Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
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This Greek Lemon Chicken Soup is a Whole30 chicken soup made with lemon, Greek spices, and potatoes. It is so comforting and flavorful. It’s like the perfect combination of chicken noodle soup and lemon-herb roasted potatoes.
Greek Lemon Chicken Soup is the first thing I am making next time I have a cold.
Getting sick in the winter is a given, but getting sick while on the Whole30 can be terrible. Mostly because you don’t get to eat all of your usual comfort foods like chicken noodle soup.
This comforting lemony soup has fully replaced chicken noodle soup for me. It’s bursting with flavor and is still a filling comfort food thanks to the golden potatoes.
I keep a container of this Greek lemon chicken soup in the freezer during cold and flu season. It is the perfect thing to warm me up when I am feeling under the weather.
What kitchen tools will I need to make this lemon chicken soup?
You can make this recipe in an Instant Pot or on the stove top. Either way, you will only need a few basic kitchen tools in order to make this soup.
- Instant Pot, Stockpot or Dutch Oven
- Sharp knife for chopping vegetables
- Vegetable peeler
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Microplane for zesting
- Wooden mixing spoon
What ingredients will I need to make this healthy Greek lemon chicken dinner?
- Ghee
- Celery
- Carrots
- Onion
- Dried oregano
- Dried dill
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Pepper
- Fresh lemon juice
- Chicken broth
- Golden potatoes
- Boneless skinless chicken breast
- Lemon zest
Ingredient Substituions
You can use orzo pasta in place of potatoes. If I use orzo, I prefer to cook it separately and then stir it into the premade soup.
Feel free to use boneless skinless chicken thighs in place of chicken breasts. I tend to think chicken thighs are more flavorful than chicken breasts anyway.
It is best to use ghee or butter to saute the veggies for this healthy soup recipe, but if you do not want to use either of those you can use olive oil.
Simplify this recipe with rotisserie chicken
To make this Greek lemon chicken soup recipe even easier, use the shredded breast meat from a rotisserie chicken. Stir this in towards the end of simmering the soup.
Let’s make Greek Lemon Chicken Soup!
Step 1: Dice, Peel, Chop, Zest
First, dice the carrots, celery, and onion. Then peel and cube the potatoes. Next, zest the lemons and squeeze the juice out.
Step 2: Saute
Then, heat the ghee in the Instant Pot on simmer or in the dutch oven on medium-low heat. Next, add the onions, celery, carrots to the pot and saute for 4 minutes. Then, stir in the herbs, spices, salt and pepper and saute for an additional minute.
Step 3: Boil and Simmer or Pressure Cook
For stovetop, next, add the potatoes, chicken breast, lemon juice, water, and chicken broth to the pot and bring it to a boil. Once the soup is boiling reduce to a simmer, cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes.
For Instant Pot, dd the potatoes, chicken breast, lemon juice, water, and chicken broth to the Instant Pot. Allow the Instant Pot to come to pressure and cook on manual high pressure for 15 minutes.
Step 4: Shred the chicken and Stir into soup
For both methods, remove the chicken from the pot and shred with 2 forks. Then, add the shredded chicken back to the soup and stir to combine. Finally, serve the soup with fresh lemon slices and fresh herbs.
garnish options
Add even more flavor to this lemon chicken soup by serving it with flavorful fresh garnish options. I like to serve this with fresh lemon zest, fresh dill, cracked black pepper and parmesan cheese.
Can I make this lemon chicken soup in the Instant Pot?
Yes! I have included both Instant Pot and stovetop instructions for this Greek Lemon Chicken Soup. Keep reading to learn how to make this greek lemon soup quickly in the instant pot.
Can I make this Greek chicken soup ahead of time and freeze it?
Yes, you can! This recipe makes quite a bit of soup. So much that we couldn’t finish it all in the 4 days that it will last.
Allow your soup to cool completely and then place it in airtight containers. Place the soup in the freezer where it should be good for at least a few months.
Check out these other healthy and comforting soup recipes!
- Creamy Chicken and Brown Rice Soup
- Sweet Potato and Sausage Curry Soup
- Homemade Chickarina Soup (Progresso Copycat)
- Sweet Potato Paleo Chili
If you love Greek food, you should check out this Easy Greek Dinner Party Menu!
Keep reading to grab the full recipe! If you make this soup please rate and review in the comments below, or share it with me on Instagram!
Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
A fun Whole30 twist on chicken soup made with lemon, Greek spices, and potatoes.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 large yellow onion
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried dill
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 6 medium golden potatoes
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Zest from 2 lemons
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
- Dice the carrots, celery and onion
- Peel and cut the potatoes into 1″ cubes
- Zest two lemons before squeezing them for 1/4 cup lemon juice
- Turn the Instant Pot on saute and add the ghee to the pot
- Once the ghee has fully melted add the onions, celery, and carrots to the pot
- Saute the veggies in the for 4 minutes, tossing frequently
- Add oregano, dill, garlic, salt, and pepper to the pot and sauté for another minute
- Turn the instant pot off sauté
- Add the chicken broth, water, chicken breast, lemon juice, and potatoes to the pot
- Give the soup a gentle stir and close the lid of the Instant Pot
- Set the vent to sealing and set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 15 minutes
- Let the Instant Pot come to pressure and then cook for 15 minutes
- Once the Instant Pot beeps, manually release the pressure and remove the lid
- Remove the chicken breasts and shred with two forks
- Add the shredded chicken back to pot with the lemon zest and stir to combine
- Serve the soup with fresh lemon and dill
Stovetop Instructions
- Dice the carrots, celery and onion
- Peel and cut the potatoes into 1″ cubes
- Zest two lemons before squeezing them for 1/4 cup lemon juice
- Heat ghee in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat
- Once the ghee has fully melted add the onions, celery, and carrots to the pot
- Sauté the veggies in the for 4 minutes, tossing frequently
- Add oregano, dill, garlic, salt, and pepper to the pot and sauté for another minute
- Add the chicken broth, water, chicken breast, lemon juice, and potatoes to the pot
- Give the soup a gentle stir and increase the heat to high
- Allow the soup to come to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer
- Allow the soup to simmer covered for 20 minutes and turn off the heat
- Remove the chicken breasts and shred with two forks
- Add the shredded chicken back to pot with the lemon zest and stir to combine
- Serve the soup with fresh lemon and dill
Tamara says
Made today for my sick kiddo. It was delicious.
★★★★★
Madeline says
YAY! So glad to hear that!
Emily says
Yum! This was a perfect meal to feed my cold today. So glad there’s more for tomorrow and the rest in the freezer. Delicious!
★★★★★
Madeline says
YAY! SO glad you enjoyed it. We are fighting off colds all week around here so having this in the freezer was amazing
Ally says
I’ve made this three times since I started whole30 this January. It’s my go to meal! I’m obsessed.
★★★★★
Madeline says
YES I am so glad you love it as much as I do! Thank you for sharing!
Michele says
Making this for the third time tomorrow, three weeks in a row! Simple, delicious ingredients that I always have on hand. Thanks for another great one!!!
★★★★★
Madeline says
woo!! You’re welcome 🙂
Michele LaPointe says
This was fantastic! I love how it combines Greek lemon potatoes with chicken soup! A nice variation on the usual lemon chicken orzo recipe. This will be a regular for us!
★★★★★
Madeline says
Yay! I am so glad!
ML says
This is the best chicken soup!! I froze half right away in case any of my family is sick during pandemic. It has such an interesting combination of flavors – light, warming and definitely healthy. The Instant Pot recipe is simple and fast. Will definitely make again and again. Thanks Madeline!
Madeline says
oh yay!! So glad you made this and froze some! We froze ours immediately as well!
Sarah S says
Another soup hit! I love that it took just 45 minutes to make including clean up 🙂 I didn’t have any dill so used thyme instead and it was so flavorful. To quote my mother “this is amazing!” Can’t wait to whip up this easy soup again.
★★★★★
Madeline says
Amazing!! Thank you for sharing!
Melinda says
Decided to try this soup on a whim, in the instant pot, even though I don’t actually like soup that much. I’ve made it three more times since. It’s THAT good.
★★★★★
Madeline says
YES! that is a huge compliment coming from someone who doesn’t even like soup much!
Katie says
I think the thing I loved most about this soup is that it was the PERFECT amount. We had four bowls for dinner and had just enough leftovers for 1-2 bowls for lunch the next day. So many recipes for soup make enough for a whole week! Just a hint of lemon which was refreshing, not too over powering. Will def make to keep on hand in the freezer for those sick days.
★★★★
Madeline says
Ah thank you!!! We LOVE to keep this in the freezer for that exact reason!
Carolyne says
This is by far my favorite whole 30 recipe and has become a favorite of mine! I couldn’t wait to make it again as the temps turned chillier!
★★★★★
Madeline says
Aw yay!! I am SO glad! Thank you!
Cat says
This was so yummy and fast and made lots! Was able to freeze the leftovers and can’t wait to eat them
★★★★★
Madeline says
so glad!! I always freeze this one for later and then I am so glad I have it!
Bethany says
I have made this soup many times. It is easy to make and delicious. Definitely a favorite with my family.
★★★★★
Madeline says
Aw thank you!! So glad you and your family enjoy it!
Lauren says
Made this today and loved it. We had overindulged all weekend, and this + a side of broccoli was exactly what we needed to start the week. And it was so comforting! Can’t wait for the leftovers
★★★★★
Madeline says
Sounds like the perfect dinner!!
Liz K says
This was so good that I immediately sent the recipe to my mother. Never making boring chicken soup again!
★★★★★
Madeline says
ah love that!!
Sarah Rehart says
This soup is so yummy. It was super easy to make, so good. 10/10
★★★★★
Madeline says
awesome!! thank you!!
David says
I don’t normally post comments, but honestly this soup deserves it. I must admit I thought a soup this easy to make would be hard pressed to be flavorful, but boy was I wrong and I think the Feta just makes it that much better. Really glad I found this blog, because honestly anything I’ve tried to make is really good and easy.
★★★★★
Madeline says
aw thank you so much!!
Ann says
Loved this- another fab recipe by Madeline! This was super simple and I already had all of the ingredients needed. Came together quickly too! Would definitely make again!
★★★★★
Madeline says
Thank you so much, Ann!!!
Meg says
Yum! Loved this lemony delight! Highly recommend this if you need something to soothe the soul. My tummy has been a mess lately and this was the perfect dinner – yummy, filling but not too heavy.
★★★★★
Madeline says
YAY! Thank you!
Emma says
Such a lovely warming and fresh soup! Full of goodness and tasty flavours, I will be making this time and again!
I swapped the dill for tyme as I’m not keen on dill, and only added 1/3 cup of lemon juice to keep the soup more savoury – it’s versatile so you can tweak and make your own style
★★★★★
Madeline says
so wonderful to hear that! thank you!
Caitie says
Best soup recipes ever! Make this soup once a week in the winter. It is so yummy and classic but also soothing and flavorful. A must add to your weekly meal rotations
★★★★★
Madeline says
so glad to hear that! thank you!
Jessica says
Easy and delicious! I didn’t use dill and I wish I did to give more for a flavor boost to the broth. Don’t skip the dill!
★★★★
Madeline says
Good to know, Jessica! Thanks for trying! I love dill 🙂
Joelle says
This recipe is so simple, filling and delicious!
Its super simple and comes together quickly.
I add orzo or my noddle loving son.
Ive made this a few times now and twice to give as a meal for new moms. Comforting, healthy and easy to freeze if need be!
★★★★★
Julia says
This is a great soup, I made a second batch just a few days after my first batch. I have been keeping some in the freezer for lunches. I topped one batch with biscuit mix to make it into chicken and dumplings and it was a delicious and filling meal.
★★★★★
Madeline says
oooo that sounds SO good! I can’t wait to prep a batch for my freezer
Robyn says
This is quickly becoming my go-to when feeling under the weather. It’s light but so filling. Super easy to make and stores really well!
★★★★★
Madeline says
thank you so much!!!