Chicken and Couscous Soup
This healthy, cold-fighting Chicken and Couscous Soup bursts with ginger, garlic, turmeric, and a hint of lemongrass, simmered with tender chicken, veggies, and pearl couscous. Finished with fresh lemon and peas, it’s a cozy, flavorful bowl perfect for any night!
Immune Boosting Chicken Soup
A few of my recipes come straight from family tradition, and plenty are sparked by restaurant cravings or something irresistible I spot online. But every now and then, a recipe happens simply because real life demands it – and that’s exactly how this one came to be.
This immune-boosting chicken soup came to life when both Mike and I were battling a stubborn cold. I knew we needed something nourishing – a bowl packed with good-for-you ingredients that still tasted comforting and delicious. This is the cozy, healing result.
Why This Recipe Works:
- Healthy & immune-boosting – packed with chicken, veggies, ginger, garlic, and turmeric.
- Cold-fighting comfort – warms you up and helps ward off sniffles.
- Flavor-packed – lemongrass, lemon, and spices make every spoonful aromatic.
- Easy & satisfying – wholesome, cozy, and perfect for any weeknight.
What You’ll Need:
- olive oil
- veggies – onion, celery, carrots, ginger, garlic and peas
- lemongrass paste – or use fresh
- seasonings – salt, pepper, turmeric
- chicken broth
- chicken breasts
- pearl couscous
- lemon – to serve
How to make chicken and couscous soup:
Step 1
Sauté veggies. Heat a large stockpot over medium heat. Add olive oil and then the onion, celery, and carrots. Cook for several minutes or until slightly softened.
Step 2
Add garlic, ginger, and lemongrass. Then add the minced garlic and ginger, plus the lemongrass paste, and stir constantly for a minute or so. Add seasonings – the kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and turmeric – and stir again.
Step 3
Add broth. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Then add the chunks of chicken and turn heat down to a medium. Cook until chicken registers 160 degrees F on a digital thermometer, about 8-10 minutes, and then remove chunks of chicken to a clean bowl.
NOTE: Chicken breasts are considered done when it registers 165 degrees F on a digital thermometer. I normally remove the chicken at around 160 degrees, allowing for a few degrees of carry-over cooking.
Step 4
Shred chicken. After removing chicken from the pot, let it rest for 10 minutes. Then either use two forks to shred chicken or use a mixer with paddle attachment to shred (my favorite method).
Step 5
Add couscous. Meanwhile, add the couscous to the pot and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes, over medium heat. (Be careful to avoid over-cooking.) Add additional seasoning as needed.
Step 6
Add the shredded chicken back. Then add the shredded chicken back to the pot and stir to combine.
Step 7
Finish. Add the frozen peas to pot along with some freshly squeezed lemon juice, if desired. Stir to combine.
Step 8
Serve. Serve chicken and couscous soup along with some saltine crackers or fresh bread.
We enjoy this soup with a side salad along with a homemade dressing. Try our Maple Dijon Dressing, Creamy Italian Dressing, or Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette. We also love to occasionally add Fried Goat Cheese to our salads.
Storing and Freezing:
- Store leftover soup in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat gently.
- We also like to store leftovers in individual serving bowls for quick lunches on-the-go.
- Freeze soup in either an airtight container or in a freezer bag (lay flat in your freezer) for up to three months.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes, boneless, skinless thighs will make the soup slightly richer and more flavorful, though they may take a few minutes longer to cook.
Use 1–2 stalks, finely chopped or bruised, and remove them before serving. Paste just makes it faster and smoother.
About double in volume. 1.5 cups uncooked yields roughly 3 cups cooked, perfect for a hearty soup.
Taste and add more salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon at the end. You can also add a pinch of cumin, paprika, or red pepper flakes for extra depth.
Other Delicious Chicken Soup Recipes:
I keep chicken breasts and thighs in my freezer for real life necessity. Soup season is my favorite!
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Chicken and Couscous Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 medium yellow onion – chopped
- 2 stalks celery – chopped
- 4 large carrots – chopped
- 2 Tablespoons ginger – minced
- 4 Tablespoons garlic cloves – minced
- 1 Tablespoon lemongrass paste – or use fresh lemongrass
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 6 cups lower-sodium chicken broth – plus more for leftovers
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 ½ cups pearl couscous
- 1 cup frozen peas
- lemon – to serve
Instructions
- Sauté veggies. Heat a large stockpot over medium heat. Add olive oil and then the onion, celery, and carrots. Cook for several minutes or until slightly softened.
- Add garlic, ginger, and lemongrass. Then add the minced garlic and ginger, plus the lemongrass paste, and stir constantly for a minute or so. Add seasonings – the kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and turmeric – and stir again.
- Add broth. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Then add the chunks of chicken and turn heat down to a medium. Cook until chicken registers 160 degrees F on a digital thermometer, about 8-10 minutes, and then remove chunks of chicken to a clean bowl.NOTE: Chicken breasts are considered done when it registers 165 degrees F on a digital thermometer. I normally remove the chicken at around 160 degrees, allowing for a few degrees of carry-over cooking.
- Shred chicken. After removing chicken from the pot, let it rest for 10 minutes. Then either use two forks to shred chicken or use a mixer with paddle attachment to shred (my favorite method).
- Add couscous. Meanwhile, add the couscous to the pot and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes, over medium heat. (Be careful to avoid over-cooking.) Add additional seasoning as needed.
- Add the shredded chicken back. Then add the shredded chicken back to the pot and stir to combine.
- Finish. Add the frozen peas to pot along with some freshly squeezed lemon juice, if desired. Stir to combine.
- Serve. Serve chicken and couscous soup along with some saltine crackers or fresh bread.
Notes
- Store leftover soup in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat gently.
- We also like to store leftovers in individual serving bowls for quick lunches on-the-go.
- Freeze soup in either an airtight container or in a freezer bag (lay flat in your freezer) for up to three months.
This is full of flavor and the perfect healing soup!
Exactly!