Description
A bright and flavorful Lemon Chicken Soup featuring tender seared chicken, fresh vegetables, and a tangy lemon broth enriched with Parmesan cheese and herbs. Served with delicate angel hair pasta cooked separately to maintain perfect texture, this comforting soup balances savory and citrus notes for a delightful meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
- Lemon pepper seasoning, to taste
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, or Pinot Grigio recommended)
- 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, freshly 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: Combine chicken broth, bouillon cube, soy sauce, lemon juice, dried parsley, basil, oregano, mustard powder, and turmeric in a bowl and set aside.
- Season chicken: Slice thick chicken breasts in half lengthwise if needed. Pat dry and season all sides with lemon pepper seasoning.
- Sear chicken: Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. Add chicken and sear for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove and let rest for 10 minutes, then dice or shred. It is okay if the chicken isn’t fully cooked at this stage.
- Sauté vegetables and deglaze: Pour white wine into the skillet and use a silicone spatula to scrape the browned bits off the bottom and sides. Add butter, diced onions, carrots, celery, and minced garlic. Cook for 5-6 minutes until vegetables soften and wine reduces by half.
- Add broth and simmer: Pour the broth mixture and Parmesan rind into the skillet (do not add grated cheese yet). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
- Finish cooking chicken: Add the seared chicken pieces back to the soup. Simmer gently for 15-20 minutes to finish cooking the chicken and concentrate the flavors.
- Cook pasta: In a separate pot, boil salted water and cook angel hair pasta for 4 minutes or according to package instructions until al dente. Drain well and keep aside.
- Add cheese and adjust seasoning: Remove soup from heat and gradually stir in grated Parmesan cheese. Discard any remaining cheese rind. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired.
- Serve: Ladle the soup over cooked pasta in serving bowls. Garnish with additional parsley if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
- Cook pasta separately and add to bowls to avoid mushy noodles and broth absorption.
- Use a lemon pepper seasoning with sea salt for best results; adjust quantity if seasoning is potent.
- Soy sauce and mustard powder add umami depth without overt flavor.
- Dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, or Pinot Grigio works best; substitute chicken broth if preferred.
- Freshly grated Parmesan melts better and tastes superior to pre-grated options.
- Fresh lemon juice offers brighter flavor than bottled juice.
- Adding Parmesan rind while simmering enriches broth flavor.
- Cooked chicken (3-4 cups) can substitute fresh chicken; add in step 6.
- Optional additions like spinach, kale, or sautéed mushrooms enhance the soup’s nutrition and flavor.
- Store soup refrigerated up to 3 days or freeze for 3 months. Reheat with fresh pasta for best texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
