Chicken Vegetable and Orzo Soup

Chicken Vegetable Soup with Orzo in white Dutch oven.

4.50 from 2 votes

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!

Prep Time30

Cook Time45

Total Time1 15

Course: Soups and Stews

Cuisine: American

Diet: Kosher, Low Fat

Servings:

Author: Carol | From A Chef's Kitchen

Equipment

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.

Notes

SUBSTITUTIONS:

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.

TIPS:

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.

MAKE AHEAD:

Cool completely.
Refrigerate and enjoy it for up to five days.

FREEZER-FRIENDLY:

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.

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