Lemon Chicken Soup
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Lemon Chicken Soup is a delicious dinner that’s easy to make in under an hour. Lemony and secretly healthy, you’ll love this recipe!
This post was originally shared in 2018 but has since been updated.
This 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 Chicken Soup is delicious with rice, orzo, pasta, or quinoa! It’s not a traditional avgolemono soup (this is made without eggs), but it’s just as delicious!
Easy to make in your crockpot, instant pot or on the stove!
Liz’s Tips for the Best Lemon Chicken Soup
- Plan to undercook your pasta. I like to cook the pasta for half the recommended cook time on the package. The pasta will continue to cook in the soup and absorb liquid as it cools!
- Add more veggies. I like to stir in fresh chopped spinach or even cauliflower rice to this for more vegetables!
- Use precooked chicken to save time! You can use precooked chicken or chopped rotisserie chicken in this recipe to save time and use up leftovers. Cut the cook time in half.
Ingredients
A citrus juicer will also be helpful to have!
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.
Substitutions
Olive Oil: You can substitute olive oil with avocado oil or melted butter.
Chicken: You can use chicken tenders or boneless chicken thighs if you prefer. I love this recipe with chicken thighs because the fat from the thighs makes the soup a little richer! You can also use pre cooked/shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken! We have also cooked our Crockpot Whole Chicken, pulled all the meat off of the bones and used that for soup too (save the scraps and make Crockpot Bone Broth!)
Cooked 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. You could also try this Rotisserie Chicken Soup!
Herbs: You can use most herbs interchangeably here. If you don’t have thyme or parsley, use dried 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. Fresh dill is an amazing addition to this recipe!
Orzo Pasta: If you don’t have orzo, any shorter grain pasta will work. We have made this with pastina, alphabets and ditalini. Gluten free pasta will work just fine. Quinoa, rice, or cous cous will also be delicious! We also have a Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup and Chicken Tortellini Soup recipe if you’re looking for other chicken pasta soups.
Zoodles: If you’re looking for a low carb noodle option I like adding zucchini noodles to this soup.
Cauliflower Rice: Cauliflower rice is a great low carb addition to this soup instead of pasta or in addition to pasta!
Spinach: You can add a couple of cups of chopped baby 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: Add a parmesan cheese rind with the soup while it’s cooking – it adds so much flavor! Remove it at the end when it’s done cooking. You can also top with parmesan or feta.
Extra Veggies: I like to add cauliflower rice, fresh or frozen spinach, frozen green beans or extra carrots to this recipe. You can also try this Chicken Vegetable Soup!
How To Make Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
- Sauté onions, celery, and garlic until translucent.
- Add in carrots, spices, chicken, and chicken broth. Cover the pot and bring to a boil.
- Discard bay leaves. Remove the chicken, and shred the chicken.
- Add shredded chicken back to the soup with cooked pasta. Add lemon juice and stir together.
Can I make this easy chicken soup in the crockpot instead? Yes! You can easily make this soup in the crockpot. Sauté your veggies and add to the crockpot base.
Place whole chicken breasts on top of vegetables in crockpot. Cover with chicken broth and add spices. Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours. See below for full instructions.
How To Serve This Recipe
This recipe is great with a freshly baked bread, or a side salad. We love this Peach Salad with Goat Cheese, Kale Salad, or our Strawberry Arugula Salad.
Storage
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.
Reheating: You can reheat this soup in the microwave or on the stovetop. If the soup is frozen, you can defrost the night before in the refrigerator. You can also heat in the microwave or on the stove directly from frozen.
More Healthy Soup Recipes:
If you love healthy soup recipes, make sure to grab our free Healthy Soup Ebook here. Here are some of our other favorite soup recipes:
Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups diced carrots
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- ½ cup finely chopped celery
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic about 3 cloves
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta
- ½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
Stovetop Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the carrots, onion, celery, and garlic for 5 minutes.
- Once the vegetables have cooked, add the black pepper, parsley, thyme, salt, bay leaves, chicken breasts, and chicken broth to the pot. Stir together.
- Cover the pot and bring to a boil. It should take about 10 minutes to come to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once the soup has cooked for 15 minutes, turn the heat back to medium-high.
- Remove the chicken breasts and set aside.
- Remove the bay leaves.
- Add the orzo to the pot and stir together. Cook for half the recommended cook time on the package.
- While the orzo cooks, use 2 forks to shred the chicken breasts.
- Once the orzo has cooked for half the recommended cook time, remove the soup from the heat. The pasta will continue to cook as the soup cools.
- Add the chicken and lemon juice to the pot. Stir to combine.
- Tip: If you prefer a firmer pasta, you can cook your pasta in a separate pot and add directly to your bowl when you’re ready to eat.
Crockpot Instructions:
- In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the carrots, onion, celery, and garlic for 5 minutes.
- Add the sautéd veggies to the crockpot. Add the black pepper, parsley, thyme, salt, bay leaves, chicken breasts, and chicken broth to the pot. Stir together.
- 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 the chicken breasts and set aside. Use 2 forks to shred the chicken breasts.
- Remove the bay leaves.
- Add shredded chicken, lemon juice and cooked pasta to the pot. Stir to combine and enjoy!
- Tip: If you prefer a firmer pasta, you can cook your pasta in a separate pot and add directly to your bowl when you’re ready to eat.
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Set instant pot to Sauté mode for 5 minutes.
- Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the carrots, onion, celery, and garlic for 5 minutes.
- Once the vegetables have cooked, add the black pepper, parsley, thyme, salt, bay leaves, chicken breasts, and chicken broth to the pot. Stir together.
- 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 the chicken breasts and set aside. Use 2 forks to shred the chicken breasts.
- Remove the bay leaves.
- Add shredded chicken, lemon juice and cooked pasta to the pot. Stir to combine and enjoy!
- Tip: If you prefer a firmer pasta, you can cook your pasta in a separate pot and add directly to your bowl when you’re ready to eat.
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 .
So happy you enjoyed it! It’s perfect if you’re not feeling well!
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!
Yum! Love that idea, Brynna! Thanks for trying it!
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!
So glad you like it!! Thank you so much!
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.
So happy you like it, Matt! Thank you so much!
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 🥰
So glad you both liked it, Katie! Thank you!
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!
So happy you both enjoyed it, Kelly! Thank you!
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!
So glad you enjoyed it!! Thank you!
Made this delicious soup on a rainy day! It’s so good! Thank you!
Thanks, Mary Pat! So happy to hear you liked it!
I loved it! And my husband even raved over it
So happy to hear this, Julie!
Super easy and tasty!
Thanks, Jay! Glad you liked it!
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!
Thank you so much, Katie! I’m so glad you liked it!
Made this with orzo love this!! Will be in my recipes as a regular!
Thanks, Brenda! So glad you liked it!
This turned out well and was very tasty. Filling too
Thanks, Kira! Glad you liked them!
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.
Thank you, Phyllis!
Really enjoyed this. It is easy to make and the lemon flavor is so good!
Thank you so much, Patty!
Super tasty and amazingly easy to make. Couldn’t be any easier.
Thanks, Tara! Glad you liked it!
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 lemon really adds a nice little zip to it! Glad you liked it!
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!!
So glad you like it, Ann! It’s one of our favorite soups. So light and refreshing. We love you too!! <3
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.
So glad you liked it, Yvonne!! Thank you so much for making it and for leaving such a nice review!
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!
So glad it worked out for you Kelly! Love all those substitutions- great creative thinking 🙂 Stay healthy!
Family favorite soup … in sick times and health
So glad your family enjoys it Maureen!
I made this last night and everyone loved it! Even my picky 4 and 6 year olds asked for more!
So happy to hear this! Glad the whole family enjoyed it 🙂
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
Thanks, Camilla! It’s the perfect feel-better soup recipe!
This has become my favorite go to soup especially since I can make a huge pot and then freeze half of it.
That makes me so happy to hear, Tara! We always have a batch of it in our freezer!
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?
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.