Instant Pot “Welcome Home” Soup is a brothy lemon, chicken and orzo soup that is a welcoming, comforting dinner.
Both slow cooker and Instant Pot instructions are listed in the recipe card below.
Instant Pot “Welcome Home” Soup (with video)
As the name suggests, Instant Pot Welcome Home Soup is the perfect way to welcome someone home after a long day or after they’ve been out in the cold shoveling the walks! It is a soup that warms the soul. It is very simple with only a handful of basic ingredients but packs a flavor punch thanks to the lemon juice and zest.
This is a versatile soup that can be customized to your liking. Try adding in some of your favorite vegetables like sliced zucchini or spinach. Try sprinkling each bowl of soup with some freshly shredded parmesan cheese. Switch up the type of pasta to something that you have on hand! You can also use white rice instead of orzo too (pressure cook for 3 minutes).
I love when I’m on the ball and have a delicious dinner waiting for my husband and kids when they return home after a long day. This is love and service in my eyes and I hope that your family feels the love as they enjoy this soup at your house!
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Butter
- Onion–or shallot
- Garlic–I used fresh garlic cloves. You can also use 1 Tbsp of jarred garlic.
- Water
- Better than Bouillon Chicken Base–you can also use broth in the place of water and chicken base.
- Italian seasoning
- Carrots
- Celery
- Chopped rotisserie chicken–you can also follow this recipe for cooked chicken
- Orzo pasta–you can use 4-8 ounces another type of pasta that you like. For example egg noodles (1 minute pressure cook), rotini (2 minute pressure cook) or ditalini (1 minute pressure cook time).
- Lemon–a medium to large lemon will do
The Basic Steps
This is a simple recipe with easy ingredients. Watch my YouTube video to see all the steps of this recipe in action! I’d love it if you’d subscribe to my channel.
- Saute the onions and garlic.
- Deglaze the pot.
- Add in the ingredients.
- Pressure cook and release pressure.
- Stir in lemon zest and lemon juice.
- Serve!
Notes/Tips
- The orzo will absorb more and more liquid the longer it sits. If you don’t like this you can cook the orzo separately and drain it then scoop a little orzo into each bowl of soup you serve.
- Serve with French bread and a green salad.
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in a 3 or 8 quart pot.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Other recipes you can make with orzo are Instant Pot Cheesy Taco Orzo and Instant Pot Tomato Basil Parmesan Orzo.
- Helpful tools for this recipe: lemon squeezer* and lemon zester* and measuring spoons* and measuring cups*.
More Instant Pot Soups with LEMON!
Instant Pot Greek Chicken Lemon Rice Soup
This is a thick and hearty version of creamy Greek avgolemono soup. It has tender bites of chicken, rice, carrots and of course fresh lemon juice. This soup has unbelievable flavor! And it’s made quickly in your electric pressure cooker.
Instant Pot Lentil Lemon Chicken Soup
A brightly flavored chicken and lentil soup based on the Greek Classic avgolemono, which translates as “egg-lemon.” It is a light and healthy soup that can be served for lunch or dinner.
Clean Me Out Soup
Clean me out soup is an Instant Pot or Crockpot recipe for a delicious and nutritious soup that makes you feel so good!
Straight from Heaven Soup
Straight from Heaven Soup is a surprisingly good soup that is made in your Instant Pot or Crockpot. It’s got the most heavenly broth with thick egg noodles, moist chunks of chicken and vegetables. Pin this recipe for later! Straight from Heaven Soup I served this to a friend, my parents, my husband and kids
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.
Instant Pot “Welcome Home” Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 minute
- Total Time: 21 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
A brothy lemon, chicken and orzo soup that is a welcoming, comforting dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 cup diced onion
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 6 cups water
- 2 Tbsp Better than Bouillon Chicken Base
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 3–4 carrots, peeled and cut into half inch pieces
- 3 celery ribs, sliced or diced
- 2–3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
- 1/2 cup orzo pasta
- 1 medium to large lemon
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the butter and let it melt. Add in the onion and saute for 3 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the water and scrape bottom of pot.
- Add in chicken base, Italian seasoning, carrots, celery, chicken and orzo.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the SOUP button to 1 minute. When time is up move valve to venting for a quick release. If foam starts escaping then move the valve back to sealing for 20 seconds before trying again. Remove the lid.
- Zest the lemon and juice the lemon. Stir the zest and juice into the Instant Pot.
- Ladle into bowls and serve.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Heat a pan over medium high heat. Add in the butter and the onion and saute for 3 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add to the slow cooker.
- Add in water, chicken base, Italian seasoning, carrots, celery, chicken and orzo.
- Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 2 hours.
- Zest the lemon and juice the lemon. Stir the zest and juice into the slow cooker.
- Ladle into bowls and serve.
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
The best soup I’ve had in awhile. Even though it’s summer, it was light and refreshing! Served with homemade sourdough bread.
★★★★★
So glad you made it and loved it! The sourdough sounds great!
I have made this several times and my family loves it! Instead of rotisserie I like to use Karen’s Seasoned Shredded Chicken, which is another go to recipe (link below). I had some fresh spinach this time that needed to be used so I added that in as well. The spinach added so much flavor, body and texture I’ll probably just make it a regular thing. https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/instant-pot-seasoned-shredded-chicken/
★★★★★
Thanks Kerry!
It was excellent. Served it with naan bread.
★★★★★
I love naan bread! Sounds like a perfect supper.
This recipe was fantastic! So easy to prepare and the citrus at a nice brightness to the soup. Husband went back for seconds and thirds. Will need to double next time. My only error was leaving everything in the instapot, instead of telling my husband to take it out after it was done because the orzo sucked up so much liquid and expanded so greatly, it appeared a little gelatinous. Totally my fault as it was on warm for 32 extra minutes which I have now made a note about. I love the cheat of using a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Thank you, Karen!
★★★★★
So glad you and your husband loved this soup! It is a good one!
How much chicken broth would I use if I substitute that for the Better than Bouillon? I can’t use that product because of the sugar in it.
I would use 6 cups of chicken broth instead of the water and bouillon.
Yep Terry is correct. Use 6 cups of broth and leave out the water and Better than Bouillon.