Creamy Lemon Chicken Soup with Spinach
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Feb 10, 2025 
Creamy Lemon Chicken Soup with Spinach Recipe – Cozy up with this keto chicken spinach soup, a perfect blend of tender chicken, fresh veggies, and zesty lemon. With a rich, velvety base of heavy cream and parmesan, plus a hint of spinach and parsley, each bowl is both hearty and refreshing!
Why We Love This Creamy Chicken Soup Recipe
There’s nothing I love more in the dead of winter, than a big steaming pot of chicken soup. Good chicken soup is always piping hot, chunky, and herbaceous, with the quintessential flavor of healing and comfort. What’s not to love?
This year we’re focusing on going back and “filling in the gaps” here on A Spicy Perspective, where down-home favorite recipes are missing. We’ve added things like… Brunswick Stew, Baked Ziti, Creamy Homemade Mac and Cheese, Fried Chicken, Sausage Gravy, and Lemon Crinkle Cookies. And after 10 years of recipe sharing, we just recently posted our Best Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe.
Although most of the recipes we’ve added are cozy and carb-heavy, we’re also sharing comforting low-carb classics as well! If you’re keeping the carbs on the down low right now, today’s Creamy Lemon Chicken Soup with Spinach, Lemon, and Parmesan will be a huge hit on your dinner table!
This Chicken Soup is a low-carb play on the Mediterranean flavor profile. However, we’re holding the pasta, and adding in tons of veggies and cheese instead. And rather than using feta cheese in this recipe, we’ve added a generous portion of shredded parmesan cheese, so it melts and blends into the creamy soup base. It’s a zesty and luxurious soup that you are sure to love.
Ingredients You Need
- Butter – to sauté the veggies
- Onion – chopped
- Celery – chopped
- Carrots – cut amount in half to reduce carbs for keto diet
- Garlic cloves – minced
- Chicken – we used boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you could use chicken thighs as well or even shredded rotisserie chicken
- Chicken broth – or low-sodium chicken broth
- Lemon zest– use fresh lemon zest for a delicate lemon flavor or crank it up by adding lemon juice at the end!
- Italian seasoning– or chopped fresh herbs
- Heavy cream – half and half or milk can also be used
- Cornstarch – or Low Carb Glucomannan Powder
- Parmesan cheese – grate your own for the best texture
- Spinach – or kale for a different texture
- Parsley – chopped
- Salt and black pepper – to taste
How To Make Chicken Spinach Soup
- Sauté the Veggies. Soften the vegetables in butter to release their natural flavors in the dutch oven.
- Add the Protein, Herbs, and Broth. Add in the whole raw chicken, lemon zest, herbs, and broth. You can use chicken breasts or thighs.
- Simmer. Simmer to cook the chicken and create a rich soup base.
- Shred. Take the tender chicken out of the pot and shred it into small bite-size pieces.
- Thicken. Stir in the heavy cream, cornstarch (or glucomannan), and parmesan cheese. Let it simmer to thicken.
- Add Greens. Stir the shredded chicken, spinach, and parsley into the pot!
- Serve. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm, with extra parmesan if desired!
Get the Full (Printable) Creamy Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Keto-Friendly: Swap the cornstarch for 2 teaspoons of glucomannan powder to keep it low-carb.
- Dairy-Free: Replace the heavy cream with coconut milk or a dairy-free cream alternative. Nutritional yeast can sub in for parmesan.
- Vegetarian: Skip the chicken and use white beans or chickpeas for a protein boost, and swap chicken broth for vegetable broth.
- Add Grains: Stir in cooked rice, orzo, or quinoa for extra texture and heartiness.
- Extra Veggies: Try adding zucchini, mushrooms, or bell peppers for more color and flavor.
- Spicy Kick: Add a dash of red pepper flakes or a few slices of jalapeño for a warming kick.
Serving Suggestions
This chicken spinach soup is perfect for cozy family dinners or a comforting lunch! Serve with warm, fluffy dinner rolls to soak up the rich broth.
For a low-carb option, enjoy it alongside a roasted vegetable medley or roasted asparagus. It also makes a great starter to a larger meal with Mediterranean flavors, like a lemon-herb chicken or a light pasta salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
Yes and no. Yes, you can freeze it. However, sometimes when people reheat frozen soups containing cheese, the cheese separates and curdles.
To avoid this, reheat the soup at a low temperature, and do not let it boil.
Arrowroot powder is a fabulous grain-free thickener, but it doesn’t actually reduce the carbs more than cornstarch.
Instead, try using glucomannan powder to thicken the soup to keep the carb very low.
Yes! Both thickening options are gluten-free, therefore the entire chicken and veggie soup recipe is as well.
Of course! Add or omit anything you like. Just remember, if it’s a hard dense vegetable, it should be sauteed with the onions at the beginning.
To make this recipe true keto, use 2 teaspoons glucomannan powder in place of the cornstarch, and use only 1/2 cup chopped carrots.
More Dazzling Chicken Comfort Food Soups
- Low Carb Green Curry Chicken Noodle Soup
- Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup
- Chicken Detox Soup
- Southwest Chicken Detox Soup
- Low Carb Chicken Mushroom Soup
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Soup
- Crock Pot Chicken Potato Soup
- Healthy Chicken Cacciatore Soup
- Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup
- Skinny Chicken Fajita Soup
- Best Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Looking for More Low Carb Favorites? Be Sure to Try:
- Tom Yum Soup (Thai)
- Croatian Chicken and Vegetables
- Perfect Baked Chicken Thighs
- Caribbean Grilled Lamb Chops
- Muffuletta Stuffed Chicken Breasts
- Buffalo Ranch Deviled Eggs
- Mexican Caprese Salad
- Low Carb Pepperoni Pizza Bites
- Bacon-Wrapped Avocado
- Power Protein Bowl with Beans
- Market Chicken Skillet with Corn
Get the Full (Printable) Creamy Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Creamy Lemon Chicken Soup with Spinach
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter, or olive oil
- 1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 5-6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound boneless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup cornstarch (2 tsp glucommanan powder for keto)
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup baby spinach, packed
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Place a large 6-8 quart saucepot over medium heat. Add the butter, onions, and celery. Sauté for 3 minutes. Then add in the carrots and garlic and sauté another 2 minutes to soften.
- Place whole raw chicken breasts in the pot. Add in the lemon zest, Italian seasoning, chicken broth, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat if needed and simmer for about 15 minutes (covered) to cook the chicken.
- Meanwhile, whisk the heavy cream and cornstarch (or glucomannan) together until very smooth.
- Once the chicken has cooked through, pull the chicken breasts out of the pot with tongs and set on a cutting board.
- Stir the heavy cream mixture and parmesan cheese into the soup base to thicken. Stir another minute, until the parmesan melts and blends smoothly into the soup base.
- Use two forks to shred the chicken breasts. Then stir the shredded chicken, spinach, and parsley in the soup. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm, with extra parmesan if desired!
Notes
Nutrition
Get the Full (Printable) Creamy Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe Below. Enjoy!
the best really liked this soup my grandkids loved it
I used lemon olive oil (California Brand) and added a half a cup of jasmine rice for a filler. My husband and I love this soup and we have been making it all winter here in Minnesota. I have passed it out to family and friends and so far everyone has been thanking me for the recipe. Thank you
I added extra chicken but wish I hadn’t, the broth is really the star of the show!! Delicious!!
LOVE IT! I’ve been looking for a way to replicate Mendocino Farms’ Greek chicken soup and THIS IS IT!! (just add farro) thank you love it. I always have trouble with thickeners, so I took a few tablespoons of soup and used an immersion blender to combine with the cream/arrowroot before adding that to the main pot.
Delicious recipe – we made it last weekend and it was a hit with the whole family!
This is bursting with flavors! Love the hint of lemon on this chicken soup! New favorite!
We loved this recipe so much! Loved that it is keto friendly, too. Nothing better than orzo noodles imho.
this is such a great soup and I cannot thank you enough for sharing this tasty dish! This has become my favorite go to soup
Also, I didn’t have cornstarch and used ground flax!!!
I used bone in chicken thighs and served with a lemon slice and sprinkle of Parmesan…omg so delicious!!!!
Add 2 tsp of goya white cooking wine after sautéing onions and garlic. This was delicious.