This Ginger Turmeric & Lemon Chicken Soup is the bowl I want on repeat as soon as the weather cools off. Shredded chicken thighs, carrots, celery, and tiny pasta simmer in a golden ginger-turmeric bone broth, then get finished with fresh lemon juice and a handful of baby spinach right before serving. It’s cozy, packed with protein, and made in one pot, so the cleanup is as easy as the cooking.
Friends, if you know me, you know fall is my favorite time of year, and the second the temperature drops even a few degrees, I want a pot of soup on my stove. Chicken soup is always at the top of my list, but this one has more going on than a classic chicken noodle. The ginger and turmeric give the broth warmth and color, and the lemon at the end wakes the whole pot up so every spoonful tastes bright instead of heavy.
This is one of those recipes that feels like you’re taking care of yourself from the inside out. Lemon brings vitamin C, which your body uses to make its own collagen, while the bone broth and chicken thighs add protein that keeps you full well past lunch. I love food that does something for me, and this soup checks that box without tasting like a “health” recipe in the slightest.
A quick note on the ginger and turmeric, because they’re doing a lot here. Cooking the fresh ginger with the garlic for a minute, then stirring in the ground turmeric before the broth goes in, toasts the spices in the oil so their flavor carries through the whole pot instead of tasting dusty or flat. You’ll smell the difference right away.
What You Need to Make This Cozy Lemon Chicken Soup
- Olive Oil: Keep the bottle nearby, because a drizzle over each bowl at the end adds a nice finish.
- Yellow Onion: Yellow onion turns sweet and soft after a few minutes in the pot and builds the base of the broth.
- Garlic: Add them with the ginger and keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.
- Fresh Ginger: Fresh grated ginger brings a gentle warmth and a little bite that ground ginger can’t match. A microplane makes grating it fast, and you don’t need to peel it first if the skin is thin.
- Ground Turmeric: Turmeric gives this soup its golden color and an earthy flavor that pairs so well with the ginger and lemon.
- Carrots: Sliced carrots add sweetness and soak up all of that turmeric color as they simmer. Slice them into even rounds so they cook at the same rate.
- Celery: Celery adds that classic chicken soup flavor and a little texture. Slice it about the same size as the carrots.
- Chicken Bone Broth: Bone broth gives the soup a richer, fuller body than regular broth, plus a little extra protein. Regular chicken broth works too if that’s what you have; just check the label if you’re keeping things gluten-free or sugar-free.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs: Thighs stay tender while they simmer and shred nicely. You’ll cook them right in the broth, so they flavor the soup as they go.
- Kosher Salt: Taste at the end and add more if your broth is on the low-sodium side.
- Ground Black Pepper: Black pepper rounds out the broth with a little heat.
- Small Pasta: Pastina, orzo, or any small shape you love works in this soup, and it cooks right in the broth. Use a gluten-free pasta if you need to keep this recipe gluten-free.
- Baby Spinach: Three cups of baby spinach wilt into the soup in seconds at the very end. It adds color and an easy way to get more greens into your bowl.
- Lemons: The juice of two lemons is what makes this soup taste so bright. Stir it in off the heat so the flavor stays fresh.
- Fresh Parsley: Chopped parsley on top adds a pop of color and a fresh, herby finish. Sprinkle it on right before serving.
How to Make Ginger-Turmeric & Lemon Chicken Soup
Start by heating the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until it softens, about 4 minutes. Then add the minced garlic and grated ginger and cook for about 1 minute, just until fragrant, before stirring in the ground turmeric.
Next, add the sliced carrots, celery, and bone broth to the pot. Nestle in the chicken thighs, then season with the salt and pepper. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes. This part is completely hands-off, so use the time to chop your parsley and juice your lemons.
Once the chicken is cooked, remove the lid and transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred it into bite-size pieces, then set it aside. With the broth still simmering, add the dry pasta directly to the pot and cook until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir the shredded chicken back in, then add the baby spinach and stir until it just wilts. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the fresh lemon juice.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with fresh parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! The soup base (broth, vegetables, and shredded chicken) can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, bring it back to a simmer, cook the pasta in the broth, then add the spinach and lemon juice right before serving. Adding the pasta, spinach, and lemon at the end keeps the pasta from getting soft and the lemon tasting fresh.
Small pasta keeps absorbing broth as it sits, so leftovers will be thicker. Add a splash of broth or water when you reheat to loosen it back up. If you plan on having leftovers, you can also cook the pasta separately and add it to individual bowls.
Yes, but freeze it without the pasta and spinach, since both get mushy after thawing. Store the soup base in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then reheat and finish with fresh pasta, spinach, and lemon.
You can, but breasts can dry out more easily during the simmer. Start checking them a few minutes early and pull them as soon as they’re cooked through.
Fresh ginger gives this soup the best flavor, but about 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger will work in a pinch. Add it with the turmeric.
It can be! Use a gluten-free small pasta and double-check that your bone broth is certified gluten-free.
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new!
** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim
Equipment
- Microplane
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Yellow Onion, diced
- 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Ginger, grated
- 2 Teaspoons Ground Turmeric
- 3 Carrots, sliced
- 3 Stalks Celery, sliced
- 6 Cups Chicken Bone Broth, or chicken broth
- 1.5 Pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Cu Dry Small Pasta , pastina, orzo, etc
- 3 Cups Fresh Baby Spinach
- 2 Lemons, juiced
- ¼ Cup Parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Start by heating the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until it softens, about 4 minutes. Then add the minced garlic and grated ginger and cook for about 1 minute, just until fragrant, before stirring in the ground turmeric.
- Next, add the sliced carrots, celery, and bone broth to the pot. Nestle in the chicken thighs, then season with the salt and pepper. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes. This part is completely hands-off, so use the time to chop your parsley and juice your lemons.
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove the lid and transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred it into bite-size pieces, then set it aside.
- With the broth still simmering, add the dry pasta directly to the pot and cook until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir the shredded chicken back in, then add the baby spinach and stir until it just wilts. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the fresh lemon juice.
- To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with fresh parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy!
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