lentils, or another pasta shape.
How to Make Chicken and Orzo Soup:
Recipe Ingredients:
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this chicken vegetable soup recipe. The recipe card below has the exact quantities.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
- Chicken Breasts: You can use chicken breasts on the bone for even more flavor or chicken thighs if you prefer dark meat. Another option is to use shredded rotisserie chicken that’s already cooked or other cooked shredded chicken you have on hand.
- Zucchini/Yellow Squash: These mild vegetables enhance the chicken and orzo soup with vibrant color, subtle texture, and satisfying heartiness, all while keeping it light. Their delicate flavor blends seamlessly with the savory broth, adding depth without overwhelming the dish.
- Thyme: I often use dried for convenience, but fresh is always a nice alternative. Tie several sprigs with butcher’s twine and add the whole bunch to the chicken orzo soup. Remove it and toss it into your compost bin when the soup is finished.
- Turmeric: Turmeric adds a bright, vivid color that is perfect for a chicken soup. It adds depth with a mildly bitter, earthy, peppery flavor with notes of ginger and citrus.
- Chicken Base: Better Than Bouillon is a terrific way to add a richer, more robust flavor to soups. I usually use organic, reduced sodium for the best flavor.
- Orzo: Orzo is rice-shaped pasta. Gluten-free orzo is also available. Other pasta shapes that would work well in this chicken orzo soup recipe are egg noodles, broken angel hair pasta, small macaroni, shells, or ditalini. Other substitutes include rice, quinoa, or lentils.
- Chicken Broth: The best chicken broth or stock is one you make yourself. However, that’s not always possible. My favorite all-around chicken broth that’s readily available in most, if not all, grocery stores is Swanson Natural Goodness.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Gather and prep all the ingredients.
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven or another large soup pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion, carrots, and celery.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 7-8 minutes or until softened.
- Add the zucchini and yellow squash. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until beginning to soften.
- Add the garlic and stir.
- Add the chicken broth, thyme, turmeric, and halved chicken breasts.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.
- Remove the chicken to a bowl and let cool.
- Shred the chicken into bite/spoon-sized pieces when cool enough to handle.
- Add the orzo pasta.
- Continue simmering for 5 minutes or until the orzo is cooked.
- Add the shredded chicken back to the soup and heat through.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon of the chicken base. Taste, and if needed, add another tablespoon.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in parsley and serve.
- Add lemon juice for a pop of bright flavor.
- Deliciousness done! A hearty yet light and full-flavored homemade chicken vegetable soup!
Chef Tips and Tricks:
- I always cut the four chicken breast halves into eight pieces through the middle widthwise so they cook faster and more evenly.
- You don’t want to add the chicken and orzo simultaneously for food safety reasons. Cook the chicken first, remove it, then add the orzo and simmer for five minutes or until the orzo is al dente. The 12 to 15-minute cooking time is adequate for thoroughly cooking the chicken pieces and making the broth safe for the orzo.
- Wait until the very end before adding salt and pepper. Although I generally prefer salting dishes throughout the cooking process, broth, even reduced-sodium broth, and chicken base can have adequate salt.
Money-Saving Tip:
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs are less per pound. You’ll need eight for this chicken vegetable soup.
Recipe FAQs:
Sauteeing the onions, carrots, and celery in oil is the first step to creating flavor depth in chicken soup. A flavorful broth, herbs, and garlic, along with a touch of acid at the end in the form of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, all combine for a lush and richly flavored chicken soup.
I prefer to cook most soups uncovered for the gentle reduction that occurs, which helps deepen and concentrate the flavor. Simmering a soup with the cover on or slightly askew creates steam and additional liquid.
Yes, you can, but be sure to cook the chicken thoroughly–and then some–so the broth is safe for any additional ingredients you wish to add.
Storage:
- Refrigerate any leftovers of this chicken vegetable orzo soup and enjoy it for up to five days.
- Freeze in containers in the desired quantities for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator or microwave and reheat on the stovetop or microwave.
Serve with:
More great soup recipes you’ll love!
- Spicy Peanut Soup with Chicken and Sweet Potatoes
- Sausage Spinach Tortellini Soup
- Hamburger Vegetable Soup
- Chicken Bouillabaisse
Get all my soup recipes at Soups and Stews – From A Chef’s Kitchen.
Chicken Vegetable and Orzo Soup
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil - or vegetable oil
- 1 large onion - finely chopped
- 3 medium carrots - diced
- 3 stalks celery - diced
- 1 small yellow squash - diced
- 1 small zucchini - diced
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 10 cups chicken broth - (or as needed) preferably reduced sodium or no salt added
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves - cut in half widthwise
- 8 ounces orzo pasta - (approximately 1 1/4 cups)
- 1-2 tablespoons chicken base - such as Better Than Bouillon, preferably reduced sodium
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Lemon juice - optional
Instructions
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven or another large soup pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 7-8 minutes or until softened.
- Add the zucchini and yellow squash. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until beginning to soften.
- Add the garlic and stir.
- Add the chicken broth, thyme, turmeric, and halved chicken breasts. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.
- Remove the chicken to a bowl and let cool. When cool enough to handle, shred the chicken into bite/spoon-sized pieces.
- Add the orzo pasta. Continue simmering for 5 minutes or until the orzo is cooked.
- Add the shredded chicken back to the soup and heat through.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon of the chicken base. Taste, and if needed, add another tablespoon.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in parsley and serve. Add lemon juice for a pop of bright flavor.
Recipe Notes
- You can use chicken breasts on the bone for even more flavor or chicken thighs if you prefer dark meat. Another option is to use shredded rotisserie chicken that’s already cooked or other cooked shredded chicken you have on hand.
- Other pasta shapes that would work well in this chicken orzo soup recipe are egg noodles, broken angel hair pasta, small macaroni, shells, or ditalini. Other substitutes include rice, quinoa, or lentils.
- You don’t want to add the chicken and orzo simultaneously for food safety reasons. Cook the chicken first, remove it, then add the orzo and simmer for five minutes or until the orzo is al dente. The 12 to 15-minute cooking time is adequate for thoroughly cooking the chicken pieces and making the broth safe for the orzo.
- Wait until the very end before adding salt and pepper. Although I generally prefer salting dishes throughout the cooking process, broth, even reduced-sodium broth, and chicken base can have adequate salt.
- Cool completely.
- Refrigerate and enjoy it for up to five days.
- Cool completely.
- Freeze in containers in the desired quantities for up to three months.
- Thaw in the refrigerator or microwave and reheat on the stovetop or microwave.
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.