Creamy Zucchini Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

There is no better pair than zucchini and lemon. Oh wait, there is! When you combine zucchini and lemon with creamy orzo in a delicious, comforting bowl of Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup. This soup is Greek-inspired and is so delicious. Best part? The chicken is an optional add in so you can totally make this recipe vegetarian.

❤️🍋 Why You’ll Love Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

• Quick: Prep this soup in 10 minutes and have it ready to eat in under an hour 
• Flavorful: Did I not mention the freshness of the lemon combined with the zucchini and creamy orzo?
• Garlic: This recipe uses a TON of garlic and it’s so damn good. I love garlic!
• Protein Add-In: Add in shredded chicken to make this soup even more protein-packed

🍲 Ingredients

Garlic: Garlic doesn’t only add flavor to just about any dish, but it also is loaded with healthy nutrients. It has manganese, vitamins B6, and C, and fiber. It also is great at boosting your immune system.

Zucchini: Zucchini is so versatile that you can even bake with it! What makes zucchini so good for you is that it’s high in fiber, packed with important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and bonus, it tastes great!

Orzo: Orzo is a form of short-cut pasta that kind of looks like a grain of rice. It’s great to add to soups.

👩‍🍳 How to Make Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

1. In a large soup pot add the olive oil and heat for 20-30 seconds on medium-high heat before adding your diced yellow onion. Sweat this out for around 3 – 5 minutes. Mince the garlic + add it to the pot. Cook for 2 – 3 minutes until fragrant and slightly soft. Stir in the orzo, fresh parsley, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.  Cook for 3-4 minutes, until golden and toasted.

2. Add the zucchini, kale, lemon juice + zest, cooking for another 5 minutes.

3. Add the bouillon paste and boiling water to the pot.

4. Bring to high heat and allow to boil and cook for 8 – 10 minutes until the orzo is tender.

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5. Stir in the coconut milk/ heavy cream and parmesan cheese, cooking for 5 more minutes. If you are adding in shredded chicken, add it in here.

🪄 Tips and Tricks

• Orzo: Be sure to cook the orzo until soft, test it along the way, and allow it to cook longer if needed.
• If you love this soup you can also try my version with rice here

🗒 Substitutions

• Kale: Swap kale for spinach if you prefer
• Garlic: You can use the jarred garlic if the idea of peeling and mincing 10 cloves sounds like too much work
• Chicken: The chicken in this recipe is entirely optional. You can leave it out and make this recipe as is or add shredded cooked chicken at the end to add in additional protein

🗒 Other Soup Recipes You’ll Love

• Easy Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup
• Creamy Vegetable Soup
• Hearty Vegetable & Mixed Bean Soup
• Minestrone Soup Recipe

👝 How to Store Leftovers

Store soup in the fridge in a tightly sealed container for 3 – 4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

🤔 Common Questions

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup 🍋

4.95 from 17 votes

This creamy, delicious Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup has zucchini, lemon, and garlic to make it incredibly flavorful and filling.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Vegetarian

Cuisine Vegetarian, Greek-Inspired

Servings 6 -8

Calories 178 kcal

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Ingredients

  

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• 4 tbsp vegan or regular butter
• 2 medium white onions
• 10 garlic cloves minced (adjust as per your families likeness to garlic)
• 1 cup of orzo
• 6 tbsp. fresh parsley chopped
• 1 1/2 tbsp. onion powder
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 4 medium zucchinis grated
• 4 cups green kale chopped
• 2 tbsp. bouillon paste
• 4 cups of boiling water
• 1-398 ml can coconut milk or heavy cream
• 3 lemons zest + juice
• 1 cup parmesan cheese or cheese of choice vegan will work just fine

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Instructions

 

• In a large soup pot add the olive oil and heat for 20-30 seconds on medium-high heat before adding your diced yellow onion.  Sweat this out for around 3 – 5 minutes.   Mince the garlic + add it to the pot. Cook for 2 – 3 minutes until fragrant and slightly soft. Stir in the orzo, fresh parsley, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.  Cook for 3-4 minutes, until golden and toasted.
• Add the zucchini, kale, lemon juice + zest, cooking for another 5 minutes.
• Add the bouillon paste and boiling water to the pot.
• Bring to high heat and allow to boil and cook for 8 – 10 minutes until the orzo is tender.
• Stir in the coconut milk/ heavy cream and parmesan cheese, cooking for 5 more minutes.

Adjust any seasonings to taste.

• Serve immediately with additional fresh parsley!

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Notes

Make this dairy free/vegan by swapping the butter + parmesan cheese for a plant based one!

Be sure to cook the orzo until soft, test it along the way and allow to cook longer if needed.

This is the perfect nutritious + hearty soup- make it on those cold winter days!

Store soup in the fridge in a tightly sealed container for 3 – 4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Nutrition

Serving: 8 | Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 24.3g | Protein: 7.6g | Fat: 9.5g | Saturated Fat: 7.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 7.2mg | Sodium: 775.1mg | Fiber: 2.4g | Sugar: 5.9g

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