This creamy chicken couscous soup is a delicious and cozy comfort food, perfect for chilly winter days. Creamy and light, but satisfying at the same time, this is a soup that is in rotation all year long.

Another quick soup is on the menu today!

creamy chicken couscous soup

I love making a quick and easy soup for lunch and dinner – and this creamy chicken couscous soup is crave worthy! 

Yes, it’s basically another way that we love to eat chicken noodle soup. You know that I’m a huge fan of couscous, whether it be as a side dish, as the base for a grain bowl – it’s wonderful. Maybe my favorite ingredient to use for salads and more! 

creamy chicken couscous soup

This chicken couscous soup has a rich parmesan broth with carrots and celery, lots of shredded chicken and a big cup of couscous poured in towards the end.

Oh my gosh. It’s creamy. So delicious! Easy and simple and a nice way to change things up. 

creamy chicken couscous soup

This reminds me a lot of my chicken and stars soup. A tiny cut of pasta, a spritz of lemon, lots of fresh herbs – the flavor profile is similar. This soup is creamier and has a more hearty feel on a spoon. And it is so.freaking.good.

Do you know what it also reminds me of? My chicken soup risotto! The orzo sucks up a lot of the broth and this almost becomes a “stoup.” It is so thick and creamy and that increases as it sits. The leftovers can actually be scooped out and served like a side dish – soup bowl required – because it’s so thick and creamy. 

In a good way, of course! 

creamy chicken couscous soup

There are a million recipes out there for GOOD chicken soup. So I’m not going to bore you with the details, but I’ll share a few tips that make the soup excellent for me.

First, a parmesan rind! Can’t make soup without it. Cut the rind off your parmigiano-reggiano cheese (or buy a container of rinds at the grocery store) and toss it right in the stock pot. Simmer the soup with the rind in it to get the most delicious savory, rice broth that is heavy on the parmesan flavor. 

creamy chicken couscous soup

Next, a spritz of lemon juice. This is key at the end to balance the flavors. It adds some brightness and also tastes incredible. 

Finally, a good stock is also key here. This is where all your flavor is going to come from! 

If I don’t have my own on hand, I love using the organic one from costco. You just want to be sure that your stock has a lot of flavor – and that you season the soup with salt and pepper accordingly! 

creamy chicken couscous soup

This is a bowl we can eat over and over and over!

creamy chicken couscous soup

Creamy Chicken Couscous Soup

Creamy Couscous Chicken Soup

This creamy chicken couscous soup is a delicious and cozy comfort food, perfect for chilly winter days. Creamy and light, but satisfying at the same time, this is a soup that is in rotation all year long.
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Ingredients

Instructions 

  • Heat the butter in a large stock pot over medium-low heat. Add in the onion, carrots, celery 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 garlic cloves and italian seasoning. Stir in the shredded chicken.
  • Add in 5 cups of chicken stock and the parmesan rind. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. Stir in the pearl couscous. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the couscous is done, about 10 to 12 minutes.
  • Fill a shaker cup with the milk. Add the flour to the milk and shake the cup for at least 30 seconds. Stream in the milk slurry while stirring. Bring the soup back to a simmer and let it simmer for 5 or 10 more minutes as it thickens.
  • Add in the lemon juice and fresh parsley. Taste the soup and if it needs more salt and pepper, add it (it will need it!). If the parmesan rind didn’t melt entirely, you can scoop it out at this point. You can also decide if you’d like to add the additional cup of chicken stock here - it depends on how hearty or how brothy you like your soup. The couscous will soak it up as it sits!
  • Serve immediately with a lemon wedge for sprinkling, parmesan cheese for topping and parsley sprinkled on top.
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creamy chicken couscous soup

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