Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Apr 7, 2025 
Greek Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe is a light and healthy soup with bold Greek flavors, and a great way to warm your belly on cool evenings!
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
Greek Lemon Chicken Soup… For the Soul
Today’s Greek Lemon Chicken Soup is a recipe that my family absolutely loves. We first tasted something similar at a little soup and sandwich shop right outside Kiawah Island in South Carolina. It’s a cozy and healthy Chicken Soup, loaded with Greek flavors like garlic, earthy olive oil, and feta cheese.
This is the kind of soup recipe I make for my kids when they come home, worn from a long day at school. The little orbs of pearl couscous and morsels of cheese swirl to the surface with every spoonful.
A sight that lifts the spirit and warms the belly!
Ingredients You Need
- Chicken Broth – or chicken bouillon. If using low-sodium broth, you might need to add a little extra salt!
- Olive Oil – to sauté the veggies and chicken
- Garlic – freshly minced
- Onion – in small strips
- Lemon Zest – this adds loads of lemony flavor! Serve the soup with the slices of lemon.
- Chicken – chicken breast or boneless, skinless chicken thighs work well
- Pearl Couscous – also known as Israeli couscous, it is larger than regular couscous
- Crushed Red Pepper – for a hint of spice
- Crumbled Feta – for a tangy, savory flavor
- Chives – as garnish, if desired
- Salt & Pepper – to taste
How to Make Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
This soup is pretty straightforward and simple to make! Find the full Lemon Chicken Soup recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Tips & Tricks
- You can replace the couscous with long-grain white rice, orzo pasta, or acini di pepe pasta balls! Each one will have a different cooking time though, so adjust as needed. If adding rice, you might need more liquid! Rice will lend a more creamy texture!
- Garnish with fresh herbs like chopped chives, or fresh dill or parsley!
- Add additional vegetables! You can add diced carrots and celery for a more traditional chicken noodle soup, with the Greek twist of lemon and feta!
- Use rotisserie chicken for ease! You can skip cooking the chicken and simply add shredded rotisserie chicken if you prefer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use rotisserie chicken instead?Absolutely! If you have leftover chicken on hand, you can definitely make this Greek chicken soup recipe with shredded rotisserie chicken or any chicken you have.
Can I make this soup vegetarian?To make vegetarian greek lemon soup, omit the chicken and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth!
Is this soup gluten-free?No! Couscous is not gluten-free. If you want to make a gluten free Greek lemon chicken soup recipe, simply omit the couscous or add a gluten free alternative like rice, quinoa, or gluten-free orzo pasta.
What goes good with lemony chicken soup?Dish your lemony chicken soup up on its own or serve it with breadsticks and a Greek salad!
How should I store Greek lemon chicken soup?To store any leftovers, place in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the fridge! To freeze, place the cooled soup in a zip bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and warm up in a sauce pan on the stovetop before serving! Or, simply reheat in the microwave!
Looking for More Soup Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
Greek Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 10 cups chicken broth
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 sweet onion
- 1 large lemon, zested
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup Israeli couscous (pearl)
- 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
- 2 ounces crumbled feta
- 1/3 cup chopped chive
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Place the olive oil in a large 6-8 quart sauce pot over medium-low heat. Peel the onion. Then quarter it and slice into thin strips. Once the oil is hot, saute the onion and minced garlic for 3-4 minutes to soften.
- Add the chicken broth, raw chicken breasts, lemon zest, and crushed red pepper to the pot. Raise the heat to high, cover, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium, then simmer for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the couscous, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste. Simmer another 5 minutes. Then turn the heat off.
- Using tongs, remove the two chicken breasts from the pot. Use a fork and the tongs to shred the chicken. Then place it back in the pot. Stir in the crumbled feta cheese and chopped chive. Taste and salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.
has anyone made this and frozen the leftovers? I’m looking for a good soup that freezes well for easy meals when busy.
Yes. Froze mine and it was fine when defrosted and reheated. The chicken texture changed slightly but not bad. Still good in my opinion.
Ok, I’m going to be “one of those” people lol. I’m reviewing a recipe I didn’t follow 100%. I lost count but I used anywhere from 9 to 11 cups of chicken broth; half low sodium, half regular. Couldn’t find pearl couscous at the grocery store so I used Ditalini pasta. I don’t like chives so I threw in some parsley. Everything else was followed as written. It was a tad spicier than I prefer, so I’ll probably half the crushed red pepper next time. Overall, it’s really tasty. Definitely moving to the top of my homemade soup list. I love the hint of lemon the zest gives. Thanks for a great recipe!
This is wonderfly amazing and so easy to put together. Thank you for sharing!
I just made this. I always half a recipe since I cook for only one. That was a definite mistake on this soup. This is spot on delish,
I made this and it is AmAzInG!! My husband is not a soup man, in fact he actually never eats soup….However, he raved about this soup, like over and over again….I was like “I don’t even know you anymore!” So that made me super excited and made this recipe a definite keeper! The flavor profile is so perfect and with just the right amount of spiciness. Make this soup!!
Just made this. I forgot to buy a lemon though, so I actually used a lime I had on hand! Whoops. It was still delicious. And very easy :)
Ooops Sommer….forgot to say that we add rice to ours:)
Sommer, I’m Greek and grew up on Avgolemeno (official name for Greek Lemon Chicken soup!) I am very interested to try your version of our soup…we make it boiling a whole chicken, then using that broth combining eggs and lemon juice, blending that into the broth which makes for a thicker texture. We cut the chicken up, add it to the broth and then of course salt and pepper. I have LOVED that soup since I was little (I’m 60 now) and make it for my family often. Thanks for a new way to make Avgolemeno!!!!! Can’t wait to try it:)
If I know I’ll have leftovers (I live alone) should I go ahead and add the feta immediately, or add it just before eating each time?
Hi Molly! It’s ok the add the feta at the beginning, even if you plan to have leftovers. :)
I just made a pot of this and the house smells great! I love lemon so I added the juice of the lemon as well and it really made a difference. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Could this recipe be frozen? I would love to make a big batch for winter :)
Hi Annie! I’ve never put it in the freezer, but there’s nothing in it that should cause an issue. :)
How many calories is this soup?