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    Home » Recipes » Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Fennel and Dill

    Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Fennel and Dill

    Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup in pot with wooden spoon next to dill, lemon and bread and header text that says "Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Yummy Noises"

    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.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup in pot with wooden spoon next to dill, lemon and bread

    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.

    diced chicken cooking in a pot with a wooden spoon

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

    chopped fennel, carrots and onion on a wood cutting board

    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!

    pouring broth into a measuring cup of whisked eggs

    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.

    bowl of Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with spoon

    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!

    Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup in pot with wooden spoon next to dill, lemon and bread
    Print Pin
    5 from 4 votes

    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.
    Course Soup
    Prep Time 35 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time 1 hour hour
    Servings 8

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 lb chicken breast, diced into small pieces, or 2-3 cups cooked diced chicken
    • 8 cups chicken broth
    • ½ lb carrots, peeled and diced into about ½ inch pieces
    • 1 bulb fresh fennel, diced into about ½ inch pieces
    • 1 medium onion, diced into about ½ inch pieces
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
    • kosher salt
    • fresh ground pepper
    • 1 cup uncooked orzo
    • ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
    • 2 eggs
    • 3-4 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

    Instructions

    • In a large pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium high. Add chicken, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon 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.)
    • Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add carrots, fennel, onion, garlic, orzo and another ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon 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.
    • 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!
    • Stir in reserved chicken and chopped dill. Taste and add more salt and/or pepper if desired. Enjoy!

    Notes

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

    « Baby Bella Beef Burger with Goat Cheese & Arugula
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Caitlin

      February 26, 2021 at 7:25 am

      This looks amazing! I've been looking for something to do with some fennel I've got... thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
    2. Suzie Martin

      February 26, 2021 at 7:39 am

      Awesome! My go to recipe for this chilly last weekend in February!!

      Reply
    3. Rhonda Reynolds

      February 27, 2021 at 7:25 am

      Looks fantastic! I’m going to have to go to the store for ingredients today and give this a try!

      Reply
    4. Victor Martin

      February 28, 2021 at 2:09 pm

      LOVED IT!!!! Only one problem. It only makes 4 servings, not 8….although that might have something to do with having 2 bowls each!!!

      Reply
    5. Gwendolyn J Ray

      October 27, 2021 at 7:52 pm

      This soup is so delicious!!!! The egg makes it so creamy and the lemon just brightens up everything!
      So good!

      Reply

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    About Me

    Hi! I’m Rachel. Welcome to Yummy Noises, and thank you for visiting! I’m obsessed with food, and I think the absolute best way to gauge how good a recipe really is, is by the yummy noises. To me – that is how you know that your food is really awesome, and those are some of my favorite sounds in the world! More→

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