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Easy and cozy, this Lemon Chicken Soup has a rich broth, tender vegetables and pasta, juicy chicken, and the bright flavors of lemon, garlic, and Italian herbs. It’s a simple and delicious dinner made from wholesome everyday ingredients.

Small bowl full of lemon chicken soup with pasta and veggies.

Soup for warming souls.

A cozy lemon chicken soup is the ultimate winter warmer, with a rich broth, tender pasta shells, and perfectly bite-sized pieces of tender, seasoned chicken. Poaching the chicken directly in the simmering soup ensures it doesn’t dry out and adds flavor to the broth, but if time is of the essence, you can swap in rotisserie chicken without stress. The other key to this soup is adding an ultra-basic roux to subtly thicken and enrich the broth. It’s so good!

The first time I made this soup, it got strong positive reviews from my husband and my son, but my daughter cried fitfully into her bowl that she “didn’t like any of these things!” Some nights I can’t deal, but that night I managed to take the deep breath, take her bowl back into the kitchen, and carefully separate the pieces of chicken, carrot, and pasta onto separate areas of a portioned plate. She ate and asked for seconds of everything. Victory really can taste sweeter when snatched from the jaws of defeat. 🙂

Ingredient & Substitution Notes

Overhead view of ingredients for a lemon chicken soup: chicken tenders, chicken broth, whole carrots, parsley, pasta, butter, garlic, olive oil, lemon, and Italian seasoning.

Here’s a quick overview of the key ingredients. As always, find the full printable recipe with measurements below.

  • Chicken tenders. For maximum flavor and tenderness, we’re cooking the chicken directly in the simmering soup broth. This technique is called poaching, and while it takes a few minutes, the results are worth it, in my opinion. You can substitute boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, but they may take a bit longer to cook, unless the chicken breasts are thinly-sliced.
  • Veggies: whole carrots, yellow onion, fresh garlic, fresh lemon juice. You can substitute refrigerated lemon juice but this is lemon chicken soup, after all, and fresh will taste best!
  • Low-sodium chicken broth or chicken stock.
  • Pasta. I like using small shells, but orzo is another classic choice. Ditalini, stellini, or any other really little pasta shape also works well.
  • Kitchen basics: Italian seasoning, all-purpose flour, butter, olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper.
  • Parsley or other fresh herbs. Not strictly necessary but a nice finishing touch.

Can I use rotisserie chicken?

Yes! If you want to make this soup a true 30 minute meal, use shredded or chopped rotisserie chicken in place of the raw chicken tenders. In this case, add pasta directly to the broth when it boils, then add the bite-sized cooked chicken to the broth along with the roux as the pasta cooks. (This will make sense in the context of the full recipe directions below.)

Can I use bone broth?

Absolutely! This is a great way to add extra protein and collagen to this everyday meal.

Large pot of lemon chicken soup with a ladle stirring a large spoonful.

Tips, Tricks, and Variations

  • Prep strategically. For the most efficient cooking and prep time, start just by chopping the carrots and onions. Once those get started in the pot, you will have time to season the chicken, mince garlic, and complete all the other prep work while the soup cooks in various stages.
  • Simmer a Parmesan rind in the soup for even more rich flavor. Although this recipe doesn’t explicitly include Parmesan cheese, it’s a compatible flavor, and simmering the rind from a used up Parmesan wedge in broth or soup really adds a lot of richness, just as in this slow cooker white bean Parmesan soup we love.
  • Add white beans or chickpeas for fiber and even more protein. Beans should be either canned or pre-cooked, and can be added to the broth at the same time as the roux, just after the pasta goes in and the liquid returns to a boil.
  • Use herbs to add or change the flavor profile. Try fresh dill for a subtle Greek twist, fresh oregano, or a few twists of lemon pepper seasoning for extra punch. A smidge of paprika for heat, turmeric for an earthy flavor and vibrant color, etc. Experiment and have fun.
  • Store any leftovers tightly-sealed in the fridge, where they will keep well for 2-3 days. The pasta may soak up more of the broth, but a bit of extra broth can be mixed in as needed. Warm in the microwave or in a small saucepan.
Angled view of a white ceramic bowl full of lemon chicken soup, with a spoon lifting out the first warm, brothy bite.

Serving Suggestions

I love this soup with a simple side of no-knead bread, breadsticks, garlic knots, or biscuits. Stretching it out into a more substantial meal, or worried your kids won’t dig the incorporated veggies? Add steamed green beans or a super simple salad — Italian dressing pairs well — and call it a day.

Eating leftovers for lunch? Whip up a quick grilled cheese or a half sandwich for the perfect combo. Panera has nothing on you!

Related Recipes

If you like bowls like this, don’t miss our favorite lemon white bean and orzo soup, chicken noodle soup with egg noodles, white bean chicken soup, and a super easy slow cooker chicken gnocchi soup. All cozy, tasty, and easy to make.

In the mood for a stew? Tuscan chickpea stew, lemon shrimp and bean stew, and white bean chicken chili hit the spot every time.

Countertop set with two bowls of lemon chicken soup, with extra lemon wedges nearby for extra citrus flavor.

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Lemon Chicken Soup

Easy and cozy, this soup has a rich broth, tender vegetables and pasta, juicy chicken, and the bright flavors of lemon, garlic, and Italian herbs. It's a simple and delicious dinner made from wholesome everyday ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 Tablespoons butter divided
  • 3 medium carrots peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion peeled and chopped
  • 1 pound uncooked chicken tenders
  • kosher salt and black pepper
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
  • 1 cup uncooked small shells, orzo or other pasta
  • 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1-2 Tablespoon lemons juice from 1 medium lemon
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1-2 teaspoons dried

Instructions

  • Warm olive oil and 1 Tablespoon of the butter in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add carrots and onion. Sauté, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes. While the veggies start cooking, season the chicken tenders generously with salt and pepper; set them aside.
    1 Tablespoon olive oil, 3 Tablespoons butter, 3 medium carrots, 1/2 medium yellow onion, 1 pound uncooked chicken tenders, kosher salt and black pepper
  • To the carrots and onion, add garlic and Italian seasoning. Cook for 30-60 seconds, just until fragrant.
    3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • Stir in the broth, then add chicken tenders to the pot. Cover the pot and bring the liquid to a boil. Once bubbling crack the lid open about one inch for steam to escape, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 8 minutes.
    6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
  • Remove the lid and stir in pasta. Simmer for another 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, just until the pasta is al dente according to package directions.
    1 cup uncooked small shells, orzo
  • While the pasta is cooking, melt the remaining 2 Tablespoons butter and combine with the 2 Tablespoons flour to make a quick roux. Stir this into the soup as it cooks.
    2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • Next, remove the chicken and cut or shred into bite-sized pieces. Return chicken to the pot along with the lemon juice, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. (I recommend starting with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 8-10 cracks of pepper, but you may want to add up to 1 teaspoon more. Salt generously until it tastes good!) Add more lemon to taste, as well.
    1-2 Tablespoon lemons juice, 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • Serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • Substitute boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs for the tenders, but they may take a bit longer to cook, unless the chicken breasts are thinly-sliced. Be sure to keep the lid mostly on and don’t add the pasta until the chicken is mostly cooked through.
  • If you want to make this soup a true 30 minute meal, use shredded or chopped rotisserie chicken in place of the raw chicken tenders. In this case, add pasta directly to the broth when it boils, then add the bite-sized cooked chicken to the broth along with the roux as the pasta cooks.
  • This soup makes 4 generous or 6 medium-sized servings for our family. Nutritional info is an estimate based on all ingredients divided among 4 servings, so if you need extra specific information, be sure to plug the exact brand of ingredients you use into MyFitnessPal or a similar app to get the most accurate personalized outputs.

Nutrition Estimate

Calories: 427 kcal, Carbohydrates: 33 g, Protein: 36 g, Fat: 18 g, Saturated Fat: 7 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7 g, Trans Fat: 0.4 g, Cholesterol: 95 mg, Sodium: 340 mg, Potassium: 968 mg, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 4 g, Vitamin A: 7948 IU, Vitamin C: 6 mg, Calcium: 59 mg, Iron: 2 mg
Did you make this recipe?Leave a review below, then snap a quick picture and tag @nourishandfete on Instagram so I can see it!