Chicken Lentil Soup
Hearty and nutritious, my Chicken Lentil Soup is a great big warm hug of a meal, perfect for chilly winter days. Loaded with lean chicken, veg and pulses, a big pot of this comforting soup will feed the whole family and warm you up from the inside out.
When the cold hits and you’re craving something hearty and nourishing, my Chicken Lentil Soup is exactly what you need. It’s cozy, comforting, and packed with good-for-you ingredients – juicy chicken, earthy lentils, and loads of healthy and colourful veg to brighten up your day.
This soup is perfect for chilly nights when you want something wholesome, affordable, and delicious. As a bonus, it freezes and reheats beautifully, so great for meal prep.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Ingredients
To make my Chicken Lentil Soup recipe you’ll need the following simple ingredients:
- LENTILS: Green or brown lentils both work well. I use dried lentils because I always have them on hand and they cook at the same time as the chicken. Canned or tinned lentils are fine too, just add them a little later in the cooking time so they don’t go too soft.
- CHICKEN: Is there anything more comforting than chicken soup? I like to use thighs or drumsticks as they hold up beautifully to a longer simmer and stay juicy and full of flavour. If you’re using chicken breast, add it during the last 15 minutes of cooking so it stays tender. But if you want the most flavour, go with thighs, trust me on this.
- CARROT, CELERY AND ONION: This classic trio makes a perfect soup base. Chop everything into bite-sized pieces so every spoonful is easy to eat.
- GARLIC: Not just for chasing away vampires! Garlic adds wonderful flavour and is great for keeping colds at bay in winter. Use as much or as little as you like, but go for at least two big, juicy cloves.
- TOMATOES: Canned tomatoes add richness and depth to the soup. Pro tip: buy whole peeled tomatoes and snip them up with scissors right in the can. You’ll get great texture without all the curly little bits of tomato skin floating around (this is a pet peeve of mine, can’t stand them!)
- HERBS AND SPICES: I keep it simple in this recipe, a dash of cumin, paprika and oregano with a couple of bay leaves, fresh if possible (yes! Fresh bay leaves taste amazing!) You can totally experiment to suit your tastes! Like it spicy? Add cayenne pepper. Fancy a curried flavour? Add a spoonful of garam masala or other curry powder.
- CHICKEN STOCK OR BROTH: Every great soup starts with a good base. Powdered stock or cubes will work in a pinch, but if you have homemade chicken stock, this is the time to use it.
The complete ingredient list and detailed instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Instructions
My super comforting Chicken and Lentil Soup is so easy to make as long as you follow some simple steps.
- Blanch your lentils by covering them with cold water, bringing them to the boil, then refreshing under cold water. This is a fab trick I learned at Le Cordon Bleu – it helps the lentils cook super quickly and evenly.
- Sauté the onion, carrot and celery in butter until soft and fragrant. Stir in the garlic, herbs, spices, tomatoes and stock.
- Tip the lentils back into the pan, nestle the chicken thighs into the liquid and simmer gently for 35-45 minutes until the chicken is tender and the lentils are perfectly cooked.
- Shred the chicken, stir it back into the soup with a handful of spinach, and serve piping hot with plenty of crusty buttered bread. Heaven in a bowl!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze Chicken Lentil Soup?
Yes! This recipe makes a generous amount of soup, so I often cook a big batch and portion it into individual containers to freeze. It’s perfect for lazy days when you don’t feel like cooking. Just reheat gently on the stove top or in the microwave. It also makes a brilliant take-to-work lunch.
Can I make this soup without chicken?
Absolutely! You can swap the chicken for something with a bit of bite such as sweet potato, pumpkin or courgette. The soup will still be full of flavour and just as good.
Do I have to use green lentils in this soup?
Not at all. Any lentils will work nicely in this recipe. I like to use big green lentils for a bit of chew and flavour, but red lentils are lovely too – they break down and thicken the soup, giving it a slightly creamier texture.
Can I use leftover roast chicken in soup?
Definitely! If you’ve got leftover roast chicken, just shred it and stir it into the soup during the last 10 minutes of cooking. It’s a great way to make use of leftovers and adds an extra depth of flavour. Don’t add it too early as it will fall apart!
How long does Chicken and Lentil Soup keep in the fridge?
This soup will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store it in a covered container and reheat it thoroughly before serving. Like most soups and stews, the flavours actually get even better the next day!
More comforting stews and soups
My Traditional Turkish Red Lentil Soup recipe is always a winner and costs pennies to make. Fancy something a bit heartier? A Hungarian Pörkölt Stew is perfect for a rainy day.
Chicken Lentil Soup
Hearty and nutritious, my healthy Chicken Lentil Soup is a great big warm hug of a meal, perfect for chilly winter days. Loaded with lean chicken, veg and pulses, a big pot of this comforting soup will feed the whole family and warm you up from the inside out.
Ingredients
- 200 g dried green lentils
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 3 ribs celery, diced
- 1 red onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 400 g can of peeled tomatoes
- 1 litre chicken or vegetable broth or stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 large bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed, approx 800g / 2 lb.
- 2-3 handfuls baby spinach, washed
- sea salt and black pepper
optional:
- Parmesan cheese, for grating over
Instructions
- BLANCH LENTILS: Pour the lentils into a large saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Drain and refresh under cold running water. This helps them cook quickly and stay tender.200 g dried green lentils
- SAUTÉ VEGETABLES: Melt the butter and olive oil in a large pot or casserole over a medium heat. Sauté the carrots, celery and onion for 5 minutes until beginning to soften. Add the garlic, tomato purée, cumin, paprika and oregano and cook for 2-3 minutes more, stirring to release all the flavour.1 Tbsp butter, 1 Tbsp olive oil, 2 large carrots, 3 ribs celery, 1 red onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 Tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground paprika, 1 tsp dried oregano
- ADD LIQUIDS AND CHICKEN: Use a pair of clean scissors to chop the tomatoes in the can, then add them to the pot along with the stock, lentils and bay leaves. Bring to the boil, nestle the chicken thighs under the liquid and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes until the lentils are tender and the chicken is cooked through.400 g can of peeled tomatoes, 1 litre chicken or vegetable broth or stock, 2 bay leaves, 4 large bone-in chicken thighs
- SHRED CHICKEN: Lift the chicken from the soup with a slotted spoon, allow it to cool for a minute or two, then shred the meat, discarding the bones. Return the chicken to the pot and warm through over a low heat.
- ADD SPINACH:Stir through the spinach just until wilted, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls, grate over plenty of Parmesan and serve hot with plenty of crusty bread. Optionally you can bump up the protein in this meal by adding a big dollop of cottage cheese over the top. Yum!2-3 handfuls baby spinach, sea salt and black pepper, Parmesan cheese
Recommended Equipment
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Nutrition
Serving: 1 bowl | Calories: 459kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 1256mg | Potassium: 1407mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 7194IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 127mg | Iron: 7mg
Tried this recipe?I’d love to hear how it went! Please leave a review or a star rating and let me know how it was! Use the hashtag #daysofjay on Instagram so I can see your delicious creations.
Originally published December 2023. Updated November 2025 with new text, improved instructions and FAQs.
About the Author
Jay Wadams is a cookbook author, food photographer, and graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in Gastronomy and Nutrition.
Based in Italy 🇮🇹 Germany 🇩🇪 and Australia 🇦🇺.
Recipe neglects to mention at what point to add the rinsed lentils, just says, in point 3: “until lentils tender” but not mentioned beforehand when they get thrown in, just fyi
Whoops! Thank you for spotting this! Corrected! J.
Love your recipes and REALLY wish you’d list imperial measurements (ounces/cups), not just metric. Thanks for considering!
Hi there! Thank you so much! Most recipes should have a toggle in the recipe card for Metric/US Customary which will give ounces or cups depending on the recipe. It is something that I have to manually calculate though so the odd recipe will be missing it! J.