Go Back
–+ servings
A pot of chicken meatball soup with spinach and orzo.
Print

Lemony Chicken Feta Meatball Soup

This Greek-inspired lemony chicken feta meatball soup features tender meatballs and orzo in a flavor-packed lemony broth for the ultimate comforting bowl to warm you without weighing you down.
Course dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Main Dish, Soup
Cuisine American, Greek
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 501kcal
Author Ann Otis

Ingredients

Chicken feta meatballs

  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or 1 tsp dried
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 tsp dried
  • 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chopped shallot
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 large egg lightly whisked
  • 2/3 cup breadcrumbs plain or panko
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Soup

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 3 celery ribs diced
  • 3-4 cloves garlic minced
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice approximately 1 1/2 lemons
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 cup uncooked orzo
  • 5 cups fresh spinach coarsely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or dill or 1 tsp dried
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Chicken Feta Meatballs

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.*
  • In a large bowl, combine the chicken, oregano, mint, dill, feta, shallot, garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, olive oil, zest, salt and pepper.
  • Roll into approximately 1.5 tablespoon meatballs and place on the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 16-20 minutes, until cooked through.

Soup

  • Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and garlic. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until the onions are translucent and starting to lightly caramelize.
  • Add the chicken stock, lemon juice, and paprika, and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the orzo, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, until the orzo is al dente, 10-13 minutes.
  • Stir in the cooked meatballs, spinach, oregano, salt, and pepper, and cook 2-3 minutes longer until the meatballs are heated through and the spinach is wilted.
  • Taste and add additional salt, pepper, and/or lemon juice to taste.

Video

Notes

*To cut down on dishes, instead of baking the meatballs, you could sauté them in the pot, and then use the same pot for the soup.
Storage Tips
Refrigerator This soup keeps well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, although the pasta will absorb a lot of broth. Add extra chicken broth when reheating to remedy this, OR you can cook the pasta separately instead of in the soup, store separately in the refrigerator and then just add portions to the soup when reheating.
Freezer. If you would like to freeze this soup, you will definitely want to cook the pasta separately as its texture will change once thawed. Cool the soup completely before transferring to airtight freezer-safe containers to freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 501kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 1476mg | Potassium: 987mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2660IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 234mg | Iron: 4mg