Go Back
–+ servings
Chicken soup with lentils

Chicken Lentil Soup with Leeks

A fragrant chicken soup with leeks is made even more filling with the addition of lentils, potatoes, and a variety of vegetables, resulting in a wholesome and comforting soup.
No ratings yet
Print Pin Share on Facebook
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Inactive time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 464kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Chicken broth:

Soup:

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 leek (white and light green parts only; trimmed and rinsed thoroughly, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced into half-moons)
  • 3 ribs celery (trimmed and diced; leaves minced)
  • 5 carrots (about ¾ pound total, trimmed, peeled, and sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds)
  • 5 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
  • 1½ teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or use crushed red pepper to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1¼ pounds gold potatoes (or use white potatoes; peeled and medium-diced)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper (plus more to taste)
  • 1 cup green lentils (rinsed and picked over)
  • 1 cup parsley (loosely packed and minced; plus more for serving)
  • 1 lemon (juiced; about 2 tablespoons total)

For serving:

Instructions

Make the broth (see Note 1):

  • Place the chicken in a large pot and cover with 10 to 12 cups of water. Add more if needed to immerse the chicken. Add 5 teaspoons kosher salt, a head of garlic, 2 quartered onions, and 3 bay leaves. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam from the surface of the broth. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 2 hours.
  • Carefully remove the chicken from the broth using tongs or a large sieve. Transfer it to a bowl. Return the heat on the pot of broth to medium and simmer rapidly for 20 to 30 minutes, until the liquid reduces to approximately 8 cups of broth. It’s okay if you have a little more or a little less. Turn off the heat.
  • Carefully strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Set aside. Wipe out the pot used for the broth and return it to the stove.
  • Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, pick the meat from the bones and shred the meat with your fingers or dice it with a knife. Reserve the carcass for homemade stock. You should have 4 to 5 cups of meat. Set it aside.

Sauté the soup aromatics:

  • Add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to the soup pot. Turn the heat to medium. Once hot, add the sliced leek and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Add the diced celery, minced celery leaves, and carrots. Season with a pinch of salt. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Add the garlic to the pot and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the paprika, Aleppo pepper, and turmeric. Sauté for 1 minute, stirring often to coat the aromatics with the spices.

Simmer the soup:

  • Add the potatoes, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and lentils to the pot along with the cooked chicken. Add 8 cups of homemade chicken broth. If you have a little more, you can add it to the pot or reserve it for another use. If you have a little less, supplement with water.
  • Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 40 minutes until the potatoes and lentils are tender. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Turn off the heat.

Finish the soup:

  • Add the minced parsley and lemon juice to the soup and let stand for 5 minutes.

To serve:

  • Spoon the soup into bowls and serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt on top. Finish with more minced parsley and a sprinkle of sumac if you like. Enjoy!

Notes

Note 1: If you opt to skip making homemade broth, simply use a whole rotisserie chicken–you'll need 4 to 5 cups of meat total–and 8 cups of store-bought chicken stock.

Nutrition

Calories: 464kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 13g | Sodium: 2426mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin C: 39mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @triedandtruerecipes or tag #triedandtruerecipes so I can feature you in my feed!