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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

soup
February 15, 2018

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Greek Lemon Chicken Soup – This soup is a Greek twist on your classic chicken noodle soup, made with shredded chicken, Israeli couscous, feta cheese, and a hint of lemon. It’s the perfect way to warm up or ease a cold this winter

Bowl of Greek Lemon Chicken Soup How was your Valentine’s Day?! Are you still in a chocolate coma like I am? I kind of overdid it. But are you really surprised???

Now that we’ve all had our fix of chocolate treats, I wanted to share something comforting today, but in a savory way. And since it’s still too cold for my blood, I thought a soup would be the perfect thing!

You guys loved the salsa verde chicken chili that I posted last year so I just had to try another chicken soup recipe. This one is also broth-based so you don’t have to worry to sticking to just one bowl of this delicious stuff.

For this soup, I decided to draw inspiration from a cuisine that I’ve fallen in love with in the last year – Greek cuisine!! I talked all about my new-found love affair in this post for the Greek chicken quesadillas. If you haven’t tried these yet, what are you waiting for?!

Okay back to the soup…check out my newest soup recipe – Greek Lemon Chicken Soup!

Bowl of Greek Lemon Chicken Soup with a spoon in it Closeup on a bowl of Greek Lemon Chicken Soup Spoonful of Greek Lemon Chicken Soup and couscous

The flavor of this soup is incredible – familiar yet with a little special something to excite your taste buds. You can thank the salty feta cheese and tangy lemon zest for that. But don’t worry – all that extra flavor isn’t gonna cost you any extra time in the kitchen.

Like the salsa verde chicken chili, this recipe is extremely easy to throw together. And super quick to make, thanks to the rotisserie chicken breasts that are already cooked. So all you really gotta do for this soup is throw everything in a pot and cook together. That’s really all there is to it.

And if you wanna keep the Greek theme going, feel free to us some pita bread for dipping. We loved it!

Slices of pita

Although this recipe is uber-simple, I still have a few tips to make sure nothing goes wrong as you recreate it for yourself:

  1. Make sure to slice the onion in thin strips instead of big chunks. You want the onion to be a size that’s easy to eat.
  2. Speaking of the onion, you want to make sure you cook it enough in the first step so that it’s nice and tender before you add the rest of the ingredients. Plus, this is where all the flavor develops!
  3. Don’t add the feta cheese until the very end. Otherwise, the cheese may melt and break down too much and you won’t have those awesome chunks in the soup anymore.
  4. I used chicken breasts for this soup to keep it lean, but feel free to use thighs or even leftover turkey for this recipe.
Print Recipe

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

This soup is a Greek twist on your classic chicken noodle soup, made with shredded chicken, Israeli couscous, feta cheese, and a hint of lemon. It's the perfect way to warm up or ease a cold this winter
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium sweet onion sliced
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 10 cups chicken broth
  • 1 medium lemon zested
  • 2 rotisserie chicken breasts shredded
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup Israeli couscous dry
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/3 cup chives chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Add olive oil to a large Dutch oven and place over medium-low heat. Once the pan is hot, add the diced onion and minced garlic to the pot and cook until translucent (about 3-4 minutes).
  • Add chicken broth, lemon zest, shredded chicken, and red pepper flakes to pot and stir to combine. Raise the heat to medium high and let it come to a boil. Once boiling, cover pot and lower to a simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Add Israeli couscous to pot and stir. Add feta cheese and chopped chives and stir. Give the broth a taste and add salt and pepper, as needed. I didn't need any pepper since the red pepper added enough for my taste. But I still added a pinch of salt. Turn off heat and serve immediately.

Notes

Recipe adapted from A Spicy Perspective

Pin for later:

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup photo collage

More recipes that you’ll love:

Salsa Verde Chicken Chili

Bowl of Salsa Verde Chicken Chili

Greek Chicken Quesadillas

Greek Chicken Quesadilla being dipped into tzatziki sauce

Turkey Noodle Soup

bread being dipped into Turkey Noodle Soup

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39 Comments

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Comments

  1. Jordan says

    July 23, 2025 at 2:52 am

    Thank you. papa’s games

    Reply
  2. Britt @ A Lil' Sweet, Spice, & Advice says

    February 18, 2018 at 11:58 pm

    You put feta cheese in the soup?! *faints* I love feta cheese so much! I am loving all of the Greek flavors in this.

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      February 26, 2018 at 3:23 pm

      Omg me too! Feta is so underrated!

      Reply
  3. Paige says

    February 18, 2018 at 10:32 pm

    I love the way this looks…really want to dig in to it! Perfect right now no matter where you live too!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      February 26, 2018 at 3:24 pm

      So true!

      Reply
  4. Katie Crenshaw | A Fork's Tale says

    February 18, 2018 at 8:05 pm

    I love this soup!!!! I have had it with rice and not orzo. I can’t wait to try your version. It looks delicious.

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      February 26, 2018 at 3:24 pm

      You’re gonna love the couscous!

      Reply
  5. Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago says

    February 18, 2018 at 5:43 pm

    I’m always looking for new soups to add to my winter lunch list. This one looks like a good addition!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      February 26, 2018 at 3:26 pm

      Yessss! Let me know how you like it!

      Reply
  6. Amanda Mason says

    February 18, 2018 at 2:06 pm

    This looks so good…perfect for lunch or a snack! I eat soups for snacks all the time! I love that you added Israeli couscous!! It’s one of my favorites! I cant wait to try this!!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      February 26, 2018 at 3:26 pm

      Yes so true!

      Reply
  7. Jennifer says

    February 17, 2018 at 9:58 pm

    This recipe has me reminiscing about a vacation I took to Greece years ago!! I’m going to have to try this out!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      February 26, 2018 at 3:27 pm

      Aw I really want to visit Greece!

      Reply
  8. Char Ferrara says

    February 17, 2018 at 10:03 am

    Wow, this sounds incredible! What an original take on chicken soup. Sounds so easy to make too!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      February 26, 2018 at 3:28 pm

      Thanks so much!

      Reply
  9. Karyl | Karyl's Kulinary Krusade says

    February 17, 2018 at 8:45 am

    I’m always looking for new ways to eat couscous…I’ve never thought of adding it to soup. What a great idea! This looks perfect for these chilly days

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      February 26, 2018 at 3:28 pm

      It really is!

      Reply
  10. Maryal says

    February 16, 2018 at 5:12 pm

    Ugh why do I always have to see your posts when I’m SO hungry! This looks and sounds absolutely delicious! Another one that I’m saving!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      February 26, 2018 at 3:28 pm

      Aw haha! Thanks so much!

      Reply
  11. Nicoletta @sugarlovespices says

    February 16, 2018 at 9:20 am

    That is so great to add cous cous! I am mostly vegetarian, but I’d make it for my
    husband and stepson and they would love this soup!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      February 26, 2018 at 3:29 pm

      Yes so true!

      Reply
  12. Catherine says

    February 15, 2018 at 11:42 pm

    What a great take on classic chicken soup. And, I have most of the ingredients at home!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      February 26, 2018 at 3:29 pm

      Yay! I hope you had a chance to try it out!

      Reply
  13. Brittany Cook says

    February 15, 2018 at 4:25 pm

    How delicious does this sound – you can never go wrong with a soup to warm your belly! Thank you for the great recipe, I will save this for when it starts to get a little chilly.

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      February 26, 2018 at 3:30 pm

      You’re so welcome!

      Reply
  14. Amanda says

    February 15, 2018 at 3:06 pm

    This looks fantastic! I love all greek food, but have never thought of doing it in a chicken soup.

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      February 26, 2018 at 3:31 pm

      Right?! I am so glad I have this recipe now!

      Reply
  15. TurksWhoEat says

    February 15, 2018 at 3:06 pm

    This looks so comforting and delicious 😀

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      February 26, 2018 at 3:31 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  16. Emily says

    February 15, 2018 at 3:01 pm

    I love couscous but have never tried it in soup before! This recipe looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it soon! Pinned for later!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      February 26, 2018 at 3:31 pm

      Oh man you’re gonna love it – I KNOW it!

      Reply
  17. Emily says

    February 15, 2018 at 2:10 pm

    I love a good homemade chicken noodle soup but I’m definitely loving the use of ccouscous and feta. Totally need to try this one!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      February 26, 2018 at 3:32 pm

      Right?! It’s like the grown-up version 😉

      Reply
  18. Catherine says

    February 15, 2018 at 1:54 pm

    It’s a perfect day for this soup! What a delicious and comforting meal.

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      February 26, 2018 at 3:32 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  19. Liz says

    February 15, 2018 at 1:05 pm

    It’s totally soup weather here! And I’ve been loving Greek flavors lately.

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      February 26, 2018 at 3:33 pm

      Yay – hope you had a chance to make this yummy soup!

      Reply
  20. Allison - Celebrating Sweets says

    February 15, 2018 at 12:43 pm

    This looks delicious! And I’m pretty much always looking for a reason to eat feta, so this is perfect! Ha!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      February 26, 2018 at 3:33 pm

      Haha thanks so much!

      Reply

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Hi, my name is Sharon. I’m an accountant by day, risk-taking baker and food enthusiast by night. Come join me as I share my favorite recipes and test out new ones along the way!

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I used to love cooking, but during busy weeks it f I used to love cooking, but during busy weeks it felt like a chore. I was too exhausted after work to make anything fun. But with all that time at home, I was able to rethink our favorite foods and make them more achievable for weeknights.

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Here's what makes this recipe a weeknight winner:
🍊 The Marinade: Orange juice, lime juice, garlic, cumin, and oregano create that classic Cuban flavor. Just dump everything in a bag and let it work its magic!
⏰ The Timeline: Marinate for 4-24 hours (I usually do overnight), then it's only 25 minutes of active cooking time. Quick sear + oven = done!
🍽️ The Versatility: Serve it with rice and beans, make tacos, top a salad, use for Cuban sandwiches, or meal prep it for the week!

Three critical tips:
-DRY the pork after marinating: This is SO important! Pat it completely dry before searing or you'll steam it instead of getting a beautiful crust
-Use a meat thermometer: Pull it at 145°F for perfectly juicy pork every time. No guessing, no cutting it open repeatedly
-Don't over-marinate: 24 hours max or the texture gets mushy!

This has become one of our absolute go-to meals. It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen but it's secretly SO easy!

Want the full recipe? 💌 Comment 'MOJO' below and I'll send you the link!

#MojoPork #PorkTenderloin #CubanFood #WeeknghtDinner #EasyDinner #DinnerIdeas #MarinadeRecipe #HealthyDinner #MealPrepIdeas #QuickDinner
Can we talk about how guava and cream cheese is TH Can we talk about how guava and cream cheese is THE most underrated flavor combination ever?! 

Growing up, guava was always around. My dad would spread it on toast with butter every morning, and I did the same. But it wasn't until I had guava with cream cheese at a Latin bakery in Florida that I truly appreciated this tropical fruit. 

The cream cheese perfectly balances the tangy guava jelly and makes everything ultra creamy. Wrapped in flaky puff pastry? KILLER.

I know this pastry braid looks super fancy and complicated, but here's the secret: IT'S SHOCKINGLY SIMPLE. When I first saw a pastry braid, I was so intimidated by how intricate it looked. It felt almost unattainable without tons of practice. But I'm here to tell you that is absolutely not the case!

Here's the whole process:
1️⃣ Roll out puff pastry and cut slits on the sides
2️⃣ Spread cream cheese and guava down the center
3️⃣ Overlap the side pieces to create the braid
4️⃣ Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar
5️⃣ Bake until deep golden brown

THAT'S IT! The braiding technique is so much easier than it looks, and the result is absolutely stunning.

Two critical tips:
-Keep it COLD before baking: Cold puff pastry = steam when it hits the hot oven = flaky layers! If the butter is too warm, it won't puff properly.
-Bake until DEEP golden brown: Not just golden, but DEEP golden. This ensures crispy, flaky pastry that's cooked all the way through. Nobody wants soggy pastry!

This is perfect for brunch, dessert, or honestly just because you want something that looks impressive but is secretly easy to make. You can also substitute any fruit preserves if you can't find guava!

Want the full recipe? 💌 Comment 'GUAVA' below and I'll send you the link!

#GuavaPastry #PuffPastry #PastryBraid #LatinDesserts #CreamCheese #BrunchRecipes #HomemadePastries #BakingFromScratch #WeekendBaking #ImpressiveButEasy
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Here's what makes them so special:
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Be VERY careful measuring your flour—too much and the dough will be impossible to pipe
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Want the full recipe? 💌 Comment 'BUTTER' below and I'll send you the link!

#DanishButterCookies #ButterCookies #ShortbreadCookies #HolidayBaking #CookieRecipe #HomemadeCookies
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✨ The flavor is 100x better (fight me on this!)
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Want the full recipe with that bourbon caramel sauce? 💌 Comment 'DERBY' below and I'll send you the link!

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