Healthy Lemon Chicken Soup

Healthy Lemon Chicken Soup is a delicious, simple dinner easily made in the instant pot or crockpot. Packed with veggies and paleo/whole30 friendly.

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This Healthy Lemon Chicken Soup recipe is one of my favorite winter meals. Packed with veggies and hearty portions of chicken, it’s super filling and loaded with light lemony flavor. You can keep it paleo/whole30 by serving as is, or adding zucchini noodles. It’s also great with rice, orzo or quinoa! Easily made in the instant pot, or in your crockpot, I promise this Healthy Lemon Chicken Soup will make you want to enjoy soup year round!

I’m the type of person that enjoys soup year round, but I really have been loving it this winter. For me, there is nothing more comforting than cozy-ing up on the couch with a mug of soup. It’s delicious, and makes you feel all kinds of warm + fuzzy. This Whole 30 Italian Wedding Soup was on repeat for a while, and I was really into it, but when I got the flu a few months ago – I wanted my favorite lemon chicken soup from the diner.

In my home town, we have a 24 hour Greek diner that makes the BEST lemon chicken soup. It was always a comfort food growing up (especially when I wasn’t feeling great.. it was the next best thing to homemade!)

Click here to pin this Instant Pot Healthy Lemon Chicken Soup recipe for later.

I often crave soup but don’t always have hours to spend over the stove. This healthy lemon chicken soup can be made in the crockpot or instant pot to save time and effort! 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!

Tyler and I have been making this healthy soup every couple of week ever since I first tried it and it’s become one of my favorite cozy meals this winter. I know I’ll be making it all year round, but for now.. it’s the perfect dinner to have on for chilly nights. (It’s also great for storing in your freezer!) I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Can I make this Instant Pot Healthy Lemon Chicken Soup in the crockpot?

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, 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. Follow steps #6-9 in the recipe.

Can I add pasta to this soup?

Yes! You can totally add orzo or 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. 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!

Click here to pin this recipe for later.

Other healthy soup recipes:

• Paleo Butternut Squash Soup
• Whole30 Italian Wedding Soup
• Crockpot Chicken Quinoa Taco Soup

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5 from 3 votes

Healthy Lemon Chicken Soup

Healthy Lemon Chicken Soup is a delicious, simple dinner easily made in the instant pot or crockpot. Packed with veggies and paleo/whole30 friendly.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword healthy lemon chicken soup

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 193kcal

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup celery, chopped finely
• 1 cup onion, chopped finely
• 2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 2 cups carrots, sliced in small pieces
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 whole lemons, halved
• 1 teaspoons rosemary, chopped
• 1 teaspoon thyme, or sprigs of thyme leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 quarts chicken broth

Optional:

• 1 cup cooked orzo or zucchini noodles
• 1 parmesan cheese rind

Instructions

• Chop all vegetables (I prefer to put mine in the food processor!) Turn instant pot on sauté mode. Heat olive oil in the pan and sauté celery, onion + garlic until fragrant and softened, approximately 5 minutes.
• Stir in carrots, halved lemons, lemon juice + spices.
  
• Place whole chicken breasts on top of vegetables in instant pot. Cover with chicken broth
  
• Cover instant pot and set to ‘Soup’ for 13 minutes
  
• Allow the soup to come to pressure and cook. Once finished, quick release the pressure.
  
• Remove lemons, bay leaves, and parmesan cheese rind (if used) from the broth and discard.
  
• Remove chicken from the pot + shred on a cutting board with forks or in a mixer.
  
• Place chicken back in instant pot, and stir to combine. 
  
• Optional: add in cooked orzo or zucchini noodles. Serve + enjoy!

Notes

Crockpot Instructions:

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, 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. Follow steps #6-9 in the recipe.

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition Facts

Healthy Lemon Chicken Soup

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 193 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 7g 11%

Saturated Fat 1g 5%

Cholesterol 48mg 16%

Sodium 1676mg 70%

Potassium 831mg 24%

Total Carbohydrates 14g 5%

Dietary Fiber 3g 12%

Sugars 4g

Protein 18g 36%

Vitamin A 145%

Vitamin C 63.1%

Calcium 6.9%

Iron 8.4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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