Greek Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe is a delicious dinner. Easy to make in the instant pot, crock pot or on the stove. Lemony and healthy!
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Best Chicken Soup Recipe
This Healthy Lemon Chicken Soup recipe is one of my favorite meals. Packed with veggies and hearty portions of chicken, it’s super filling and loaded with light lemony flavor.
This Greek Lemon Soup is delicious with rice, orzo, pasta, or quinoa! You can also make it paleo, Whole30, or gluten free by serving it with zucchini noodles!
why we love this Lemon Chicken Soup
- Easy to make: You can make this in the crockpot, instant pot or on the stovetop.
- Loaded with flavor: The fresh lemon juice adds a TON of flavor to this soup.
- Customizable: You can make this with pasta, zoodles, add more veggies, or use precooked chicken – the options are endless!
Easily made in the instant pot or in your crockpot, I promise this Greek Lemon Soup will make you want to enjoy soup year round!
For me, nothing is more comforting than cozy-ing up on the couch with a bowl of soup. It’s delicious and makes you feel all kinds of warm + fuzzy.
This Italian Wedding Soup was on repeat for a while, and we’re big fans of Taco Soup with Chicken and Best Chicken Tortilla Soup, but when I got sick a few months ago – I wanted my favorite lemon chicken soup.
I swear this soup always helps me get over being sick, along with my Home Remedies for Colds.
Lemon Chicken Soup Ingredients
You’ll need a few pantry/fridge staples to make Lemon Chicken Soup. You probably already have them on hand!
- garlic, carrots, onions, celery
- olive oil
- chicken breasts
- spices (bay leaves, salt, pepper, dried thyme, dried parsley)
- chicken stock or chicken broth
- lemon juice
- pasta
A citrus juicer and citrus zester will also be helpful to have! You can find all the substitutions for this post in the green shaded box below.
I often crave soup but don’t always have hours to spend over the stove. I love that this healthy lemon chicken soup can be made in the crockpot or instant pot to save time and energy!
Stovetop instructions are included below so you can make it on the stove if you’d like!
My favorite way to make it is in my instant pot. It is completely finished in under 30 minutes, and I think it really locks in all the flavor due to the pressure cooking!
How to make Greek Lemon Chicken Soup from scratch
You can make this soup in the instant pot or crockpot. Here is how to make it in the instant pot, although making it on the stove or in the crockpot is very similar!
- Sauté onions/celery, garlic until translucent
- Add in carrots/spices.
- Lay chicken on top of veggie mixture. Add chicken broth.
- Cover the instant pot and cook per the directions below.
- While the soup cooks, cook your pasta.
- Remove & discard bay leaves. Remove chicken, shred the chicken, and add back to the soup.
- Add lemon juice and stir together.
SO delicious and easy.
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Substitutions for Easy Lemon Chicken Soup
This soup is SUPER easy to make substitutions. Use whatever you have on hand to make it!
Olive Oil: You can substitute olive oil with avocado oil or melted butter.
Herbs: You can use most herbs interchangeably here. If you don’t have thyme or parsley, use rosemary or dried basil. Any of them will be delicious! You can also use dried or fresh herbs. The recipe calls for dried herbs, but if you’d like to use fresh herbs double the amount.
Pasta: We recommend cooking the pasta separately and then adding it to your soup once the soup is completely cooked. (Don’t try to add raw pasta into the soup when it’s cooking.. it will turn to mush!) Gluten free pasta will work just fine. Quinoa, rice, or cous cous will also be delicious! We also have Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup and Chicken Tortellini Soup recipes that are great!
Zoodles: If you’re looking for a whole30/paleo/gluten free noodle option I like adding zucchini noodles to this soup, although it’s delicious on its own!
Cauliflower Rice: Cauliflower rice is a great low carb addition to this soup instead of zoodles!
Chicken: You can make this using chicken tenders or chicken thighs if you prefer. You can also use pre cooked/shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken!
Leftover Chicken: You can use this instant pot shredded chicken, slow cooker shredded chicken, or chicken from a rotisserie chicken or roasted chicken. Cut the cook time in half if you’re not using raw chicken.
Spinach: You can add a couple of cups of chopped spinach when the soup is finished cooking. It’s a delicious addition!
Broth: Any broth will work in this. You can use bone broth, chicken stock, vegetable stock, etc.
Vegetarian: You could substitute beans for chicken in this recipe and it would be delicious. You’d also need to sub for vegetarian broth.
Creamy Chicken Soup: I have not tried making this chicken soup creamy. I worry that adding milk with lemon will make it curdle. Try at your own risk.
Parmesan Cheese: If you’re not paleo/whole30 I recommend tossing in a parmesan cheese rind with the soup while it’s cooking – it adds so much flavor! You can also top with parmesan or feta.
Chicken Soup Instant Pot
What is the Instant Pot soup setting? The instant pot soup setting is programmed to cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. We don’t recommend using the soup setting because it can overcook soup/veggies. It’s best to set the time on the instant pot yourself.
Can I make this easy chicken soup in the crockpot instead?
Yes! Instead of sautéing your veggies in the instant pot in step one of the recipe, sauté your celery, onion + garlic on the stove in a pan. Add sautéd veggies to the crockpot. Stir in carrots, halved lemons, fresh lemon juice + spices.
Place whole chicken breasts on top of vegetables in crockpot. Cover with chicken broth. Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours. You can also make it on the stove! This is all outlined in the recipe below.
Adding Rice to Lemon Chicken Soup
You can add all different kinds of things to this Lemony Chicken Soup. Cooked rice, orzo, or even zucchini noodles work great!
For rice, simply add cooked rice to your soup when it’s finished cooking!
Serving Lemon Chicken Soup
You can make lemon chicken soup with pasta or zucchini noodles. My tip is to keep either the pasta or zoodles separate until you’re ready to serve.
Zoodles: I like to serve this soup with zucchini noodles. I will squeeze the zoodles with a paper towel and trim them so they’re in smaller pieces. It’s delicious + extra veggies
You can also serve this recipe with cooked pasta (pastina, ditalini, orzo, etc) rice, quinoa, cous cous, or farro!
The soup is also fine without any of those additions. If you do choose to add pasta or zucchini noodles, I do NOT recommend adding either directly to the pot. Rather, add your serving of pasta or zoodles to your soup bowl, pour the soup over it, and stir.
This will help you avoid soggy noodles or pasta!
Storing & Freezing Lemon Chicken Soup
Storing: This soup keeps for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Freezing this soup: This soup freezes very well and will last for months in the freezer! We like these containers for freezing.
I do not recommend freezing or refrigerating it with zucchini noodles or pasta as they will get mushy. Check out this post on How to Freeze Soup.
Reheating: When you’re ready to eat, defrost the night before in the refrigerator. You can also heat in the microwave or on the stove directly from frozen.
For storing: This soup keeps for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Love chicken? If so – here are some of our other favorite healthy chicken recipes!
Chicken Soup Recipes FAQ
Yes, you can put lemon juice in soup! It’s delicious!
Lemon juice adds acidity to soup, which can help brighten the flavors.
A good chicken soup recipe shouldn’t need too much to be flavorful. Our favorite thing to add to chicken soup is fresh herbs. Fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, and parsley add flavor to the soup. Salt and pepper can also help to add flavor! A parmesan cheese rind or parmesan cheese on top can also add flavor.
You need to cook chicken soup on the stove for at least 30 minutes. The instant pot needs about 15 minutes, and the crockpot needs about 4 hours on high.
You can add richness to chicken soup by starting with a great chicken broth or stock. The best broth is bone broth for soups because it is so rich and flavorful. Herbs, spices, and a parmesan cheese rind can also add richness to chicken soup.
Yes, you can put raw chicken directly into soup. If you are going to be boiling the soup or cooking it for an extended period it’s totally fine to put raw chicken into it. Chicken breasts need to cook for at least 15 minutes. I’d cook them for at least 30 in a soup.
What cut of chicken is best for soup? Boneless chicken breasts or boneless chicken thighs are the best cut of chicken for soup. Chicken breasts are lower in fat and higher in protein while chicken thighs are higher in fat.
More Healthy Soup Recipes:
We love making healthy soups for dinner. They’re an easy, light dinner that everyone loves! You can get our free Healthy Soup Ebook here.
Make sure to check out these 35+ Healthy Soup Recipes. Here are some other healthy soup recipes you may like:
Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup celery chopped finely
- 1 cup onion chopped finely
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced, about 5 cloves
- 2 cups carrots sliced in small circles
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoons pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 bay leaves
- 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 3 chicken breasts
- 6 cups chicken broth low or no salt (1.5 quarts)
- 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (off to the side)
- 1 cup dry orzo or other pasta sub zoodles or GF pasta
Instructions
StoveTop Instructions
- Chop all vegetables (I prefer to put mine in the food processor!) In a large pot, heat olive oil in the pan and sauté celery, onion + garlic until fragrant and softened (about 5-10 minutes)
- Once cooked, stir in carrots and spices (including bay leaves).
- Place whole chicken breasts on top of vegetables. Cover with chicken broth. Do not add lemon juice to the pot.
- Cover pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer over low-medium heat for 45 minute to an hour.
- While the soup cooks, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook your pasta per the directions.
- After one hour, remove bay leaves from the chicken broth and discard. Remove chicken from the pot + shred on a cutting board with forks or in a mixer.
- Add shredded chicken, lemon juice and cooked pasta or zoodles to the pot. Stir to combine and enjoy!
- Pro Tip: To avoid soggy pasta/noodles: Add cooked orzo or zucchini noodles to a bowl. Serve soup on top of the zoodles/pasta. This prevents the pasta/noodles from absorbing chicken broth and turning mushy
Crockpot Instructions:
- In a pan, heat olive oil over stovetop. Sauté celery, onion + garlic until fragrant and softened, approximately 5-10 minutes.
- Add sautéd veggies to the crockpot. Stir in carrots and spices.
- Place whole chicken breasts on top of vegetables in crockpot. Cover with chicken broth. Do not add lemon juice to the pot.
- Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4-6 hours
- While the soup cooks bring a pot of water to a boil and cook your pasta per the directions.
- Remove bay leaves from the broth and discard. Remove chicken from the pot + shred on a cutting board with forks or in a mixer.
- Add shredded chicken, lemon juice and cooked pasta or zoodles to the pot. Stir to combine and enjoy!
- Pro Tip: To avoid soggy pasta/noodles: Add cooked orzo or zucchini noodles to a bowl. Serve soup on top of the zoodles/pasta. This prevents the pasta/noodles from absorbing broth and turning mushy
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Chop all vegetables. Set instant pot to Sauté mode for 10 minutes
- Heat olive oil in the pan and sauté celery, onion + garlic until fragrant and softened.
- Once cooked, stir in carrots and spices.
- Place whole chicken breasts on top of vegetables/spices in instant pot. Cover with chicken broth. Do not add lemon juice to the pot.
- Cover instant pot and set to sealing, ‘Soup’ OR Pressure Cook for 12 minutes.
- Allow the soup to come to pressure and cook. It should take about 10 minutes to come to pressure, but can take longer if your broth is cold.
- While the soup cooks, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook your pasta per the directions.
- Once the soup has cooked, quick release the pressure.
- Remove bay leaves from the broth and discard. Remove chicken from the pot + shred on a cutting board with forks or in a mixer.
- Add shredded chicken, lemon juice and cooked pasta or zoodles to the pot. Stir to combine and enjoy!
- Pro Tip: To avoid soggy pasta/noodles: Add cooked orzo or zucchini noodles to a bowl. Serve soup on top of the zoodles/pasta. This prevents the pasta/noodles from absorbing broth and turning mushy
Video
Notes
- Pasta – You can add orzo or pasta noodles to this and it will be delicious. Cook the pasta separately and then add it to your soup once the soup is completely cooked. (Don’t try to add raw pasta in to the soup when it’s cooking.. it will turn to mush!) *If you add pasta it will not be gluten free, paleo or whole30.
- Zoodles – If you’re looking for a whole30/paleo/gluten free noodle option I like adding zucchini noodles to this soup, although it’s delicious on it’s own!
- Parmesan Cheese – If you’re not paleo/whole30 I recommend tossing in a parmesan cheese rind with the soup while it’s cooking – it adds so much flavor!
- Broth – Any broth will work in this. You can use bone broth, chicken stock, vegetable stock, etc.
- Vegetarian – You could substitute beans for chicken in this recipe and it would be delicious. You’d also need to sub for vegetarian broth.
Anna De Loache says
This is my favorite soup of all time!! Thank you so much!
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m so glad you like it, Anna!! It’s one of my favorites too!
Monisha Rosenfeld says
Love this recipe! It was super easy to make and had so much flavor! I served the soup over orzo for my husband and I enjoyed it with rice noodles instead because I have celiac and have to eat gluten free. It was so filling and we loved it will definitely make it again 🙂
Jane says
It is unclear in this recipe. In some spots you add lemon halves and then add lemon juice at the end? Please clarify the steps when it comes to the lemon juice and halves.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Jane – Based on reader feedback I edited this recipe months ago to add the lemon juice to the pot after cooking instead of adding in lemon halves. The directions in the recipe state this, so please re-read and you should be good to go! Thanks!
Elizabeth says
Love this recipe! The lemon is so refreshing in the soup.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Totally agree!! I’m glad you love it 🙂
Alyssa Maas says
This recipe is amazing! It’s satisfying but light which makes it perfect if you are feeling under the weather. It’s so easy to make, I used my crockpot and am happy to have lots of leftovers for lunch. I thought I would want the orzo, but I used carrot noodles from Trader Joe’s and it’s rsally hearty as is!
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m so glad you like it!! I have to try that with the carrot noodles from Trader Joes – that’s such a good idea!!
Kate says
This soup was so delicious! Made it in the crockpot! Deffinetly a favorite 🙂
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m so glad you liked it, Kate!!
Emily Waffird says
I’m making this right now! I can not wait to try it! Question- I am a calorie tracker (and macro counter), and i know its 193kcal per serving, but can you tell me what a serving size is? Want to make sure I get to eat as much as i can, lol! I apologize if its listed somewhere on the post, I may have overlooked it. Thanks!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi! The recipe serves six, so I’d portion it out in 6 even containers and that will help you! 🙂
Emily says
You’re the best, thank you! It was delicious!!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m so glad you liked it 🙂
Cailee says
Should this have a bitter taste?
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Cailee – No it shouldn’t be bitter. I’m guessing this has to do with your lemons. Often when lemons are old they start to get a bitter taste! I’m sorry this happened to you 🙁
Tara says
Mine was also bitter. I wonder if it would be better to add more lemon juice instead of having the actual lemons in there
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Tara- I actually went back and retested this recipe twice after Cailee mentioned it was bitter. I didn’t have a problem either time! I truly think it is because of the lemons, but you can try just adding the juice instead of the actual lemon!
susan says
I was teaching some friends how to use a pressure cooker and chose this recipe. It was great! I let it sit a few minutes after adding the (fresh) lemon juice and it was perfect.
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m so glad you liked it, Susan! It’s one of my favorite things to make in the pressure cooker!
Chris says
I made this for my family tonight. They all loved it, even my one that doesn’t like lemon chicken. Big win!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Glad you liked it, Chris!
Jennifer mccarty says
I absolutely love this recipe! I could make it weekly if my family would let me!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks Jennifer! I’d make it every week too if Ty would be ok with it.. it’s my favorite soup!
Megan says
Soup came out great! Wondering if I can use low sodium chicken broth instead of the regular one next time?
The Clean Eating Couple says
Sure! You can use whatever type of broth you’d like. bone broth, low sodium, veggie broth, etc. All will work fine!
Zunubia Qurashi says
I was just about to ask about veggie broth before making it. Thank you!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
You can use veggie broth, chicken broth or beef broth.
Sandra says
I am so glad to find a healthy chicken soup! Quick question: Do you cook the zuchhini zoodles slightly before adding them, after the soup is cooked? Thank you so much!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Sandra- I do not cook the zucchini noodles. I add them in raw to the soup when I am ready to eat the soup. The warmth of the soup is enough to soften them! If you cook ahead of time they will get too mushy.
Kimberly says
I’m not the biggest soup fan but this soup is delicious! I love how light it is making it the perfect summertime soup!
The Clean Eating Couple says
This makes me so happy to hear! We eat this all summer long too 🙂
Abby says
This soup is delicious! Whole family approved. It was so easy to make. I used their bone broth recipe in this soup and it was so, so good! This will definitely be going into the menu rotation.
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it Abby! I’m sure it was soooo yummy with the bone broth!
Kimberly Mowdy says
I have never added lemon to my chicken soup before but I’m a convert! Love the zing that it gives. I just made the soup portion but next time, I’ll definitely add the zucchini noodles! 🙂
The Clean Eating Couple says
As much as I love regular chicken soup I totally agree- I love the lemon addition too! It’s great with zoodles or rice too!
Jo says
This soup was great! I was nervous that the hubby wouldnt like it because of all the veggies and the fact that it so healthy and detoxing. Lol but he loved it, and so did the brother in law who only eats meat and potatoes. they had 4 large helpings!! I added some extra lemon juice and it made for great flavor 🙂 It s 3 days later and my husband is still complimenting the soup
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it!!
Zaharah says
Hi,
Instead Of chicken breast, Can I add bone in chicken, for example half chicken? What I am willing to do is boil the Half chicken, make a broth and shred the chicken and put it on side and then add the broth on the vegetable and after that add the shredded chicken ( from the half chicken). So is it OK I do that please let me know.
Thank you for such an amazing recipe
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Zaharah – When I make broth I prefer to make it separately from the soup because bones can leave a weird film on the stock, or small bones can break out and get in your soup. I’d recommend making your broth with the bone in chicken, straining it, pulling the chicken meat + following the stove top instructions with the broth. You can make it all in one but I’m not sure how it will come out.
Julie says
This recipe was easy to follow and delicious! Everyone wanted seconds!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Julie! It’s one of our favorites and it makes me happy to hear your family enjoyed it!
Sandi says
So looking forward to trying this! If I choose to serve with rice, instead of pasta, would you recommend cooking the rice separately then ladling the soup over it?
The Clean Eating Couple says
That’s what I would do 🙂
Tina says
So flavorful and so delicious! I love adding lemon to it! Such a hit for my family!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much, Tina! So glad you like it!
Candy says
So dang good! Easy instapot recipe.
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Candy!
Melissa says
Hi! I’m excited to try this! How would you adjust it if the chicken is frozen?
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Melissa – I’m sorry but I’ve never cooked chicken from frozen in my instant pot. I don’t know how it would adjust the cooking time. I recommend allowing your chicken to defrost before making this!
Melissa says
I just made it and I live it! FWIW, This is completely compliant with the low-oxalate that some of us have to follow to prevent kidney stones. Could be worth adding to your SEO!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Melissa! I didn’t even know that 🙂 Glad you liked it!
Rachel J says
So quick, so easy! My go to every time I’m sick or it’s cold out! Honestly amazing all year long and freezes very well! Love it.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much, Rachel! It’s the best when you’re not feeling so great. Glad you enjoy it 🙂
Deborah says
My new favorite go to soup when I’m sick! So easy and delicious, if you haven’t tried it.. you should!!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much, Deborah! I’m so glad you like it!
Arlene says
This was great! I just used chicken bone broth to power the salt. I will make again for sure!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Arlene! It’s one of our favorites 🙂
caroline otwell says
LOVE this recipe! Definitely going to make it again! Super easy & so delicious!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it!
Molly Rivera says
This soup was amazing, healthy, and easy! Made mine with bone broth for some added nutrients. Also added in some rice and spinach too that was sitting in my fridge! Will definitely make again, maybe with a tad less lemon next time!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Molly! I love to serve it with rice and the more veggies, the better! 🙂
Tammy says
THIS is one of my fave! I have made it twice in a month. Once on the stove top and the other time pressure cooker. Both were delicious! I love adapting to my carb cycling days…. using with or without rice for example. Or just zoodles etc. SO refreshing yet yummy!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Tammy! It’s super easy to make lower or higher carb – I do the same thing! Sometimes I serve with rice, sometimes I serve with zoodles 🙂
Zaharah says
Hi i Would really love to make this delicious soup. I want to know can i make with whole chicken or chicken instead of chicken breast?
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Zaharah- You would have to cook the entire whole chicken, shred the meat and then make the soup. You could make broth with the bones if you liked, but again – I would do that separately. I never cook a whole chicken/soup at the same time because the bones can escape into the soup.
Tara Hutson says
This has become my favorite go to soup especially since I can make a huge pot and then freeze half of it.
The Clean Eating Couple says
That makes me so happy to hear, Tara! We always have a batch of it in our freezer!
Camilla Fenn says
Obsessed with this soup! My daughter is sick right now and this is just thing to perk her up! I love how light and citrusy this is
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Camilla! It’s the perfect feel-better soup recipe!
Jalyn L says
I made this last night and everyone loved it! Even my picky 4 and 6 year olds asked for more!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So happy to hear this! Glad the whole family enjoyed it 🙂
Maureen says
Family favorite soup … in sick times and health
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad your family enjoys it Maureen!
Kelly says
Love love love this soup! It is the perfect thing to eat on a rainy day or when you are feeling under the weather. I did have to make some adjustments, but it turned out awesome! First of all, did it on the stovetop in my Le Creuset dutch oven (god I love this thing). Instead of just rosemary, I used Herb de Provence seasoning (about 1-1.5 tsp) because it had all those flavors I thought would go well with the chicken and lemon. Also, I only had about 1/4 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice (which got used up!) and only 1 quart of boxed chicken stock. For the additional stock I used ‘Better than Bouillon’ Vegetable according to directions for basic stock. YUM YUM YUM YUM! Oh and I had 1.8lbs of chicken, so more than the recipe called for. BUT YUM YUM YUM! This is going to be a new go to for me for sure!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad it worked out for you Kelly! Love all those substitutions- great creative thinking 🙂 Stay healthy!
Yvonne says
Yum yum! I followed the recipe using my instant pot word for word and it came out perfect! The tangy lemon flavor refreshes your palate with every bite and I greatly emphasize using the raw zoodles as the crunchy texture brings a whole different dimension to the the soup! For those trying to cut out refined carbs, the zoodles will help fill you up without the guilt too.
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Yvonne!! Thank you so much for making it and for leaving such a nice review!
Ann Catherine says
I made this twice and still loving it!…it’s also like a cleansing of your whole body bcz it contains alot of veggies and such good spices….a perfect rustic dinner!!!….I LOVE YOU CLEAN EATING COUPLE!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you like it, Ann! It’s one of our favorite soups. So light and refreshing. We love you too!! <3
Kristin Martinez says
I loved this recipe! This was the first time I ever cooked chicken soup. I always add lemon regardless after word in my own personal bowl but I didn’t get to the whole entire suit really changed it up. The only thing I recommend is not adding the pepper and just adding your own liking once it’s done.
The Clean Eating Couple says
The lemon really adds a nice little zip to it! Glad you liked it!
Tara Hutson says
Super tasty and amazingly easy to make. Couldn’t be any easier.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Tara! Glad you liked it!
Patty says
Really enjoyed this. It is easy to make and the lemon flavor is so good!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much, Patty!
Phyllis Frase Charrette says
This soup is amazing. I’ve shared it with so many people and they love it. I make at least 2 recipes a week from this website. Every single recipe is easy and so good.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you, Phyllis!
Kira Weber says
This turned out well and was very tasty. Filling too
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Kira! Glad you liked them!
Brenda Perricone says
Made this with orzo love this!! Will be in my recipes as a regular!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Brenda! So glad you liked it!
Katie G says
I’ve never commented on a recipe before but I have to say this is delicious.I made homemade bone broth and used it as the base for the soup. So much flavor and it’s so healthy – win/win! Thank you!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much, Katie! I’m so glad you liked it!
Jay says
Super easy and tasty!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Jay! Glad you liked it!
Julie Bridge says
I loved it! And my husband even raved over it
The Clean Eating Couple says
So happy to hear this, Julie!
Mary Pat says
Made this delicious soup on a rainy day! It’s so good! Thank you!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Mary Pat! So happy to hear you liked it!
AuboWabo says
I did the stovetop version. Added fresh spinach at the last minute. Would not change a THING – it was absolutely incredible!! My husband raved about it and about an hour after we ate it I went back just for more broth. I’m so happy I found this recipe!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you enjoyed it!! Thank you!
Kelly says
I made this last night in my Instant Pot. My husband devoured THREE bowls and stated that I need to add this to my rotation and I will! So easy and so delicious! We served it with orzo but I’d like to try it with zoodles some time, too. Thank you!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So happy you both enjoyed it, Kelly! Thank you!
Katie says
I made this last night for my family and we all loved it. My husband had the leftovers for lunch today and kept raving about how good it is! Can’t wait to make it again 🥰
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you both liked it, Katie! Thank you!
Matt M says
My kids love chicken noodle soup and this is a way better version of what I normally make. The lemon adds so much to it. One note, I love spicy so the addition of the pepper flakes was great but it does add a lot of spice (something about pepper flakes in an instant pot that cranks up the heat). Overall, love this soup.
The Clean Eating Couple says
So happy you like it, Matt! Thank you so much!
AuboWabo says
I am a little bit obsessed with this soup. I make it on the stovetop because I often don’t plan ahead enough to have time for the crockpot version – but it works perfectly. I’ve done it once with fresh chicken breasts, and once with cooked Thanksgiving turkey breast leftovers, chopped and added in just for purposes of warming them up. Definitely recommend the fresh chicken breast method as described, cooking the chicken in the soup and shredding it makes it taste all that much better. I usually throw in a giant handful of fresh baby spinach toward the end of cooking as well, just to up the veggie game. This is going to become a fall/winter staple for me. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you like it!! Thank you so much!
Brynna says
This soup completely surprised me! I subbed the chicken for cannellini beans and it was delicious!!! I will absolutely be making this healthy soup again and again!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Yum! Love that idea, Brynna! Thanks for trying it!
Liz kane says
I used my crockpot and it came out delicious. I’m feeling a little u see the weather and this is just what I needed .
The Clean Eating Couple says
So happy you enjoyed it! It’s perfect if you’re not feeling well!
Cheryl Carroll says
I crave this soup!! Love the freshness. And ease of substituting different ingredients to change it up and use what you have in your refrigerator. I use my instant pot which makes the completed product piping hot and comforting on a cold snowy day. I give it a definite 10!!!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you like it, Cheryl! It’s one of our favorites too!
Jenna says
I would like to mention that I bought the 4 week meal plan, and this was included in it. However, it still says to add the lemon juice before cooking, along with adding the lemon halves. Unfortunately I added the lemon juice before cooking, but luckily came back to this before adding the lemon halves. Maybe one or the other needs an update.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Jenna- In neither recipe does it call to add the lemon halves to the soup. Both the recipes in the guide and on our website call for ‘lemon juice’. Adding lemon halves would result in a bitter soup because of the lemon rind. You can add the juice before or after cooking- either way will work. We found that people making this recipe in the instant pot got a slightly bitter taste when adding the lemon juice to the soup before cooking which is why we adjusted it. Our 4 Weeks of Clean Eating Guide doesn’t have instant pot instructions, which is why it wasn’t changed.
Nina says
Follow this recipe exactly and turned out great! Used the soup setting which emcee up being 30 min of actual cooking time once it reached pressure. The chicken breast I used had not thawed completely but worked out well. I will add some cauliflower rice when I serve, Yummy!
Thanks!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it! Thank you!
janie kinsley-janson says
This is my all time favorite…. in crock pot as i write this… I always add spinach to this recipe and today added some left over fresh stir fry veg. and using fresh rosemary and tyme~ cooking on low for 8 hrs… we shall see if its as good or better than usual~
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hope you loved it! Thanks Janie!
Douglas H Hartley says
I’m trying to broaden my skills and pallet and get away from the basics. Just made this soup – It is wonderful. I used some parsnips along with the carrots and used chickpea pasta and it is delicious. Thanks for the recipe!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Douglas! That sounds great with the parsnips
Kate says
My friend is stuck at home with a little girl who is sick so I just made them a big batch of this. It’s so good!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So happy you liked it! What a great friend!
Polly Boyns says
I made this recipe for the 3rd time last evening , using IP directions. This time I added frozen boneless breasts. And it worked!!!!
After releasing pressure, I open & set the IP to Saute(high) to add egg noodles( 5-6 minutes ) I had the best soup ever!!😊P.S. Just as tasty without lemon juice
The Clean Eating Couple says
So happy you liked it! Thank you so much!
Marni says
Am I losing my mind or did this recipe used to include 2 quarts of chicken broth (rather than 1.5) and a quarter teaspoon of red chili flakes? Thank you!
The Clean Eating Couple says
We recently updated this recipe and tweaked it slightly. If you’d like to make it the original way, feel free!
Laura C says
This was my first time making soup in the Instant Pot and it did not disappoint !
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Laura!! I appreciate it!
Lana says
So delicious! I added green beans since I saw you do it in your stories this week and is amazing! Served it with orzo. Definitely will make again this winter.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Lana! Glad you liked it! Love the extra veggies. Try chopped spinach next time 🙂
Catie says
I made the soup in the crockpot and was super yummy! Thanks for sharing!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Catie!! I appreciate it!
Lisette T says
This was the perfect comfort food for below freezing temps. The lemon juice added a nice zest to the soup ! This was easy to follow . I appreciate there being options on how we can cook it . Today I was pressed for time so the instant pot did the job. Clean ingredient and easy to follow !
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Lisette!
Heather says
Such a simple recipe to put together. The whole family loved it. I made pasta and rice on the side for choices of a base. Will be adding this to the rotation.
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it!
Cebi says
This soup is spectacular!!! The lemon brightens it up so much and adding the parmesan rind hack takes this over the top and adds such richness!!
Sarah says
This is my favorite chicken soup! I always make a double or triple batch to freeze in individual portions so that I always have some on hand. I love it with orzo or even leftover rice. Thanks so much for this recipe!
Jessica Douglass says
Huge hit in our house! Just got over tummy bug and this hit the spot, easing back to “real” food again. Another winner!
Ady Mala says
What a great recipe.
Unfortunately the liquid to vegetable/ chicken ratio needs to be increased.
I ended up with tons of extra and had to buy another batch of broth to make it in😭
Otherwise a great recipe.
The addition of the lemon really pulls this dish together completely😁
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Ady! I’ve made this soup hundreds of times and have never experienced it not having enough broth. No one has ever mentioned this to me either after trying. But If you like a brothier soup, adding more to the pot shouldn’t be a problem.
Emily says
So good! I will be definitely be making this recipe again!
Nicole Brady says
Truly delicious! My family loved it. I also stirred in some baby spinach leaves at the end which added color, nutrition and complimented the flavor. Thank you!
Shaula says
Loved this soup. Even my picky teenagers like it which is fabulous ! I made it in my crockpot and it turned out so perfect.
Perren Howard says
I’ve looked for a long time for a good basic Greek lemon orzo soup. The best recipe I’ve found!
Emily Warren says
Delicious! And so easy! The whole family loved it.
Danielle K. says
I just made this soup for my family who are all sick and aside from being incredibly delicious, I think it also has magical healing powers or something! This will probably go into our regular rotation to make all the time too! As a side note, we made it with a brown and wild rice mix instead of pasta and it was perfect!
Isabella Twilight says
I had to Google what an “Instant Pot” is. That’s how much I cook. I plan to try this Lemon Chicken Soup & the Italian Wedding Soup, but not in an IP!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hope you love it! It’s delicious on the stove too – I made it last week 🙂
Ann says
This sounds amazing! I would like to freeze some in small portions. Would it be best to leave the lemon juice out? Then add when reheating.
The Clean Eating Couple says
I would probably leave it off and just add it as you serve!
Carrie says
Made this for first time and it’s delicious ! Good
For the heart and soul!
Leslie says
This soup is absolutely delicious! So easy to make – with ingredients we usually have on hand. This was a last-minute dinner decision, used the instant pot instructions, and it was so perfect! My 8-year-old daughter, after her first bite said, “it’s so good, can you make this again sometime!” And then she gobbled her bowl within 5 minutes, lol. *I used white rice instead of pasta or zoodles. I didn’t have bay leaves, so added oregano/basil/rosemary.
Michi G says
This was delicious. Thank you for the simple recipe. I just added potatoes, stirred in some egg, and had leftover rotisserie chicken. The egg gives it a creamy texture which is nice. Besides that I followed the recipe as written. Whipped up a good ole pot of soup within 20 minutes because of the already cooked chicken.
Will definitely make again.
Brad Allison says
I made the chicken in the instant pot as it was frozen, but 40 minutes later it is easy to shred and add to this soup. This is a great recipe. Very light and good for a cool winter’s night. I took the box of orzo suggestion and only cooked it for 6 minutes as adding it to the soup further cooks the pasta. But all in all, this is a great and healthy soup that only added 3 points to WW
BETH says
HOW DO I SAVE THIS RECIPE ON MY COMPUTER IN PINTREST – JUST NEED ABILITY TO DO THIS
The Clean Eating Couple says
click the P pin it button on top or go to : https://www.pinterest.com/pin/495466396517329805/
Laurie says
I used rotisserie chicken and swapped out the pasta for cauliflower rice to keep the soup low carb. It is delicious!
Anita says
People who don’t like soup love this recipe!! I added ginger, and spinach to mine. Insanely good!!
Lauren Blankenship says
100% YUMMY!!! Made this soup last week – it’s OUTSTANDING!!! As it was just for me, I downloaded the recipe for “3” – but I ate it all by EOD, LOL, so I’m making double this amount today!
This soup is soooo healthy and yummy – not too salty like most soup recipes – and the lemon makes it extra delish!! I use rotini noodles, which work great!
Cindy Sanders says
I am so happy!! I made this and it was the best soup EVER!! I couldn’t remember where I got it! Thank you for sending it out again! Making it tonight!!
Cindy says
What makes it Greek? Only the title says Greek.
The Clean Eating Couple says
traditionally greek chicken soup has lemon added to it
Donna D. Baumann says
Made this today and my husband LOVED it! He loved the lemon in it especially. Will definitely add this to my rotation. It was a nasty day weather wise here and the soup just fit the bill!
Dani says
Love this soup so much! I usually swap out black pepper for Lemon Pepper and up it a bit (3/4 tsp instead of 1/2 if I had to guess) and serve it with Jovial’s cassava orzo – so so good!
Unspecified says
Lemon not listed in ingredients or method! It’s supposed to be chicken LEMON soup!!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Lemon is clearly listed in the ingredients and in the method. please read again 🙂 have a wonderful day you seem like a real peach!
Gail Hissom says
I made this for a late night family dinner, as I needed something light due to the time of evening we were eating. It was delicious and everyone loved it! Definitely keeping in my recipe file to make again!
Lucia Wattrick says
I made this soup last night – SUPER EASY and DELICIOUS! (I decided to add mushrooms because I had them in the fridge.)
What I liked most is that it’s a one pot recipe and can be prepared ahead of time. Thank you for the recipe – will definitely make it again!
Kyla says
Instructions for frozen breasts
The Clean Eating Couple says
Next time ‘please’ would be nice 🙂 We don’t have instructions for cooking with frozen chicken breasts because we don’t recommend it. Cooking frozen meat is a food safety issue because you don’t know if it is cooked in the center. It’s something I never do and never recommend.
Cheryl says
Very yummy and so easy in the instapot.
I even used frozen chicken breast and cooked it a touch longer.
Debbie Ann Fairlie says
Didn’t even make it to putting the lemon juice in, added cooked rice instead of pasta and it was the best chicken soup I’ve ever made. Thank you so much
Sally says
Who would think that a comfort food like chicken soup could also be so refreshing?! This is an easy, wonderful recipe and is now my go-to chicken soup! The lemony deliciousness comes through even when reheated!
Joe Frady says
My wife is very sick I made this for her tonight for dinner it was absolutely delicious thank you so much for sharing this recipe I will definitely make this again
Laurie says
This is exactly what I needed today! Thank you for the super easy and delicious soup. I’ve been sick for over a week and was craving homemade chicken soup. I didn’t have celery or fresh onion on hand, so I added extra carrot and dried minced onion and it still turned out wonderfully. Will definitely be saving the recipe to use again!
Patricia A Habbyshaw says
Hi and Thank You So Much for this Wonderful Recipe !
I am now making this for a 3rd time !!!
SOOOO Good ! My Soup Buddy (my 86 yr old neighbor), and I Love It !!!
I used my pressure canned chicken broth and fresh veggies.
I want to try it with my dehydrated veggies but not today !
I do have a question…
If I double the recipe, do I need to adjust the pressure cooking time ?
Oh, I, also, browned my chicken legs and it really enriched the flavor !
Thank You Again and I await your reply…I’m making it today !!! :}
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi! I’m sorry but I don’t know how doubling the recipe will affect the cook time in the pressure cooker. I haven’t tried this so I can’t be sure.
Melisse says
This soup is amazing!! I think I’m going to try my hand at canning it, minus the pasta and lemon juice, which I will just add when the soup is eaten. Been wanting to find a good soup recipe to put on my shelves during flu season and this one is yummy!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it! Please make sure to do your research on whether this is canning safe – I’m not sure if it is!
Melissa says
Yum! I added kale and jalapeño just because I had some in my fridge that needed to be cooked. This recipe is awesome.
Xta says
This is my new favorite soup! So unbelievably easy and so delicious, the lemon really gives it a great flavor. I put raw zoodles in that I mixed with a little salt and lemon zest. Thanks for this recipe!
Bjorn Olson says
excellent. Our whole family loves. Only suggestion is maybe a slow release(?) as the chicken pieces turned out tough.