Chicken Lentil Soup with Brown Lentils
Chicken lentil soup uses brown or green lentils for a spoonable broth with visible lentils and shredded chicken. Carrot, celery and thyme build a simple savory base, with lemon added at the end for brightness rather than cream.
Ingredients and substitutions
Choose brown or ordinary green lentils, not split red lentils. Red lentils break down quickly and produce a different texture, so their cooking time cannot be swapped into this soup. Rinse and look over the dry lentils for debris before cooking. Boneless thighs tolerate the simmer well and shred easily. Chicken breast can be used, but it may reach its safe temperature before the lentils soften; remove it rather than leaving it to dry out. Low-sodium broth gives you room to season at the end. No canned tomato is required, so the broth remains light rather than becoming a tomato stew.
How to make chicken lentil soup with brown lentils
1. Prepare
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion, carrots and celery for 6–7 minutes until softened at the edges. Stir in garlic and thyme for 30 seconds.
2. Build the base
Add rinsed lentils, chicken thighs, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and partly cover.
3. Cook or combine
Simmer 25–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender. Check the thickest part of each chicken thigh with a food thermometer; it must reach 165°F (74°C). If chicken is ready before lentils, remove it and let the soup continue cooking.
4. Finish and serve
Shred the cooked chicken with two forks and return to the pot. Stir in lemon juice, taste and adjust seasoning. Add hot broth if the lentils have absorbed more liquid than you prefer.
Practical tips and troubleshooting
Lentil age affects tenderness. A bag that has been stored a long time can need more than the suggested range. Add broth as needed and continue at a gentle simmer; a hard boil does not guarantee faster, even cooking. Do not decide that chicken is safe because the broth is boiling or the meat looks white. Check the thickest parts with a thermometer and use 165°F as the endpoint. Shred on a clean surface with clean utensils. Lemon belongs near the end so its fresh flavor is not lost during the entire simmer.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to soak the lentils?
No soaking is needed for this method. Rinsing and sorting are still useful. Canned lentils are already cooked and would need a shorter addition near the end, not the full stated simmer.
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Use about 2 cups of cooked shredded chicken and add it once the lentils are tender. Bring the soup back to a simmer and reheat the chicken thoroughly to 165°F. The broth flavor will differ from chicken simmered in the pot.
Can I freeze the soup?
Yes. Refrigerate in shallow containers within 2 hours, then freeze portions for up to 2 months for best quality. Refrigerated leftovers should be used within 3–4 days and reheated to 165°F. Lentils absorb broth during storage, so loosen with extra broth.
More recipes to try
For a vegetarian lentil soup, try red lentil carrot soup. For another chicken dinner, see one-pot chicken tomato rice. Serve soup with yogurt flatbread. Poultry temperature follows the USDA safe-temperature chart.
For another recipe to plan for the week, see ground turkey sweet potato skillet.
Printable recipe
Chicken Lentil Soup with Brown Lentils
Equipment
- 1 Large soup pot, lid and food thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 carrots small dice
- 2 celery stalks small dice
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 cup dry brown or green lentils about 190 g; rinsed and picked over
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs 450 g
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1.4 liters
- 1/2 tsp fine salt plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion, carrots and celery for 6–7 minutes until softened at the edges. Stir in garlic and thyme for 30 seconds.
- Add rinsed lentils, chicken thighs, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and partly cover.
- Simmer 25–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender. Check the thickest part of each chicken thigh with a food thermometer; it must reach 165°F (74°C). If chicken is ready before lentils, remove it and let the soup continue cooking.
- Shred the cooked chicken with two forks and return to the pot. Stir in lemon juice, taste and adjust seasoning. Add hot broth if the lentils have absorbed more liquid than you prefer.
Notes
About the illustrations
The finished-dish image and preparation guide are AI-generated illustrations. They show the intended ingredients and stages, not photographs from a kitchen test. Appliance performance, ingredient moisture and pan size can change the final result. Use the written measurements and doneness cues rather than an image to judge readiness.
