High Protein Lemon Turmeric Chicken Soup (Printable)

Vibrant soup with zesty lemon, golden turmeric, and tender baby kale. High protein, gluten-free, and ready in under an hour.

# What You Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 1.3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 3.5 oz baby kale
06 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Broth & Liquids

07 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
08 - Juice and zest of 1 large lemon

→ Spices & Seasonings

09 - 1½ teaspoons ground turmeric
10 - ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
11 - 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
12 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
13 - ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional

→ Oils

14 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Garnish

15 - Fresh parsley or dill, chopped
16 - Lemon wedges

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in garlic, turmeric, thyme, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add chicken breasts or thighs and pour in chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
04 - Remove chicken from pot and shred using two forks. Return shredded chicken to the pot.
05 - Stir in baby kale and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until wilted.
06 - Add lemon juice and zest. Season with salt to taste.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with parsley or dill and lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like someone actually cares about you, not like medicine disguised as soup.
  • Forty grams of protein per bowl means you stay satisfied for hours, not hunting for snacks by three o'clock.
  • The whole thing comes together in under an hour, which feels almost unfair for how good it is.
02 -
  • If you overcook the chicken even slightly, it gets stringy and sad, so set a timer and don't let it go past twenty-five minutes.
  • The lemon is what separates this from just being any other soup—it's the ingredient that makes people ask what's in it, so don't be shy with it.
03 -
  • Buy a big lemon and zest it before you juice it—the zest is where so much of the brightness lives, and it's easy to forget if you're focused on squeezing.
  • Taste the broth before you add anything else to it; if it's already salty, you'll need less seasoning, and this small moment of attention prevents over-salting the whole pot.
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