Lemon Chicken Soup

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This Lemon Chicken Soup has lots of veggies, protein, and whole grains. It tastes savory and herby all with a little zing from the lemon.

Lemon Chicken Soup

I have a delicious soup recipe to share with you all today…and it’s deceivingly healthy too 🙂 Friends, meet my latest creation: Lemon Chicken Soup. It’s really just divine…which is saying a lot because {1} its soup I’m talking about and {2} it’s healthy.

Main Ingredients

Here is everything you are going to need to make this incredible Lemon Chicken Soup:

• Olive Oil and Yellow Onion – this soup starts out with sauteing onions, a basic yet powerful base.
• Carrots and Celery – carrots and celery are also sauteed with the onions. Perfect chicken soup accompaniments.
• Chicken Stock – this makes our recipe, soupy! My one tip here is to use high-quality chicken stock.
• Tarragon, Bay Leaf, Salt, and Pepper – these four seasonings are essential to this recipe. Super flavorful combination.
• Lemon Juice and Zest – if you think you aren’t going to like this soup because of the lemon, let me tell you that you can adjust the level of zinginess. Start out with no lemon juice and the zest of half a lemon and work your way up to the level of lemony goodness you want.
• Chicken – you can either use pre-cooked chicken or raw chicken in this recipe. For more information on how to cook raw chicken in this soup see the recipe card down below.
• Quinoa – if you have been looking for ways to use up your stash of quinoa in your pantry, this is it! So much yummy texture comes from quinoa.
• Chives – this is used as a garnish and is optional.

Variations

If you have other ideas for this Lemon Chicken Soup, make them a reality! I am all for the customization of my recipes for your needs. Here are a few ideas:

• Grain: if you don’t have quinoa on hand, feel free to use long grain brown rice or whole-wheat pasta. Even orzo would work well!
• Veggies: feel free to switch out the veggies for what you have on hand. Zucchini, peas, broccoli, and cauliflower all sound delicious.
• Vegetarian: if you are looking for a meatless option, leave out the chicken and switch out the chicken stock for veggie broth.

How to Make Lemon Chicken Soup

To make Lemon Chicken Soup, you add in the veggies, saute, then add in the stock and seasonings. Next is cooking the quinoa then adding in lemon flavor and chicken! For full details see the recipe card down below.

1. In a large pot, heat olive oil. Saute onion, carrot, and celery until softened.
2. Pour in chicken stock, tarragon, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Bring to boil, pour in quinoa, brown rice, or spaghetti. Reduce heat and cook until tender.
3. Stir in lemon juice, zest, chicken, and chives. Serve hot.

Note: If you don’t have already cooked chicken, stick 2 uncooked chicken breasts into the hot broth while the quinoa is cooking. After 20 minutes, remove, shred, and return to the pot.

Leftovers

Since Lemon Chicken Soup is a broth-based soup it stays good for longer than cream-based soups. Simply store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop!

More Soup Recipes to Try!

• Chicken Pot Pie Soup
• Easy Taco Soup
• Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup
• Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

If you have 30-45 minutes, be sure to whip up a batch of this lemon chicken soup. It will fill your families’ tummies and is something you can feel totally comfortable feeding your loved ones.

The printable is below, enjoy 🙂

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5 from 20 votes

Lemon Chicken Soup

This Lemon Chicken Soup has lots of veggies, protein, and whole grains. It tastes savory and herby all with a little zing from the lemon.

servings 6 servings

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 medium yellow onion diced
• ▢ 2 cups carrots peeled and chopped
• ▢ 4 stalks celery
• ▢ 6 cups chicken stock
• ▢ 1 teaspoon tarragon
• ▢ salt & pepper to taste
• ▢ 2 bay leaves
• ▢ 1/2 cup tri-color quinoa brown rice or spaghetti broken into pieces
• ▢ 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ▢ zest of 1 lemon
• ▢ 2 cups chicken* cooked and shredded
• ▢ 1 teaspoon chives

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• In large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute onion, carrot and celery for 5 minutes to soften.
• Pour in chicken stock, tarragon, salt, pepper and bay leaves. Bring to boil, pour in quinoa, brown rice or spaghetti and reduce heat to simmer and cook 20 minutes or until tender.
• Stir in lemon juice, zest, chicken and chives. Serve hot.

Notes

*If you don't have already cooked chicken, stick 2 uncooked chicken breasts into the hot broth while the quinoa is cooking. After 20 minutes, remove, shred and return to the pot.

Nutrition

Calories: 247kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 493mg | Potassium: 630mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 253IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 2mg

Course: Dinner, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: lemon chicken soup