Description
A bright, nourishing soup featuring tender chicken, fresh spring vegetables, and a vibrant lemon finish that captures the essence of the season in every spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs (skin removed)
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 medium carrots, sliced into rounds
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
- 1 medium zucchini, diced
- 4 green onions, sliced
- Juice of 2 large lemons (about 1/4 cup)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 cup cooked rice or small pasta (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season and brown chicken thighs on both sides, 4-5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- 2. Add onion, carrots, and celery to the same pot. Cook 5-6 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- 3. Return chicken to pot with broth, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 25-30 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
- 4. Remove chicken, cool slightly, then shred into bite-sized pieces, discarding bones.
- 5. Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer, pressing vegetables to extract flavor. Return clear broth to pot.
- 6. Bring broth to simmer, add asparagus and cook 3-4 minutes until bright green and crisp-tender.
- 7. Add zucchini and cook 2-3 minutes, then add peas and green onions for 1-2 minutes more.
- 8. Return shredded chicken to pot along with cooked rice or pasta if using.
- 9. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice, zest, dill, and parsley.
- 10. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or additional lemon juice as needed.
Notes
Store in refrigerator up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Add fresh lemon juice and herbs after reheating to restore brightness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 12g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 28g