Marry Me Chicken Orzo Soup
Marry Me Chicken Orzo Soup is a take on the very popular Marry Me Chicken dish, that consists of a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce on top of chicken breasts. This creamy and cozy soup is perfect for soup season and is so easy to make!
You've heard of Marry Me Chicken, right? The original viral recipe includes boneless skinless chicken breast that are cooked in a creamy sauce made with sun-dried tomatoes, cream, and herbs. It's a super delicious, show-stopping main dish that is so full of flavor.
Of course, I love a good spin on viral recipes, so this Marry Me Chicken Orzo Soup was born. It has all of the flavors of Marry Me Chicken, in one cozy and amazingly tasty soup! Best yet, it is SO easy to make. I love using the shredded rotisserie chicken from Target, which makes it so fast to make. My entire family loved this soup, and we ate the entire batch at once!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy - this soup is seriously so easy to whip up!
- Delicious - this soup has a ton of flavor from garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, chicken, and tomato paste!
- Comforting - there's nothing more comforting than a warm cozy soup.
Ingredients
Olive Oil - this is used to sauté the onion and garlic in as the base of the soup.
Onion - this adds flavor and texture to the soup.
Garlic - for that savory garlic flavor. You can use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder if you don't have fresh garlic.
Italian Seasoning - the herbs in Italian seasoning pair perfectly with the rest of the flavors.
Tomato Paste - this makes the broth rich and savory.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes - I love the flavor that sun-dried tomatoes add to this soup!
Chicken Breasts - I use shredded rotisserie chicken but you can use leftover cooked chicken, shredded chicken thighs, or just any shredded or diced chicken you have or like.
Orzo Pasta - this is a rice-shaped pasta that is great for adding to soups.
Chicken Broth - this is for the bulk of the soup broth. You can use water with bouillon, too.
Fresh Baby Spinach - finely chopped, it adds color and nutrition!
Half and Half - this adds creaminess to the soup and makes it rich and delicious.
Parmesan Cheese - optional, but delicious when sprinkled on top.
Variations
Half and Half Substitute - you can use heavy cream for an even more rich flavor, or full-fat coconut milk for a dairy-free soup. You could also use cream cheese to make it creamy. To do this take 4 ounces of cream cheese and combine it with ½ cup of warm broth and whisk well to combine. Then add it to the soup after the orzo is cooked.
Chicken Substitute - you can use shredded turkey instead of chicken, if you prefer. You could also make it vegetarian and add a meatless chicken substitute or some beans like white beans or garbanzo beans.
Use Uncooked Chicken - to use uncooked chicken, dice it into bite-sized pieces and sauté it with the onion, cooking until pretty much cooked through. Then, it will cook all of the way through when it cooks with the orzo pasta.
Add More Vegetables - you could definitely beef up this soup with some vegetables. I think diced zucchini, summer squash, mushrooms, or carrots would all work well.
Fresh Herbs - you could use fresh oregano, thyme, and basil instead of Italian seasoning, if you prefer. You could also add some fresh basil on top of the soup as garnish.
Add Some Heat - you could add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes to add a little spice to the soup recipe.
Step by Step Instructions
Photo 1. Add the olive oil to a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, season with salt and black pepper, and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
Photo 2. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook another couple of minutes.
Photo 3. Stir in the tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes and stir well to combine.
Photo 4. Add the orzo, chicken, and broth and bring to a boil.
Photo 5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the pasta is softened.
Photo 6. Add the half and half and chopped spinach and cook a couple of minutes, or until the spinach is wilted. Serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips
Storage - store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Make Ahead - you can prep this ahead of time and then just reheat on the stove once you're ready to serve. You might need to add some more broth or water to thin out the broth again.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes - I prefer sun-dried tomatoes that are packed in oil, as I think they have more flavor. You can also use the kind that comes in a bag.
Stirring - stir the soup often to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the soup pot.
Recipe FAQs
Soups with cream are typically not great after they've been frozen, so I personally would not try freezing it.
Yes! I would add all of the ingredients except the orzo, half and half, and spinach, and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours. You could add raw chicken so it cooks throughout the day, or add pre-cooked shredded chicken along with the orzo. Add the orzo with 30 minutes left to cook and cook on high, and then stir in the spinach and half and half at the end.
Other Recipes to Consider
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #greensnchocolate.
Marry Me Chicken Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small white onion diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
- 1 cup orzo
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups chopped spinach
- 1 cup half and half
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and Italian seasoning, and cook another minute.
- Add the tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes and stir well to combine.
- Add the orzo, chicken, and chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the orzo is cooked through.
- Stir in the chopped spinach and half and half, and cook until the spinach is wilted.
- Serve topped with shredded Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
