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Warm and hearty Gluten-Free Chicken Orzo Soup is a comforting one-pot meal for a chilly evening. This easy homemade soup is made on the stovetop from everyday ingredients.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Orzo Soup
- Hearty and cozy. It’s a chunkier, heartier spin on a chicken noodle soup, made with tender gluten-free orzo pasta in a savory broth loaded with veggies and shredded chicken.
- Quick and easy. This cozy homemade soup recipe is easy to throw together in a single pot on the stovetop, making it a perfect easy dinner.
- Leftovers are amazing. The pasta soaks up even more flavor the longer it’s kept in the broth, so the leftovers are just as good as a bowl fresh off the stove.
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free option, Dairy-free
- Skill Level: Easy
For more cozy dinner ideas, check out my Instant Pot white chicken chili, white turkey chili, and slow cooker turkey chili recipes too.
What You’ll Need
This thick and chunky chicken orzo soup only calls for a few basic ingredients (that I’ll bet you already have in your kitchen!). Below you’ll find a brief overview of what you’ll need. Don’t forget to refer to the recipe card with the full recipe details.
- Carrots, Onion, and Garlic: The perfect combination of chopped veggies for a delicious, aromatic flavor base in this soup.
- Chicken Broth: Use a good-quality, low-sodium chicken broth or stock. Alternatively, your preferred vegetable broth will also work.
- White Wine: Choose a dry white wine, like a sauvignon blanc or chardonnay. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on the bottle you use to cook with, but the better quality wine it is, the better the flavor of the soup will be. Alternatively, if you’d prefer to make this recipe without alcohol, use equal parts chicken broth instead.
- Frozen Peas: Peas add an appealing pop of green to the soup, as well as additional veggies.
- Chicken: This chicken orzo soup is a great way to use up cooked chicken in the fridge. I’ll often make a batch of soup whenever I have leftover Air Fryer Rotisserie Chicken.
- Gluten-Free Orzo: If you’re not making this recipe gluten-free, feel free to use regular orzo pasta.
- Fresh Parsley: I love including a sprinkle of fresh, finely chopped parsley in my orzo soups and stews. It’s totally optional, but it does bring some nice additional flavor. You can use another herb if you prefer, like fresh basil, thyme, or oregano.
- Salt and Pepper
What Is Orzo? Is Orzo Gluten-Free?
Orzo might look a lot like rice, but it’s actually a type of small Italian pasta. Traditional orzo pasta is made from semolina or wheat flour and isn’t gluten-free.
Nowadays, you’ll find variations of orzo made with gluten-free flour, that are safe for gluten-free diets. Gluten-free orzo is found alongside other gluten-free pasta in most major grocery stores, or you can order it online. If you can’t find it, you can still make this recipe with alternatives like Arborio rice, quinoa, millet, or another type of small, gluten-free pasta.
How to Make Chicken Orzo Soup
Chicken and orzo soup is an incredibly low-maintenance recipe. You can make this one-pot soup on the stovetop in a little over an hour, which makes it a great option for cozy lunches and dinners. Scroll down to the recipe card for more detailed instructions.
- Cook the veggies. Saute the carrots and onions in olive oil then stir in the garlic.
- Add the broth and chicken. . Deglaze the pot with white wine, scraping the bottom of the pot. Cook off the wine for 10 minutes. Stir in the broth, followed by the chicken and parsley. Season with salt and pepper then bring to a slow boil.
- Cook the orzo. Stir in the orzo, cover, and simmer to al dente. Add the frozen peas when the orzo is tender. If needed, add a bit of broth to thin out the soup.
Tips for the Best Chicken Orzo Soup
- How do you keep orzo from getting mushy? The trick is to not overcook it. Since you boil the gluten-free pasta right in the soup, make sure to cook it until it’s just al dente. This leaves a bit of wiggle room for the orzo to continue to soften while it sits in the soup, without turning to mush.
- Double the recipe. I love making a BIG batch of soup ahead of time to store or freeze. It’s easy to double the ingredients and enjoy cozy bowls of homemade chicken orzo soup all week long. Or, freeze it – see the section below for details.
Easy Add-Ins and Variations
Like any homemade soup or stew, this chicken orzo soup recipe is easy enough to make your own with add-ins and ingredient variations.
Make an easy lemon chicken orzo soup by squeezing fresh lemon into the soup before serving. Or, for a richer flavor, grate in fresh parmesan cheese.
Here are more easy add-ins to try:
- Other Veggies: Include diced zucchini, tomatoes, bell peppers, broccoli, kale, butternut squash, or spinach.
- More Protein: In addition to or in place of chicken, stir in cooked and sliced Italian sausage, or diced ham.
- Herbs: Fresh or dried basil, oregano, tarragon, thyme, or Italian seasoning are all good options that complement the soup.
- Vegetarian: Use vegetable broth and swap the cooked chicken for cooked tofu (or leave it out altogether) for an easy vegetarian orzo soup.
Proper Storage
- Fridge. Store the soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer. Chicken orzo soup freezes well. Once cooled, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 3-4 months. Defrost the soup in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Note that the soup does thicken as the orzo pasta absorbs more of the broth. You can add additional water or broth before reheating and serving if you’d like to loosen the soup up a bit.
Make It a Meal
This chicken orzo soup is a meal on its own, and just as wonderful to serve with more easy sides. We’ll enjoy a hearty bowl of soup alongside a fresh Farmhouse Salad or Romaine Wedge Salad for a bistro-style dinner or lunch. Or, for something stick-to-your-ribs, serve a bowl with a side of Gluten Free Breadsticks.
As a starter, chicken orzo soup makes a wonderful lead-in to a meal of Slow Cooker Steak Pizzaiola or Beef Wellington Braciole paired with Lemon Parmesan Roasted Broccoli or Oven-Roasted Asparagus.
Chicken Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup white wine or additional chicken broth
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 1 cup uncooked gluten free orzo
- 3 tbsp minced fresh parsley
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a large soup pan heat the carrots, onions, and olive oil on medium heat. Saute for 2-3 minutes then add in the garlic.
- Mix around sautéing the veggies for 10 minutes. Slowly add the in the wine scraping the bottom of the pan. Cook for another 10 minutes until wine is gone.
- Add the broth, parsley and chicken, season with salt and pepper and bring to a slow boil and then add the orzo. Cover and let simmer on low for approximately 10-15 minutes, or until the orzo is tender but still firm (adjust cooking time based on package directions, as needed). Add in the peas and check the orzo, if it's too thick (to your liking) add a little water if not season with more salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve hot!
Notes
Did you make this?
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Look at all those veggies! This looks like a great filling dinner.
I know, so much good stuff in there!