Easy One Pot Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Leeks 

Easy One Pot Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Leeks 

Why You Should Give This Recipe a Try

This Easy One Pot Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Leeks is one of my favorite soups, simple to make and full of bright lemony flavors! It is a great transition from the heavier soup recipes of winter to the lighter flavors of spring, full of fresh herbs, fresh lemon juice, and sautéed leeks, combined with tender orzo and shredded chicken. Reminiscent of Greek avgolemono soup – minus the egg yolks – it is the perfect comforting soup for the colder months, while still letting you dream that spring is on the horizon. It’s also a great alternative to traditional chicken noodle soup for those cold weather sick days. Serve it with a big slice of crusty French bread or these easy pretzel rolls for a complete meal that is sure to become a family favorite.

Some of the best features of this recipe:

One pot: The entire recipe comes together in the same Dutch oven or stock pot. No extra dishes to wash!

Easy: Use shredded rotisserie chicken and save yourself a ton of time. It is a super tasty way of preparing tender chicken and I highly recommend it. 

Flavorful soup: All of the flavors are light and fresh – leeks, fresh herbs, fresh lemon juice, and fresh lemon zest. It’s a beautiful combination of spring tastes in a light, fresh soup.

As with all my recipes, Easy One Pot Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Leeks is super simple to make with no complex cooking techniques, no special equipment, and with simple ingredients you can find in any grocery store.

Recipe Ingredients

3 carrots (about 2 cups chopped)

3 leeks (about 2 cups sliced)

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp fresh thyme

2 tsp fresh sage

8 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 cup uncooked orzo

2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

1 large lemon (for lemon juice lemon zest)

1 tbsp fresh dill

Salt and black pepper 

Optional toppings:

Fresh parsley

Grated parmesan cheese

Lemon wedges 

Helpful Tools

• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Colander
• Microplane zester or box grater
• Citrus squeezer/citrus juicer/tablespoon
• Small bowl/mug
• Large bowl
• Liquid measuring cup
• Measuring spoons
• Dutch oven or large pot 

Ingredient Notes

Rotisserie chicken: If you have looked through the blog, you will see that I LOVE rotisserie chicken. It is part of so many delicious recipes. If you can’t find rotisserie chicken in your supermarket, you can make your own poached, shredded chicken. Check Tips & Tricks, below, for directions.

Carrots: When I went to buy carrots, I discovered my choices were a 2 lb bag or a 5 lb bag. That’s a lot of carrots. I ended up using baby carrots and it was an easy way of avoiding a ton of leftover carrots.

Leeks: Leeks come in a variety of sizes. A bundle of three leeks is fairly typical. Overall, you want to use medium sized leeks for a total of 2 cups.

Fresh herbs: The herbs I used came from a package of fresh poultry herbs. If you only have dried herbs, you can use 1 tsp of thyme and 1 tsp of sage.

Gluten free: If you are looking for a gluten free option, you can replace the orzo with one cup of rice.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Zest the lemon and set aside.

2. Squeeze the juice from the lemon and set aside.

3. Chop the carrots into uniform slices, about 1/4 inch wide. Set aside.

4. Slice the white, and a bit of the light green, parts of the leeks. Cut the slices in half to form half moon pieces.

5. Clean the leeks very carefully. See the Tips & Tricks, below. Set aside.

6. Lightly chop the fresh thyme. Cut the sage into very small pieces. Set aside.

7. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. 

8. Carefully add the leeks and carrots, cooking until just starting to soften, about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn the temperature to medium heat if the leeks start to brown.

9. Add the fresh thyme and fresh sage to the pot and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about one minute.

10. Pour in the chicken broth.

11. Add the lemon juice and lemon zest.

12. Stir in the orzo and let cook until tender, about 9 minutes. 

13. While the orzo is cooking, shred the chicken. I use the white breast meat and pull it into bite-sized pieces with my hands. You can also use two forks if you want to be neater. Add to a bowl and set aside.

14. When the orzo is cooked, add the chicken to the soup and stir. Allow to heat through, about 3 minutes.

15. Lightly salt and pepper to taste.

16. Snip 1 tbsp fresh dill over the soup at the very end of the cooking time.

17. You can snip some fresh parsley over the individual bowls of hot soup and/or add some freshly grated parmesan. 

18. Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over the soup for extra lemony broth. 

Check out the printable recipe card for Easy One Pot Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Leeks below. 

Storage & Reheating

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Reheat the leftovers in a saucepan over medium heat. I find that the orzo absorbs quite a bit of broth over time, so add enough additional broth to reach the desired texture.

Tips & Tricks

Leeks are generally full of dirt. The dirt gets stuck between the layers, so you need to clean it carefully. Once you slice the leeks and cut the slices into half moons, submerge them in a large bowl filled with cold water. Separate the rings with your hands, then drain the leeks into a colander and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Shake off the excess water.

If you are using whole carrots, cut a bit off of the top and bottom and peel them. Whether you use whole carrots or baby carrots, try to cut them into uniform sizes so that they cook evenly.

If you don’t have access to rotisserie chicken, you can make poached chicken using boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Add the chicken breasts to a large skillet and cover them with cold water. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook 18-23 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the chicken reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Let the chicken cool and then shred it with two forks. 

Fresh sage adds great taste and a great aroma to this already delicious soup. But biting into a large sage leaf is not always the most pleasant, so be sure to cut the sage into small pieces. 

Lemon orzo soup is very lemon forward. Using fresh lemon juice and fresh lemon zest is vital to adding as much flavor as possible. 

Soup is such a simple, comforting meal. Choose an easy recipe, below, try it for your next cozy, cold weather meal.  

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