Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Fennel and Dill

A fun twist on chicken noodle, this soup is savory, cozy & comforting. It's full of tender chicken & hearty orzo and brightened up with fresh lemon & dill.

Pardon me while I dive headfirst into this luscious pot of creamy, lemony, veggie packed, comforting-and-yet-still-bright-and-fresh pot of soup.

This Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Fennel and Dill is a perfect meal for a chilly day. It definitely gives me chicken noodle vibes - but there are a few little extras that make it even more special. The fennel adds a sweet but still savory flavor, and the lemon & dill add a kick of freshness.

How to Make Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Fennel and Dill

You can make this soup with leftover cooked chicken, or just cook up some diced chicken breast right in the same pot you make the soup in.

Set that aside, bring the chicken broth to a boil, and add the veggies & orzo all at once.

It's SOUPer easy! HA! Ok I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist.

But seriously, you're almost done!

Once the orzo has cooked through, ladle out a little bit of the broth from the soup to slowly mix into the whisked eggs and lemon juice. The goal is to gradually warm up the eggs before you pour them into the soup to give the broth a slightly thicker, creamy texture. Go slow! Going too quickly will just scramble the eggs - which is not yummy!

I borrowed the technique of using eggs to make the broth creamy from the classic Greek dish Avgolemono (also commonly known as chicken lemon rice soup) and wowza is that a fun little technique. Whisking the eggs into the broth makes it so nice and creamy, you'd swear there was some kind of dairy in there.

Add the chicken back in along with a bunch of fresh dill and voila - this gorgeous bowl of deliciousness is yours.

Get me into some cozy clothes and snuggled up with a quilt and a warm bowl of this soup. Perfect.

Want More?

If you're looking for a way to use more orzo - check out this Roasted Mushroom, Arugula and Orzo Salad! Or if you're in the mood for more soup, try this Copycat Zoup! Overstuffed Bell Pepper Soup or this Ethiopian-Spiced Lentil Soup with Tangy Greek Yogurt (a few of our family faves!).

Yummy noises await you!

5 from 4 votes

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Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Fennel and Dill

Prep Time

35 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

1 hr

 

A fun twist on chicken noodle, this soup is savory, cozy & comforting. It's full of tender chicken & hearty orzo and brightened up with fresh lemon & dill.

Course: Soup

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb chicken breast, diced into small pieces, or 2-3 cups cooked diced chicken
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 lb carrots, peeled and diced into about 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 bulb fresh fennel, diced into about 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, diced into about 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• kosher salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 1 cup uncooked orzo
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 2 eggs
• 3-4 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped

Instructions

1. In a large pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium high. Add chicken, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and sauté until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside. (If using already cooked chicken, skip this step and proceed to step 2.)

2. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add carrots, fennel, onion, garlic, orzo and another 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Continue to boil and cook until orzo and vegetables are tender (usually about 10 minutes, but check orzo package for recommended cooking time). Remove from heat.

3. In a large measuring cup, whisk together lemon juice and eggs. Ladle out about a cup of broth from the soup, avoiding the vegetables and orzo. Slowly pour the hot broth into the lemon juice/egg mixture, whisking constantly. Slowly pour the broth/egg mixture back into the soup, stirring constantly.

   Note: Do this step slowly! The goal is to gradually warm up the eggs to give the broth a slightly thicker, creamy texture. Going too quickly will just scramble the eggs - which is not yummy!

4. Stir in reserved chicken and chopped dill. Taste and add more salt and/or pepper if desired. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Adapted from/inspired by WW Chicken and Orzo Soup with Fennel.