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.
Instant Pot Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
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.
I am crazy about soup, and Instant Pot Soups are my favorite to make and to eat!
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!
If you are making Instant Pot Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with breast meat, cut the pieces a little larger than bite-sized, and that will help them not be too dry. The short cook time helps with that as well.
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!
Does Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Freeze Well?
This lemon chicken orzo soup freezes well, with the possibility of the orzo becoming really soft. So if you can freeze a portion without the orzo, you can do that. 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.
You Might Also Like These Instant Pot Soup Recipes
Instant Pot Wild Rice Soup with Chicken
Instant Pot French Onion Soup
Instant Pot Taco Soup
Instant Pot Simple Potato Soup
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 pressure cooker lemon chicken orzo soup is healthy, with simple ingredients, and is an easy Instant Pot chicken soup.
- 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 tsp 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.
Resources to Make this Instant Pot Soup Recipe
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Nicole
Can you make this with whole wheat orzo?
Sandy
Yes!
Morgan
Just made this recipe for the first time and it is such a winner. Flavor and seasoning is perfect as written. I prefer shredded chicken in my soup so I cut the breasts into halves and pressure cooked it for an additional minute.
Deonna Frye
I just made this and it’s fantastic! I added some leftover cabbage and dried dill and Italian seasoning because I didn’t have any Rosemary. It is fantastic! My picky child ate 4 bowls! Thanks so much!
Macy
Love it. I threw an extra rosemary sprig in and tossed a whole lemon in halved when I pressure cooked, but otherwise followed exactly. Lemony, light, yet surprisingly hearty. Would make again!!
Lorraine Willis
This is SO GOOD! I’ve made it a couple of times now. This time I used 3/4 cup of orzo instead of 1/2 cup, and 6 cups of broth instead of 5. Take the time to zest and use real lemon juice, and use fresh rosemary. Easily makes 6 good sized servings. It is so worth the time!
Ginger
I just accidentally put the lemon juice in before cooking..guess it should be ok. We’ll see..fingers crossed. My fiance and family are Greek so Lemon orzo soup is a regular here hoping this takes some of thw work out of it!
Sandy
It should be fine. You might need to add some after cooking if the lemon flavor isn’t strong enough for your taste.
Hillary
I was making chicken stock in my trusty IP & looking for a soup recipe that was outside of the norm. I saw this recipe &, being that I’m a huge fan of most anything lemon, and had all the ingredients on hand, I jumped at it. I’m so very pleased I did…it’ys a delicious medley of flavours!
I made some guesstimates on quantities as I had my 8qt pot full to the 2/3 mark with bone broth. I used a 1/2 cup of lemon juice (2 lemons…did I mention I LOVE lemon?) & a heaping cup of orzo & cooked for only 1 minute as the broth was already quite warm & my chicken was pre-cooked.
This is a keeper for sure!! Thanks for the new addition to my soup repertoire.
Sandy
Hi Hillary, what a great thing to make with bone broth! It is so good! Thank you for your review!