Warm up with a bowl of Creamy Chicken Orzo Soup! This 30-minute, one-pot comfort food simmers vegetables, shredded chicken, and orzo in a rich and creamy broth, making it a delicious choice for warm and cozy family dinners. Slow cooker instructions included.
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Whether it’s chilly outside or a sick day, there’s nothing a bowl of this Creamy Chicken Orzo Soup won’t fix. Like my Greek Avgolemono Chicken Soup and Creamy Lemon Dill Chicken Soup, it’s a feel-good comfort food that loads tender chicken, flavorful veggies, and bite-sized orzo into a luxurious broth. One bowl is all it takes to cure what ails you!
Best of all, this creamy chicken and orzo soup is easy to make in one pot in about 30 minutes. It’s even a breeze to make in the slow cooker! Whichever simple method you go with, I just know that this no-nonsense, deeply comforting soup will quickly become one of your new favorite cold-weather comfort foods.
Ingredients needed
- Butter
- Mirepoix – Carrots, celery, and onions give the soup its foundation of flavor. Remember to dice them into evenly sized pieces so they cook at the same rate. Feeling fancy? Use leeks instead of onions, fennel instead of celery, or parsnips instead of carrots.
- Garlic cloves
- Italian seasoning – Use a store-bought blend or make your own using my Italian Seasoning Substitute Recipe.
- Onion powder
- Chicken broth – I recommend using low-sodium broth. Homemade chicken stock or bone broth is even better, as they’ll add incredible depth.
- Orzo – This small, rice-shaped pasta makes the soup extra hearty and satisfying. You can substitute other small pasta shapes, such as ditalini, acini di pepe, or elbow macaroni.
- Pre-cooked shredded chicken – This recipe is a fantastic way to repurpose the leftover rotisserie chicken, shredded chicken, chicken breasts, or roasted chicken already in your fridge.
- Heavy cream – It’s what turns this into a creamy chicken soup. If you need a substitute, half-and-half or whole milk can work, though the soup won’t be quite as rich.
- Baby spinach
- Lemon juice – A squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end brightens the flavors.
- Salt and pepper
How to make creamy chicken orzo soup
Melt the butter in a large pot, then add the onion, carrots, and celery. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until the vegetables are tender.
Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and onion powder. Sauté for another minute before adding the broth, orzo, and shredded chicken.
Give everything a good stir and bring the soup to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and simmer until the orzo is plump and tender.
Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the heavy cream and spinach.
Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and enjoy!
Slow cooker instructions
Add the mirepoix, garlic, Italian seasoning, onion powder, and chicken broth to a slow cooker. Nestle raw chicken breasts into the soup mix, cover with a lid, and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours.
Transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board and shred them with two forks. Add the shredded chicken back into the crockpot, then stir in the orzo. Cook on high for another 20 to 30 minutes or until tender. Finish by stirring in the heavy cream, spinach, and lemon juice, then season to taste.
If you’re looking for more slow cooker soup recipes, you’ll also love these 40+ Easy Crockpot Soup Recipes for Soup Season!
Tips and tricks
- Taste the soup as you go. Store-bought chicken broth can be pretty salty sometimes, so you don’t want to add much extra salt without tasting it ahead of time.
- Consider topping the soup with fresh lemon zest for another layer of tangy zing!
- If it’s too brothy or thin, continue simmering the soup uncovered until it thickens. Stirring in a cornstarch slurry (made by mixing 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water) will also help thicken it up.
Variations
- Dairy-free – Replace the butter with olive oil and swap the heavy cream for full-fat coconut milk or cashew cream.
- Gluten-free – If you can’t find gluten-free orzo or another small gluten-free pasta, use quinoa or rice instead. Cook them separately and add them to the soup at the end.
- Vegetarian – Swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth and the shredded chicken for a can of drained and rinsed white beans or chickpeas. Also, don’t hesitate to sauté bell peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, or mushrooms with the mirepoix or stir in peas or corn at the end for extra heartiness.
Serving suggestions
This creamy orzo chicken soup is satisfying enough to serve on its own but also pairs well with these delicious sides:
Or you can serve it with any of these 30+ Side Dishes for Soup or these 25+ Best Sides for Chicken Noodle Soup.
Storing
I recommend cooking the orzo separately from the soup if you plan on saving the leftovers for later. If the orzo sits in the soup, it’ll absorb the broth and become soggy.
Once the soup and cooked orzo are cool, transfer them to separate airtight containers. Store them in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the leftovers in the freezer overnight before reheating.
To reheat, add the soup to a saucepan and heat over medium heat until warmed through. Stir in the orzo at the end, then enjoy. Feel free to stir in another splash of broth or water if the consistency thickened too much.
Erin’s wine pairings
- Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris: Look for a white wine with just a hint of sweetness to it – It’s a great way to tame down the heat in this soup.
- Rosé is another great match – It’s acidity, and light body will pair nicely with the Thai aromatics. (Here are some great rosé wines under $10)
- Bubbles – Prosecco, Cava and Champagne are all fun and unexpected wines to pair with spicy Thai dishes.
This soup deserves a wine that complements its depth and balances its freshness. Here are some delightful options:
- The light, buttery texture and slightly oaky flavors of Chardonnay or the clean, slightly floral notes of Pinot Grigio contrast the richness without overpowering the flavors.
- If you’re looking for something more crisp and refreshing, a bright, citrusy Sauvignon Blanc mirrors the lemony freshness perfectly.
More chicken soup recipes
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Full Recipe
Creamy Chicken Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- ¾ cup yellow onion (diced)
- 3/4 cup carrots (diced)
- 3/4 cup celery (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup orzo pasta (uncooked)
- 2 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat.
- Once melted, add onion, carrots, and celery and season with salt and pepper. Saute, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
- Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and onion powder. Saute 1 minute longer.
- Add the broth, pasta, and cooked, shredded chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes, until the pasta is tender.
- Remove the soup from heat and add the heavy cream and the spinach. Stir the soup until the spinach wilts.
- Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Notes
- Add the mirepoix, garlic, Italian seasoning, onion powder, and chicken broth to a slow cooker. Nestle raw chicken breasts into the soup mix, cover with a lid, and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours.
- Transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board and shred them with two forks. Add the shredded chicken back into the crockpot, then stir in the orzo. Cook on high for another 20 to 30 minutes or until tender. Finish by stirring in the heavy cream, spinach, and lemon juice, then season to taste.
- Taste the soup as you go. Store-bought chicken broth can be pretty salty sometimes, so you don’t want to add much extra salt without tasting it ahead of time.
- Consider topping the soup with fresh lemon zest for another layer of tangy zing!
- If it’s too brothy or thin, continue simmering the soup uncovered until it thickens. Stirring in a cornstarch slurry (made by mixing 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water) will also help thicken it up.
- Dairy-free – Replace the butter with olive oil and swap the heavy cream for full-fat coconut milk or cashew cream.
- Gluten-free – If you can’t find gluten-free orzo or another small gluten-free pasta, use quinoa or rice instead. Cook them separately and add them to the soup at the end.
- Vegetarian – Swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth and the shredded chicken for a can of drained and rinsed white beans or chickpeas. Also, don’t hesitate to sauté bell peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, or mushrooms with the mirepoix or stir in peas or corn at the end for extra heartiness.
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