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Warm Chicken Orzo Tomato Soup

A cozy slow cooker soup with shredded chicken, tender orzo, tomatoes, herbs, and Parmesan in a light, comforting broth.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Soup
Cuisine: American, Mediterranean-Inspired
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the soup base
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 2 carrots peeled and sliced
  • 2 stalks celery sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes 1 can
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the chicken and pasta
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 cup dry orzo
For finishing
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated, plus more for serving

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker 6-quart recommended
  • 1 skillet optional, for sautéing vegetables
  • 1 Cutting board
  • 1 Knife
  • 1 Measuring cups and spoons
  • 2 forks for shredding chicken

Method
 

Prepare the base
  1. If desired, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until starting to soften. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more.
  2. Transfer the vegetables to the slow cooker. Add the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, oregano, basil, thyme, salt, pepper, and chicken breasts.
  3. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
Shred chicken and cook orzo
  1. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it with two forks.
  2. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir in the dry orzo.
  3. Cover and cook on high for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once or twice if possible, until the orzo is tender.
Finish and serve
  1. Turn off the heat and stir in the chopped parsley and grated Parmesan.
  2. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed, then ladle into bowls and serve with extra Parmesan.

Notes

Add the orzo near the end so it does not become too soft. For leftovers, cook the orzo separately if you prefer a brothier soup. Add extra broth when reheating if the soup thickens.