Instant Pot Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is a light and delicious soup that you can make in minutes. This pressure cooker lemon chicken orzo soup is healthy and tasty, with simple ingredients, and is an easy Instant Pot chicken soup to make.
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup in the Instant Pot
If you are looking for an Instant Pot soup recipe that is lighter and has a bright, savory flavor, this may be the one for you!
This soup is lemony and has just the right amount of chicken and orzo pasta in it. It tastes fresh and is quick to make!
I like to have a simple chicken soup recipe on hand that I can make easily and quickly for times we want to eat lighter, or if one of us is under the weather. Soup that doesn't come from a can.
Want more Instant Pot soups? We have over 75 delicious Instapot soup recips for you to try: Instant Pot Soups
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is best made with skinless/boneless chicken thighs, as they are more juicy and tender than skinless/boneless chicken breasts. Either way you make this soup, it will be delicious!
Tips For This Instant Pot Soup Recipe
- If you are making Instant Pot Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with chicken breast meat, cut the pieces a little larger than bite-sized as that will help them not get too dry. The short cook time helps with that as well.
- Boneless-skinless chicken thighs are very good in this recipe.
- Orzo pasta comes in whole wheat as well as the regular kind, so if you want a whole grain option, look for that. Orzo is really economical, too. I can often find a 1-pound box of name brand orzo for about $1.99.
- If you don't have fresh lemons, bottled lemon juice will work in a pinch.
Does This Soup Freeze Well?
• This chicken soup freezes well, with the possibility of the orzo becoming really soft. So if you can freeze a portion without the orzo, that will be better. I just freeze it as made because the soft orzo doesn't bother me.
• You can also store this soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
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If you make this Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup in the Instant Pot, please let me know. Just leave a comment and star rating below! I would like to know how you liked it.
Instant Pot Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is a light and delicious soup that you can make in minutes. This chicken soup is healthy, with simple ingredients.
- 2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1-2 stalks Celery, chopped (about ½ cup)
- 2 Carrots, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 Chicken Thighs or Breasts, skinless/boneless (cut in larger than bite sized pieces)
- 1 sprig Fresh Rosemary (about 1½ tsp chopped leaves)
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Saalt (or ¼ tsp table salt) or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- 5 cups Chicken Broth, low sodium
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Zest
- ½ cup Orzo Pasta, uncooked
- ¼ cup Lemon Juice, fresh
- 2-3 cups Baby Spinach Leaves
- Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Lemon Wedges
- Fresh Parsley
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Have all of your ingredients prepped before starting to cook the soup. Veggies chopped, etc.
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Turn pot on to the sauté setting. When the pot is hot add the olive oil. Then add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until turning translucent.
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Add the celery, carrots, and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for about 20 seconds.
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Add the chicken, rosemary, salt & pepper. Stir.
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Add the broth, lemon zest, and orzo pasta. Stir.
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Place the lid on and set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
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Press the Pressure Cook or Manual button or dial, then the +/- button or dial to select 3 minutes.
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When the cook time is finished, do a *Controlled Quick Release of the steam/pressure. *A controlled quick release means you release the steam in short bursts, then longer bursts, until you can be sure none of the sauce spews out of the vent with the steam from the intense pressure. Then fully open the vent and let it go.
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When the pin in the lid drops down, open it and add half of the lemon juice and the spinach leaves. Taste and adjust salt, if needed, and add the remaining lemon juice if you want. I tell people to use half in case they think it's too lemony. I like the full amount, but you may not. Or you may like more!
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Serve hot with some bread, lemon wedges, parmesan, or whatever you like.
Storage
Store this soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Jackie
Wonderful and flavorful! I used about 3/4 of the lemon juice and it was just right for me. I will definitely make this again and it seems so quick and easy. To me, using chicken thighs as suggested, instead of chicken breasts, makes for chicken chunks are nice and moist.