This lemon chicken soup is fresh, light, and easy to make! It’s a delicious twist on the classic chicken noodle soup.

If you love lemony soups, try our Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup.

lemon chicken noodle soup
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Lemon Chicken Soup

My kids love eating soup year-round and this lemon chicken noodle soup is always a top request in our family. We make a version of this soup practically every week. Yes, even in the summer time!

It has all the traditional components of chicken noodle soup. However, I also include lemon juice and zest for a bright, refreshing flavor and vitamin C boost for the colder months! 

Instead of traditional thick egg noodles, I love using fine egg noodles. They’re light, delicate, and a favorite with my kids.

This soup is savory, comforting, and full of protein and nutrients, making it great for warming up on a cold day or curing the sniffles when you’re under the weather. Even better, all the ingredients cook in one large pot in just 30 minutes. 

With a five-star rating, readers love this soup as much as we do! Try pairing it with sourdough garlic bread or cheese popovers for a tasty meal.

There’s no doubt chicken noodle is classic comfort food. There are many variations of this soup, such as Lemon Orzo Soup, Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup, Sicilian Chicken Soup, and many more.

Lemon Chicken Noodle Soup Ingredients

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities. 

ingredients for lemon chicken soup recipe
  • Oil: We use olive oil to brown the chicken and soften the veggies. If preferred, avocado oil will also work. 
  • Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work best for this soup, but chicken breasts can also be used. 
  • Herbs and spices: Kosher salt, black pepper, dried oregano, bay leaves, and fresh parsley create a savory, herbaceous taste. 
  • Veggies: Yellow or white onion, carrots, celery ribs, and garlic cloves add vitamins, nutrients, and flavor to the soup. 
  • Chicken stock: The base of the broth. Use store-bought or homemade chicken stock
  • Pasta: Use dried pasta such as fine egg noodles or fideo. 
  • Lemon: Both lemon juice and lemon zest add vibrant, refreshing flavor to the soup.

Most Important Ingredient for Lemon Chicken Soup

Salt. My tip is to salt the soup at every step, and taste as you go (as long as it’s safe). You’ll want to build on the flavors gradually.

Remember salt is meant to enhance the flavor of the ingredients and not make the soup taste salty. If the soup is tasting flat or even a little bitter, add a pinch of salt, taste, and add more if needed.

lemon chicken soup

How to Make Chicken Noodle Soup with Lemon

1. Cook the chicken: Toss the chicken with salt and pepper.

chicken in a bowl

2. Heat a soup pot or a dutch-oven with olive oil. When hot, add the chicken and cook until browned, about 4-5 minutes. Remove to a plate.

cooked chicken in a bowl

3. Cook the veggies: Add onions, carrots, and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook until beginning to soften. Stir in garlic and oregano.

cooked veggies in a soup pot

4. Add stock and pasta: Add chicken stock and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer. Stir in pasta and chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until pasta and veggies are tender.

chicken and noodles in a soup pot

5. Finish with lemon and parsley: Remove and discard the bay leaves.

cooked soup in a soup pot

6. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and parsley.

cooked lemon chicken soup with parsley

Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe Tips

  • Double the recipe! Chicken noodle soup freezes well for up to 3 months.
  • Sweat the veggies. Soften the vegetables without browning them to get the most flavor.
  • Make your own stock either the traditional way or in a crockpot.
  • Salt as you go. Taste the soup at every step and season with salt as needed.
  • For best flavor do not substitute thighs with breast. But if you must, see the recipe card for instructions.
  • Do not overcook the noodles. Check the pasta package for cooking time.

What Goes with Chicken Lemon Soup?

Chicken soup is great on its own or with one of these sides for a more hearty and filling meal:

lemon chicken soup recipe

WATCH: How to Make Lemony Chicken Soup

If you try our lemon chicken noodle soup, please leave a star rating and a comment letting us know how you liked the recipe.

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lemon chicken noodle soup

Chicken Noodle Soup with Lemon

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 5 reviews
  • Author: Katya
  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Cook Time: 30 min
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Simmer
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Comforting lemon chicken noodle soup with tender chicken, soft noodles, bright veggies, and lemon oregano infused broth. It’s the perfect soup to make year-round!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 23 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless, chicken thighs, cut into strips
  • 3/4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 1 medium onion, diced, about 1/21 cup
  • 3 carrots, diced, about 1 cup
  • 2 celery ribs, diced, about 1 cup
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3/4 cups dried pasta, such as fine egg noodles or fideo (cut spaghetti)
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon zest, about 2 lemons
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley

Instructions

  1. In a 4.5-quart or bigger soup pot or a dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Toss chicken with 3/4 teaspoons of salt and 1/4 teaspoons of pepper and add to the pot. Cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove to a plate.
  2. Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil if needed. Add onions, carrots, and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook until the veggies are beginning to soften, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in garlic and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
  3. Add chicken stock and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer. Stir in pasta and chicken. Season soup with salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer partially covered until pasta and veggies are tender, about 10-12 minutes. Stir the soup occasionally so the pasta does not stick.
  4. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and parsley. 

Notes

  • Can I substitute chicken breast for the thighs? Yes, you can. Follow directions as written until step 3. Add chicken breast in the last 3 minutes of cooking, otherwise, if you add it in with the pasta it will be tough by the time the soup is done cooking.
  • Leftovers: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 288
  • Sugar: 6.7 g
  • Sodium: 601.1 mg
  • Fat: 11 g
  • Carbohydrates: 23.4 g
  • Protein: 23.2 g
  • Cholesterol: 78.2 mg