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If you love the taste of lemon in a soup, do not miss this Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup. It's so easy to make for dinner and divine!
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup – PERFECT for Chilly Nights!
I'm not the biggest fan of soup in the warmer weather, but this Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is a great one to serve all year long. And as we start to move into the chilly part of early Spring, it's definitely one to get on your menu plan.
I'll admit, my hubby was a bit skeptical when I told him I was making a soup that had lemon juice in it AND had lemon in the main title. But, if you've ever had the Panera Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, then you'll be sooooo happy you've found this jewel of a Chicken Orzo Soup recipe.
By the way, my whole family loved this one and gobbled it right down – Even the hubby! 🙂
🥄You can find this Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup as well as 59 more AMAZING recipes in our Slow Cooker Meal Plans!
prep time 20 minutes | cook time 6-7 hours | serves 12 | 175 calories per serving
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb pkg carrots, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 32 oz cartons low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 8 oz orzo pasta
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 lemon, zested
- 5 oz pkg baby spinach leaves
- shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
Here's how to make Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup:
To start, heat up your olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Next, sauté your carrots, celery, and onions in the oil until the vegetables begin to soften. Add in your garlic, and cook until fragrant. Stir frequently, about 1 minute. Then, transfer your vegetable mixture to the slow cooker.
Add in your seasonings – thyme, oregano, salt, pepper, bay leaf, as well as your chicken broth and your chicken breasts. Stir everything together and cook on low for 6 – 7 hours or high for 3 – 4 hours.
Remove the chicken and bay leaf – shred the chicken and return to the slow cooker.
Cook your orzo pasta according to the package directions. While pasta is cooking, squeeze lemons for juice and zest.
Add cooked pasta, lemon juice, zest and baby spinach to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low about 5 minutes or until spinach wilts into the broth. Ladle the Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup into bowls and top with Parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb carrots chopped
- 3 stalks celery chopped
- 1 whole onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 32 oz low-sodium chicken broth
- 8 oz orzo pasta
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 lemon zested
- 5 oz baby spinach leaves
- shredded parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté carrots, celery and onions in hot oil until vegetables begin to soften. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to slow cooker.
- Add thyme, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, bay leaf, chicken broth, and chicken to slow cooker; stir.
- Cover and cook on low 6 - 7 hours or on high 3 - 4 hours.
- Remove bay leaf and chicken. Shred chicken and return to slow cooker.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, squeeze lemons for juice and zest.
- Add cooked pasta, lemon juice, zest and baby spinach to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low about 5 minutes or until spinach wilts into the broth.
- Ladle into bowls and top with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Nutrition
If you're looking for a deal on chicken for this recipe, you can get this Perdue Chicken Breast delivered right to your door!Â
If you love using your slow cooker and are looking for fun, easy, family friendly meals – check out our Slow Cooker Menu Planning Made Easy set! It's got 72 team tested recipes and comes with a weekly grocery list. I think you'll love the meals!Â
