Description
This Lemon Ginger Chicken Soup is a comforting, one-pot recipe packed with anti-inflammatory ingredients like ginger and turmeric. Featuring tender chicken, fresh vegetables, and zesty lemon, it combines wholesome flavors with simple preparation, perfect for a nourishing meal any day.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins and Fats
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1.5 lbs boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces (or 18 oz. already cooked chicken)
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 3 medium carrots (170g), finely chopped
- 3 stalks celery (110g), finely chopped
- 1 medium onion (200g), chopped
- 1 Tbsp ginger, finely chopped or minced
Spices and Seasonings
- 1/2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp salt, more to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Others
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 48 oz. chicken stock or broth
- 1 cup orzo pasta (200g) or other short pasta like acini di pepe
- 1–2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, more to taste
Instructions
- Sauté the chicken: Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Season chicken pieces with 1/2 teaspoon salt and sauté until golden brown and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Sauté the vegetables: Add the butter to the pot and melt. Add chopped carrots, celery, and onion and sauté until the onion becomes translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Adjust heat to avoid browning.
- Add spices and flour: Stir in ginger, Italian seasoning, and turmeric. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and cook for an additional minute to remove the raw flour taste.
- Cook the soup base: Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the orzo pasta and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until pasta is tender, approximately 10 minutes.
- Finish the soup: Return the cooked chicken to the pot and stir in lemon juice. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Serve warm, optionally with french bread or a sandwich. For a thinner soup, add more chicken broth as desired.
Notes
- Gluten-free option: Use gluten-free flour (e.g., Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 or King Arthur Measure for Measure) and gluten-free pasta.
- Storage: Keep soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Add extra chicken broth when reheating as orzo absorbs liquid.
- Freezing: To freeze, omit orzo and add it freshly when serving after thawing. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat on stovetop or microwave before adding cooked orzo.
- Tip: Cook pasta separately to control broth absorption and customize pasta amount for preferred brothiness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 1 1/2 cups)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 80mg