Lemony Chicken Vegetable Soup
Posted: 11/19/21
Updated: 12/22/22
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This chicken vegetable soup is simply delicious! With a light lemony flavor, the perfect blend of veggies like corn, spinach, and zucchini, and tender chicken, this soup is quick and easy to make, and is filling and satisfying without being heavy. Perfect for spring or fall, this recipe keeps and freezes well, making it great for meal prep, too.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- This chicken vegetable soup is super filling and nutritious, with tons of good-for-you ingredients that taste good, too. Nutrient-dense vegetables, anti-inflammatory turmeric, protein-packed chicken and broth… It’s a must-make feel-better recipe for cold and flu season.
- It’s a great option when you’re short on time. This soup comes together in less than 30 minutes – perfect for those busy nights when you don’t really feel like cooking. You can also make it ahead of time and refrigerate it in an airtight container. It’ll keep up to 5 days!
- You can put basically any vegetables you want into a chicken vegetable soup, so it’s a great way to make sure nothing in your fridge or freezer goes to waste.
Key Ingredients
Produce – I used frozen corn, frozen green beans, onion, zucchini, and baby spinach in my chicken vegetable soup. You can use whatever you like, though! Add potatoes or okra or diced tomatoes or celery or mushrooms or kale. Anything goes!
Turmeric – So, this is an optional ingredient, but I super recommend it. Turmeric adds a little spice and color to the soup, but it’s also an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties. If you’re a fan of turmeric, be sure to try my Coconut Curry Turmeric Chicken (Whole30, Anti Inflammatory) and my Iced Golden Milk Latte (Paleo, Vegan).
Chicken – Use white or dark meat, cook your own or buy a rotisserie chicken, shred it or dice it. It all works in chicken vegetable soup! If you’re not sure the best way to tackle this ingredient, check out my posts on Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Breast, Air Fryer Chicken Breast, Air Fryer Whole Chicken, and The Best Shredded Chicken.
Chef’s Tips
- For even more of a nutrient boost, use bone broth instead of chicken stock. It has a richer flavor, but it’s also full of protein and collagen, and the gelatin in it does wonders for your gut and digestive health. You can use store-bought bone broth, but making your own in the Instant Pot or slow cooker is SUPER easy! I like to make my own chicken stock in the Instant Pot, too.
- If you’d like an even heartier chicken vegetable soup, serve it over cooked rice or noodles. This soup is super filling all on its own, but sometimes I really like the extra texture and flavor that rice or pasta can give it.
- Freezer meal? You bet! Just let the soup cool completely, then portion it into freezer-safe airtight containers or sealable plastic freezer bags. The soup can be frozen up to 3 months, carrying you through those frigid winter months. Let the frozen soup thaw and then warm it on the stove or in the microwave when you’re ready to eat.
Warm Up with These Soup Recipes, Too
- Sweet Potato Soup
- Instant Pot French Onion Soup
- Slow Cooker Tom Kha Soup (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)
- Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Red Cabbage Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup
Chicken Vegetable Soup with Turmeric
This chicken vegetable soup is simply delicious! With a light lemony flavor, the perfect blend of veggies like corn, spinach, and zucchini, and tender chicken, this soup is quick and easy to make, and is filling and satisfying without being heavy. Perfect for spring or fall, this recipe keeps and freezes well, making it great for meal prep, too.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Vegetable Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped, approximately 1 cup
- 2 large carrots chopped, approximately 1 cup
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 6 cups chicken stock store-bought or make your own, or use bone broth
- 2 cups whole kernel corn frozen
- 2 cups cut green beans frozen
- 1 medium zucchini chopped, approximately 1 cup
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric optional but encouraged
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons salt
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 cups chicken cooked, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice plus more as desired
- zest of 1 lemon optional
Optional Garnishes
- additional lemon zest
- lemon rounds
- grated parmesan
Equipment
- 6-quart saucepan
- Large wooden spoon
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in 6-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot and shimmery, add onion and carrots. Sauté until onion is softened, approximately 7 minutes. Add garlic and thyme to saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, until garlic is fragrant, approximately 30-60 seconds.
- Stir in chicken stock, frozen corn, frozen green beans, zucchini, turmeric (if using), bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring mixture to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender-crisp.
- Stir in cooked chicken and let mixture cook until heated through. Once chicken is hot, add spinach, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir and cook until spinach softens, then ladle soup into bowls and serve with lemon rounds and parmesan, if desired.
Notes
- Make it Vegetarian/Vegan: Use vegetable broth and substitute beans or tofu for the cooked chicken (or skip this ingredient entirely). Leave out the parmesan garnish.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 227kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 48mg, Sodium: 1490mg, Potassium: 865mg, Fiber: 3g, Vitamin A: 5767IU, Vitamin C: 21mg, Calcium: 73mg, Iron: 2mg, Net Carbs: 14g
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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