This lemon couscous chicken soup is warming and comforting – a hug in a bowl! Loaded with fresh ginger and lemon zest, it’s made with couscous instead of noodles for the ultimate cozy feel. It’s so good!

Soup season is in full swing over here.

lemon couscous chicken soup

And this lemon ginger couscous version is so soul warming and nourishing. It is exactly what you need after a long day of work. Or on a sunday night with a loaf of crusty bread and some parmesan cheese.

That sounds so perfect right now.

chopped onions, carrots and celery

In this episode of “how many different ways can we make chicken soup,” we’re adding a ton of fresh ginger, some fresh lemon and lots of vegetables. It’s DELISH.

celery, onions, carrots, ginger, garlic and chicken in a pot

The thing is, I have SO many chicken soup recipes that I love. I actually have an old lemon chicken soup recipe that is super good – I based this one on that! Earlier this year (feels like a lifetime ago, right?!) I made this chicken and orzo soup too! And my creamy chicken tortellini soup is DIVINE.

This chicken noodle egg drop soup is also really good. And I have a chicken and gnocchi soup that I make frequently, coming to you in the new year! 

This one is definitely ranking high up on the favorites list right now. It’s so warming and cozy from the ginger. It has that bright something special from the lemon!

And the couscous is what really makes it shine. It’s fantastic. 

ladle of chicken soup

We LOVE couscous in this house. I will go as far to say I love it more than rice or any other grain that I may make as a side dish. I don’t serve it as a pasta – it always replaces a grain for us. And the pearl couscous is the absolute BEST. I love how huge it is. The texture is chewy but soft at the same time. It’s perfect for soup. 

I also love how EASY it is for soup. Throw it in and it will cook in 10 minutes or so. It’s really simple and adds such a satisfying element to soup.

ladle of chicken noodle soup

One of the reasons I love this soup is the same reason I love chopped salads: everything is small and you can fit a bite of everything all on one spoon. My favorite! The couscous also makes the soup feel heartier than traditional egg noodles. It’s still brothy, but gives you the feel of having more in the soup. 

lemon couscous chicken soup

This is a meal you can easily throw together on a weeknight. I like to use a rotisserie chicken for ease. If you don’t have one, you can either use leftover chicken or make 2 chicken breasts and chop them.

My go-to method for making chicken breasts for soup is actually boiling them – throw them in some water, bring to a boil and cook until done. So easy!

lemon couscous chicken soup

To make the simplest lemon couscous chicken soup:

  • Sauté all the vegetables – the celery, carrots, onions, ginger and garlic first.
  • Toss in the chicken and a parmesan cheese rind for richness.
  • Add your broth, bring it to a boil and throw in the couscous! Cook until plum.
  • Spritz in some fresh lemon juice and lemon zest for an extra punch.
  • Serve with fresh herbs, extra parmesan and most importantly, a huge hunk of crusty bread!

lemon couscous chicken soup

Lemon Couscous Chicken Soup

Lemon Ginger Couscous Chicken Soup

This lemon chicken couscous soup is warming and comforting - a hug in a bowl! Loaded with fresh ginger and lemon zest, it's made with couscous instead of noodles for the ultimate cozy feel. It's so good!
5 from 33 votes
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Ingredients

Instructions 

  • Heat the butter in a large stock pot over medium-low heat. Add in the onion, carrots, celery, ginger and garlic with a big pinch of salt and pepper - I’d say at least ½ teaspoon salt and pepper to start. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften. Stir in the shredded chicken.
  • Add in the chicken stock and the parmesan rind. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add the couscous and reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the couscous has cooked, about 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice and fresh herbs. Taste and season additionally with salt and pepper if needed. Serve with extra parmesan, herbs and lemon wedges. Oh and crusty bread!

Notes

You can prep this entire soup ahead of time, but cook the couscous separately so it doesn't soak up all the broth. I suggest decreasing the broth of the soup to 5 or 6 cups total. Cook and store the couscous separately, then combine the 2 when you're ready to heat and eat!
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lemon couscous chicken soup

Craving that comfort.