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–+ servings
a bowl of orzo with meatballs

Chicken Meatball Soup

This chicken meatball soup is a comfy bowl of goodness that makes any day better. Featuring delicious Italian-style meatballs, tender veggies and orzo in a herby, lemony broth, this soup simply feels like a big hug!
5 from 5 votes
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Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 283kcal
Author: Alice | Skinny Spatula

Ingredients 

For the meatballs

  • 1 lb (450 g) ground chicken
  • ½ cup (50 g) breadcrumbs
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the soup

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 medium carrot, diced
  • 2-3 celery stalks, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • ½ tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • ½ tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
  • ½ cup (75 g) orzo
  • 6 cups (1.5 l) chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • ⅓ cup (30 g) Parmesan, grated
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, eggs, parsley, garlic powder, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix everything until well combined. Form the mixture into small meatballs and place them on a tray or plate.
    1 lb ground chicken
    ½ cup breadcrumbs
    2 medium eggs
    2 tablespoons fresh parsley
    ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    ½ teaspoon dried basil
    ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    ½ teaspoon salt
    ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook until sealed and no longer pink (they don’t need to be fully cooked at this point). Work in batches, so you don’t crowd the pot. Place the cooked meatballs on a plate and set aside.
    2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Add the remaining olive oil to the same pot and saute the onion, carrot and celery stalks for 5 minutes or until softened.
    1 medium onion
    1 medium carrot
    2-3 celery stalks
  • Stir in the garlic, rosemary, thyme, and red chili flakes and continue to cook for another minute.
    2 garlic cloves
    ½ tablespoon fresh rosemary
    ½ tablespoon fresh thyme
    ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
  • Next, stir in the orzo, meatballs and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes until the orzo is al dente. Stir occasionally so the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
    ½ cup orzo
    6 cups chicken stock
  • Stir in the lemon juice, grated Parmesan and fresh parsley. Adjust the seasoning to taste and serve hot with extra freshly grated Parmesan on top if you like.
    1 tablespoon lemon juice
    ⅓ cup Parmesan
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 578mg | Potassium: 605mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1504IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition is per serving and is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.

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