Description
This Crockpot Lemon Chicken Soup is a comforting and flavorful slow-cooked meal featuring tender shredded chicken, vibrant lemon zest and juice, hearty vegetables, and orzo pasta. Perfect for a cozy dinner, it combines the ease of slow cooking with a refreshing citrus twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
- 3 celery stalks, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 cups chicken broth
Finishing Ingredients
- Zest from ½ lemon
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 1 cup uncooked orzo
- Fresh chopped parsley (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare Soup Base: Add the chicken, carrots, celery, garlic, salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and bay leaves into a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour in the chicken broth to combine all ingredients.
- Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker and set it to cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, allowing flavors to meld and the chicken to become tender.
- Remove Bay Leaves and Shred Chicken: About 30 minutes before serving, remove and discard the bay leaves. Take the chicken out of the slow cooker and shred it using two forks.
- Add Lemon and Orzo: Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, orzo pasta, and shredded chicken back into the slow cooker. Turn the heat to HIGH and cook for another 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom.
- Season and Serve: Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve the soup topped with fresh chopped parsley for a bright, fresh finish. Enjoy your comforting lemon chicken soup!
Notes
- You can substitute chicken breasts for thighs if preferred; just adjust cooking time slightly if necessary.
- For a thicker soup, reduce the chicken broth by 1 cup.
- Orzo can be replaced with other small pasta like ditalini or acini di pepe.
- Fresh lemon juice is key to the bright flavor, so avoid bottled lemon juice.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and can be frozen for up to 2 months.
