Name: Bone-in Chicken Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 2 pounds bone in chicken thighs; 1 yellow onion (diced); 2 carrots (diced); 2 celery stalks (diced); 1 zucchini (diced); 2 garlic cloves (minced); ½ teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon turmeric; 1/2 teaspoon ginger; 1 bay leaf; 1-2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried); 1-2 sprig fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried); 4 cups chicken broth; 3/4 cup orzo; 1/2 lemon (juiced)

This cozy Chicken Soup recipe uses bone-in chicken thighs, orzo, and lemon juice. It is my favorite easy chicken soup recipe if I feel under the weather. The extra vegetables and a little ginger make it flavorful, warming, and perfect for fending off a cold.

A bowl of orzo and chicken soup with lemon slices and a slice of bread.

Sometimes, there is nothing better than a bowl of classic chicken noodle soup on a cold day; it's the ultimate comfort food, especially when it requires minimal prep and is full of flavor. I recently made this soup for a family dinner, and my aunt said she felt like she was coming down with a cold. I said, "It's good I made my bone broth chicken soup." Whether you're feeling ill or just want some comforting soup, this recipe is for you.

If you love soup, you'll also love my Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup, Stuffed Pepper Soup and Slow Cooker Pumpkin Soup.

Jump to:

Why You'll Love this Recipe
Ingredients & Substitutions
Instructions
Sarah's Top Tips
Serving
Storage & Reheating
More Chicken Recipes
Recipe
Comments

Why You'll Love this Recipe

Comforting. This lemon chicken orzo soup recipe contains vegetables, turmeric, and ginger.
It's filling. The delicious, hearty soup will keep you full for hours. If you are in the mood for potato soup, check out my Chicken Potato Soup.
Flavorful. Juicy bone-in chicken thighs, fresh herbs, and fresh lemon juice make this soup extra flavorful.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Chicken thighs. This recipe calls for bone-in chicken thighs. They add so much flavor to the lemon chicken soup and are juicy, unlike chicken breasts. I highly recommend not substituting them. However, you can use boneless chicken thighs or shredded chicken.
Chicken broth. I use low-sodium chicken broth and season with additional salt at the end. This is a great soup to make with that homemade broth you have.
Vegetables. You will need a yellow or white onion, carrots, celery, and zucchini. You can also add your favorite vegetables, such as spinach or corn.
Orzo. I always have orzo in my pantry, but you can also use another small pasta such as ditalini.

Lemon juice. The bright lemon flavor squeezed in at the end elevates this soup. Don't skip it.

See the recipe card below for quantities and remaining ingredients.

Instructions

Browned chicken thighs in oil in a Dutch oven.

Step 1: Add olive oil to a large pot and brown the chicken on both sides. Remove the chicken thighs from the pot, remove the skin, and set aside.

A pot filled with diced onion, carrots, celery and zucchini.

Step 2: Add the vegetables and cook until softened.

Chicken thighs on a bed of vegetables in a pot.

Step 3: Combine the vegetables with the spices, add the chicken back in and pour in the broth. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.

A large pot filled with chicken thighs and broth.

Step 4: Remove the chicken from the pot, get rid of the bones and shred. Add the cooked chicken back to the pot with the orzo. Once the orzo is cooked, turn off the heat and squeeze in lemon juice. Serve and enjoy!

Sarah's Top Tips

I like using bone-in thighs because chicken bones add flavor! Once the chicken is simmered in the pot, it will fall right off the bone.
Brown the chicken before adding it to the soup. To add flavor, I do this with all my one-pan/pot recipes containing meat.
If you plan to have leftovers or make this for meal prep, cook the orzo separate from the soup and add it to each bowl so it doesn't soak up all the liquid like when making pastina soup.

A spoon in a bowl of chicken and orzo soup.

Serving

I recommend serving the chicken soup with orzo alone, as it is filling. I like to garnish mine with some chopped fresh parsley and lemon zest. Serve each bowl of soup with crackers, crusty bread and butter, or your favorite sandwich.

Storage & Reheating

Leftover soup should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. If it will be stored for more than a day, I recommend cooking and storing the orzo separately so it doesn't soak up all the liquid. Reheat in the microwave for about 2 minutes or on the stovetop on medium heat until warm. Add more broth or water as necessary to thin out the soup.

You can freeze the soup for up to 3 months, but I recommend freezing it without the orzo. Thaw the soup, reheat on the stove, and add the orzo and more broth if needed.