Leftover Turkey Orzo Soup

5 from 21 votes

This leftover turkey orzo soup is my favorite way to use up any leftover Thanksgiving turkey or even chicken. It's light and packed with flavor from the aromatics and vegetables, and the tender orzo adds the perfect comforting feel to the soup.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 328kcal

Author: Tania

Equipment

6-quart Dutch oven

Ingredients

1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
Olive oil for sauteeing
4 cloves minced garlic
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves roughly chopped
½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base flavor, to taste
6 to 7 cups chicken broth plus more as needed
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
3 cups shredded cooked turkey meat or leftover chicken
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped Italian parsley
Lemons for serving

Instructions

In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat a few generous drizzles of olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onions, celery, and carrots until softened, about 8 minutes.
Add the minced garlic, thyme, and Italian seasoning. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Then, stir in 2 teaspoons of Better Than Bouillon chicken base.
Add the chicken broth and bring to a low boil.
Then, add the shredded turkey (or chicken) and orzo pasta. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 12-15 minutes, with the lid partially covered, until the orzo is cooked to your liking. Tip: The orzo will continue cooking with the residual heat, so you can turn off the heat once it's al dente.
Remove from heat. Stir in a handful of freshly chopped Italian parsley to taste.
To serve, garnish with more parsley on top and serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice - it adds brightness and flavor to the soup. Enjoy!

Notes

Cook with the lid partially covered to prevent any spilling when cooking the pasta.
You can either shred or chop the turkey. Both turkey breast or dark meat work great here - just make sure to fully debone.
Highly recommended: Serve with fresh parsley and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice!
To preserve the texture of the orzo, cook until just al dente since it will continue cooking with the residual heat from the hot broth.
Storing: Let the soup cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
Freezing: Once cooled, freeze for up to 3 months in containers or bags.
Reheating: Add a splash of broth when reheating over the stovetop, to loosen it up. You can also reheat from frozen in a medium pot over steady medium-low heat.

Substitutions:

Leftover shredded turkey: Shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken
Orzo: Ditalini, acini di pepe, rotini, egg noodles
Vegetables: Spinach, kale, zucchini, green beans
Seasonings: Fresh or dried herbs.

Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.

Nutrition