Description
A bright and comforting Lemon Chicken Soup featuring tender seared chicken, fresh vegetables, and zesty lemon, simmered to perfection with white wine and Parmesan for a flavorful and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
- Lemon pepper seasoning, to taste
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3/4 cup carrots, diced
- 2 sticks celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 7 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 chicken bouillon cube
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- Juice of 1 lemon (3-4 tablespoons)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 Parmesan cheese rind (optional but recommended)
- 4 oz angel hair pasta
Seasonings
- 3/4 teaspoon dried parsley
- 3/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 pinch turmeric
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare broth mixture: In a large bowl, combine chicken broth, bouillon cube, soy sauce, lemon juice, dried parsley, basil, oregano, mustard powder, and turmeric. Set aside.
- Season chicken: If chicken breasts are thick, slice them lengthwise to create thinner pieces. Pat them dry and sprinkle lemon pepper seasoning evenly on both sides.
- Sear chicken: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove from skillet and let rest for 10 minutes. Then dice or shred the chicken. It’s okay if the chicken is not fully cooked through at this point.
- Sauté vegetables: Pour wine into the skillet used for the chicken and use a spatula to scrape up browned bits from the bottom. Add butter, diced onion, carrots, celery, and minced garlic. Cook for about 5-6 minutes until vegetables soften and wine reduces by half.
- Add broth and cheese rind: Pour in the prepared broth mixture along with the Parmesan cheese rind if using. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
- Simmer soup: Add the partially cooked chicken back into the pot. Let the soup simmer gently for 15-20 minutes to finish cooking the chicken and concentrate flavors.
- Cook pasta: In a separate pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add angel hair pasta and cook for 4 minutes or according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and divide pasta into serving bowls.
- Finish soup: Remove soup from heat and slowly stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until melted. Discard any remaining cheese rind.
- Season and serve: Taste soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle soup over the pasta in bowls. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
- Cook pasta separately and add to serving bowls to prevent it from becoming mushy and absorbing too much broth.
- Use a quality lemon pepper seasoning with balanced salt content; Redmond Real Salt brand is recommended.
- Soy sauce and mustard powder add umami and depth without overpowering the soup’s flavor.
- Dry white wine varieties like Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, or Pinot Grigio complement the lemon flavor; chicken broth can substitute if avoiding alcohol.
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese melts better and enhances flavor more than pre-grated packaged cheese. Belgioioso brand is suggested.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice provides brighter flavor than bottled.
- Adding a Parmesan rind while simmering builds richness and complexity.
- Cooked chicken leftovers (3-4 cups) can be used instead of fresh chicken; add during simmer step.
- Optional additions include spinach, kale, or sautéed mushrooms for extra veggies.
- Store leftover soup in airtight containers refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months. Reheat with freshly cooked pasta for best texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1 1/2 cups soup with pasta)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
