I love soup season and I probably make a cozy soup for dinner at least once a week. But sometimes I want to switch things up and make sure the flavors are kept bright and fresh by adding lots of citrus. That’s my technique in my cilantro, chicken, and rice soup and with this lemon chicken soup with couscous! It’s simple and delicious made with ingredients that you may already have on hand, but combined in this way make the perfect cozy and comforting soup that’s perfect with some crusty bread and a little green salad on the side.
To make this cozy and comforting soup recipe, assemble your ingredients. Melt butter in a large pot and sauté your onions and garlic. Enjoy those heavenly smells and add a little salt and freshly-ground black pepper. Add flour, chicken broth, lemon juice and zest, and cooked shredded chicken. Bring to a simmer and season with more salt and pepper as well as thyme. Add dry couscous and let the soup simmer until the couscous is fully cooked, about 20 minutes. You’ll be left with a chicken soup that’s bright and flavorful but also so cozy and comforting. You’ll definitely want some bread to soak up every bit of this broth; the lemon-garlic-onion-thyme combination is perfection.
Cooking the couscous in the broth for this soup gives you a velvety texture that’s different from a typically chicken noodle soup. And because the pearl couscous is smaller than a noodle, you’re getting that delicious texture in every bite. I recommend using only Israeli couscous in this recipe as opposed to traditional couscous. Israeli couscous is larger in size and will hold its shape and texture in this soup. Israeli couscous can be purchased at every grocery store that I’ve been to, so if you’ve never cooked with it don’t be intimidated! Similar to rice or pasta, you’ll cook it until it reaches al dente perfection or softer if that’s your preference.
Don’t miss this soup! It’s been on repeat in our house and I know you will love it too.
- 3 tbsp. butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- ½ tsp. ground dried thyme
- 1 tsp. salt + more to taste
- ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ cup Israeli couscous
- In a large pot, melt butter. Add onions and garlic and cook until fragrant and translucent. Add flour and stir to coat onions and garlic.
- Add chicken broth, shredded chicken, lemon juice, lemon zest, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
- Add couscous and keep at a simmer over medium-low heat and cook until couscous is tender.
- Serve with crusty bread. Enjoy!
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house smells lovely. can I freeze this?