Creamy Chicken Orzo Soup
A cosy, nourishing bowl that brings together tender chicken, earthy mushrooms, sweet carrots, and fragrant thyme in a creamy, comforting broth. The coconut milk adds a velvety richness without feeling heavy, while the lemon zest brightens the whole pot with a fresh, uplifting finish. Stirring in the orzo gives the soup a satisfying heartiness, making it a beautiful balance of protein, fibre, and soothing warmth — the kind of meal that feels restorative on busy days or cool evenings.
Ingredients
- ½ cup orzo (cooked)
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 6 cups mushrooms (roughly chopped)
- 1 yellow onion (diced)
- 2 carrots (sliced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 500 g chicken breast (diced)
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 lemon (zest)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 cups canned coconut milk
Instructions
- Prepare the orzo as directed on the packet, drain, rinse with cold water and then set aside. Over medium-high heat, add the avocado oil and mushrooms to a large pot and season with salt and black pepper. Cook without stirring for 5-10 minutes. Stir, then cook until the mushrooms are a nice brown colour (approximately another 10 minutes).
- Next, add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes, until they are softened. Turn the heat to medium and stir in the carrots, garlic, diced chicken, and thyme. Stir well to combine everything together. Cook for 5-6 minutes.
- Stir in the lemon zest, chicken broth, canned coconut milk and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low-medium, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the cooked orzo and stir to combine into the soup before serving.
Notes
- Optional Ingredients To Add: Stir in 2 tbsp of Tamari for more
flavour. Add 1 tbsp of miso paste (dissolved in water) once the soup
has been removed from the heat. Both ingredients are salty,
therefore, wait to season the soup with salt until after these are added. - Vegan Option: Replace the chicken with cooked chickpeas and
substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth. - Toppings: Sauteed balsamic mushrooms add a lovely flavour as a
topping. - No Orzo: Replace with cooked brown rice pasta, wholegrain
spaghetti, or quinoa, or omit it altogether for fewer carbs.
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