It’s my new twist on a classic Chicken Noodle recipe, but this particular one has much more flavor and it’s much more fun! It’s a delicious soup made with chicken meatballs, veggies, and orzo pasta.
CHICKEN SOUP
For all of you picky eaters and those who try to feed picky eaters, this soup might just be your saving grace. Both of my kids can be quite impossible to feed and sometimes, even my husband whines when I make something with too many veggies.
So to try and please them, I put a fun twist on a classic chicken noodle soup with chicken meatballs instead of plain old chicken breast and orzo instead of noodles. They loved it! They loved the taste and they loves the addition of meatballs.
My secret with this recipe is in searing to get caramelization on onions and meatballs. So much great flavor comes from caramelized onion and meatballs, so make sure to get the onions golden brown and the meatballs too.
When you slowly add the stock, make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan with your wooden spoon to deglaze all that browned goodness off the bottom of the pan and mix it into the broth.
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN MEATBALL SOUP
Meatballs:
Combine all the ingredients for the meatballs in the mixing bowl and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Use a cookie scoop to get equal amount of mixture for the meatballs. Cover a cutting board with parchment paper and place meatballs into the paper.
Soup:
Preheat oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and shredded carrots and saute until it begins to caramelize. Make sure to stir often.
When it’s nicely golden, add crushed garlic and lower the heat to medium. Saute until garlic is fragrant then take the veggies out of the pot and set aside.
Add a little more oil and the meatballs. Cook meatballs on one side until golden brown and flip. Cook meatballs on the other side until golden brown as well. Once meatballs are almost cooked, add the veggies back into the pot and then pout in chicken stock.
Season with salt and pepper and add a bay leaf. Cover the pot with a lid and cook for about 15 minutes.
Stir in orzo and dill weed and cook until orzo is done. (About 10 minutes but make sure to taste the orzo to check.)
*Remember to discard bay leaf once the soup is done.*
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Chicken Meatball and Orzo Soup
Ingredients
Chicken Meatballs:
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1 egg
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp fresh minced dill weed
- salt and pepper to taste
Soup
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil to cook vegetables
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 medium carrots shredded
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil to cook meatballs
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup uncooked orzo
- 1 tbsp minced fresh dill weed
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
Meatballs:
- Combine all the ingredients for the meatballs in the mixing bowl and mix until thoroughly incorporated.
- Use a cookie scoop to get equal amount of mixture for the meatballs. Cover a cutting board with parchment paper and place meatballs onto the paper.
Soup:
- Preheat oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and shredded carrots and saute until it begins to caramelize. Make sure to stir often.
- When it’s nicely golden, add crushed garlic and lower the heat to medium. Saute until garlic is fragrant then take the veggies out of the pot and set aside.
- Add a little more oil and the meatballs. Cook meatballs on one side until golden brown and flip. Cook meatballs on the other side until golden brown as well. Once meatballs are almost cooked, add the veggies back into the pot and then pout in chicken stock.
- Season with salt and pepper and add a bay leaf. Cover the pot with a lid and cook for about 15 minutes.
- Stir in orzo and dill weed and cook until orzo is done. (About 10 minutes but make sure to taste the orzo to check.)
- *Remember to discard bay leaf once the soup is done.*
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles on November 3, 2013. Updated August 1, 2019.
Di says
Yum !!!! I just made this this AM and had it for lunch,,,,it’s delish !!! Now tell me ,,,,can it be frozen ? I would love to bring some to my Mom ,,but I won’t see her for 2 weeks 🙂
lyuba says
Hi Di!
I’m so glad you liked it!!
Honestly, I’ve never frozen it before. I’m not sure how cooked pasta would react for freezing and defrosting. Good luck!!
becca says
Did you ever try freezing? I’m dying to know if it worked! I want to share with my Mom too, and she won’t be here for two weeks either! Funny how that works.
lyuba says
Hi Becca! I’m sorry, I haven’t. I cook so much and so often, especially with working on the cookbook, I haven’t had the need to freeze it. I also forgot to try that. Things have me more than crazy 🙂 Next time I make it, I will definitely try.
becca says
That’s ok!! Maybe I’ll try it and report back. 🙂
Mazie says
Hi, put some soup aside for your mom before adding the orzo then freeze. You can give her a small zip bag of the dried pasta to add when she heats it up.
sarah says
Approximately how many people does this serve at i’m assuming 1 bowl per person? I have a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 children) Trying to decide if i should double the recipe or not. Thank you for your help in advance.
lyuba says
I would say that the recipe would be enough for dinner but most likely no leftovers. I would also depend on everyone’s appetite 🙂 You can add another cup of stock too. This soup should make 7-8 cups.
Tracey says
Sarah, I needed to serve four as well (myself, hubby, and two large teenagers!), so I made the recipe as is, only I added in twice as much stock, to ‘extend’ the soup, it was perfect and then I had a french loaf and a french baguette to go with it, to make sure they are good and full! 🙂
Kathryn says
I think it would work but Make sure the orzo is u set done. That way when reheating the pasta won’t be over done. Same for the veg too really. Only things that need to be cooked through are the meatballs. Everything else….if freezing it all should be under done so it can finish cooking when you actually are for group eat it. I make a lot of soups and freeze them for me (single) and my parents.
Karly says
This is cooking as I type this and it smells amazing! Can’t wait to have it for lunch today
lyuba says
Oh yay! I really hope you liked it, Karly!
Thank you 🙂
Tracy says
I really like this recipe and so glad I stumbled upon your site. I have an old friend from the Ukraine. she is Russian also, and her mother makes some wonderful chicken meatballs. These taste similar. I am looking forward to trying more of your recipes. But….let me get to this review. I actually made a blunder which ended up being a good thing. I had a little glass of wine, and went to sit on the patio while waiting for the soup, the last step. I forgot about the soup and when I came back, all of the liquid had been absorbed. It was no longer a soup, but a stew or not even that, but a wonderful mix of orzo, veggies, and meatballs. My husband is not a huge soup fan, so this worked out well for him. It was hard to judge the amount of salt it needed. I was afraid to put too much. So next time I make it, which there will be a next time, I will either add more salt or add a packet of onion soup mix. I would even consider adding a squeeze of lemon juice. Thanks for sharing your recipes!
lyuba says
Haha, I have definitely done it before! I’m glad that you were able to salvage the soup/stew 🙂
I would just add a little more salt and taste is as it’s cooking! I’m so glad you liked it!
Jaclyn says
Hi! Making the soup now can’t wait to try it! Only thing was the chicken meatball mix was really kinda sticky to work with so I added water to my hand to make it a bit easier and I had to do the meatballs in batches bc they all wouldn’t fit in my pan but I can’t wait to try it smells really good!!
Kaitlain Lake says
I made the chicken meatball and orzo soup for dinner tonight and it was AMAZING! I was pleasantly surprised since I’ve never cooked with ground chicken. I’m trying to work my way through all of my pinterest recipes and and then comment on thee original pages. Your recipe has been the best so far!!!
lyuba says
That is so nice of you, Kaitlain! Thank you for such a sweet comment, I’m so glad you liked the soup!
Sarah says
We loved this recipe! A couple things we did differently: subbed turkey for chicken as it was cheaper at the market, used acini de pepe pasta as it cooks in the same time as orzo and I also had it on-hand, and we also pureed the vegetables because my boyfriend doesn’t like “chunks” in his soup. 😉 It was quite good. We’d make it again! We served it alongside asiago bread.
lyuba says
Sounds wonderful! I’m glad you enjoyed it, Sarah!
H says
Stumbled across this recipe on Pinterest and made it for dinner tonight. It was really good and the whole family enjoyed it. I did have to add a little more broth as the orzo cooked to keep it “soupy” but otherwise, was a great dinner. Thanks!
lyuba says
I’m so happy to hear that!! Glad everyone enjoyed it, H 🙂
Barbara says
This was delicious and relatively easy to make. Best of all the kids liked it too. Thanks for the recipe!
Cath says
Thank you for being a reader who posted after they tried this recipe. So many people comment on how wonderful the recipe sounds but so few seem to comment after it’s been made. I had to scroll many comments before I got yours.
Pamela says
It’s a breezy sunny Sunday afternoon here in West Palm Beach, Fl and I saw the recipe and immediately knew I had to make it. …what’s not to like. It’s on to stovetop as I’m writing my review and I already know it’s a hit. I’ve tasted the meatballs and the broth and its “Delicioso!!! I can’t wait to properly sit down with my husband and really enjoy every bit of this recipe. I did have a challenge with the meatballs sticking and falling apart a little sny recommendation? Thank you for sharing your love of food and eating.
Jen says
I have been looking forward to making this and finally did today. It was yummy! I had ground turkey on hand, so I used it instead of ground chicken, broth instead of stock. I wish I would have stock on hand, but I’ll use it next time.
Wonderful recipe!!
Jen says
Excuse my typos…I’m on my phone :/
lyuba says
No problem at all! I’m so happy you liked it!! The original plan was to use turkey but I went with chicken because my boys like it better 🙂
Thank you, Jen!
Mackenzie @ Cheerios and Lattes says
Oohh Lyuba this looks delicious! I’ve never actually made chicken meatballs; what a great idea!
Samantha @ Five Heart Home says
This looks delicious, Lyuba! I’ve pinned it and shared it on my Five Heart Home Facebook page. Can’t wait to try it on one of these chilly nights!
Kristen Duke says
This sounds perfect for a chilly day! Good to know for picky eaters that substituting Ditalini is a good alternative!