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A pot of chicken noodle soup filled with carrots, celery, and fresh herbs, seen from directly above.

Lemon Chicken Noodle Soup

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Lemon chicken noodle soup with tender chicken thighs, egg noodles, and fresh dill, finished with lemon and Parmesan. This chicken noodle soup with dill is made on the stovetop in a little over an hour.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 6 servings (about 1⅔ cups)
Calories 318
Author Gina Dickson

Equipment

  • 7-quart enameled cast iron Dutch oven
  • Meat thermometer
  • Tongs
  • Fine grater (for the lemon zest and Parmesan)

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion medium, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 carrots medium, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch rounds (about 1 cup)
  • 2 celery ribs sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground, plus more to taste
  • 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth carton
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 6 ounces wide egg noodles bagged, about 3 cups
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest finely grated (from 1 lemon)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from the same lemon, plus more to taste
  • ¼ cup fresh dill chopped, plus more for serving
  • ⅓ cup Parmesan block, finely grated, plus more for serving

Instructions

Cook the Vegetables

  • Add the olive oil to the Dutch oven over medium heat.
    1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Once the oil is warm, add the onion, carrots, and celery.
    1 yellow onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery ribs
    Chopped carrots, celery, and onions in a white enameled pot.
  • Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion is soft and the vegetables are starting to turn tender. They don’t need to brown.
  • Stir in the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper.
    3 garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    Chopped carrots, celery, and onions sautéing in a white pot with a scoop of minced garlic, salt, pepper, and herbs.
  • Cook for about 30 seconds, just until you can smell the garlic. If it starts to brown, move right along to the next step.

Simmer the Chicken

  • Pour in the chicken broth and add the chicken thighs.
    8 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1 pound boneless
    Raw chicken pieces simmering in a pot of broth.
  • Bring the broth to a quiet simmer, with small bubbles and not a hard boil.
  • Lower the heat and cover the pot loosely.
  • Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked all the way through and a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part.

Cook the Noodles and Shred the Chicken

  • Use tongs to move the chicken to a plate.
    Pieces of cooked chicken on a white square plate with two forks.
  • Bring the broth back up to a gentle boil. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t boil too hard.
  • Add the egg noodles and cook according to the package directions, usually 6 to 8 minutes. Stir once or twice so they don’t stick together.
    6 ounces wide egg noodles
    A white pot filled with vegetable soup containing carrots, celery, and a cluster of rotini pasta.
  • While the noodles cook, use two forks to pull the chicken apart into small pieces. If it’s too hot to handle, give it a few minutes to cool.
  • Add the shredded chicken back to the pot.

Finish and Serve

  • Turn off the heat.
  • Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, dill, and Parmesan.
    1 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, ¼ cup fresh dill, ⅓ cup Parmesan
    A pot of chicken noodle soup with carrots and fresh dill.
  • Taste the broth and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed. The lemon should brighten the soup, not make it taste sharply sour.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls and serve warm, with a little extra Parmesan and dill on top if you’d like. This soup is best while the noodles are tender and the herbs are fresh.

Notes

Lemon
  • Wash and dry the lemon well before zesting, since the zest comes from the peel.
Parmesan
  • Freshly grated Parmesan from a block melts best into the soup.
  • Pre-grated Parmesan works as a time saver, but it usually contains an anti-caking agent that can keep it from melting smoothly. It may look a little grainy in the broth.
Make Ahead
  • Make the soup base up to 3 days ahead. Cook through the chicken-simmering step, shred the chicken, and refrigerate the broth, vegetables, and chicken together once cooled.
  • When you’re ready to serve, bring the base back to a simmer, cook the noodles in it until tender, and stir in the lemon, dill, and Parmesan just before serving.
Bigger Batch
  • To double or triple the recipe, use a 16-quart stock pot. The 7-quart Dutch oven holds a single batch.
Variations
  • Chicken breast: simmer until it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, then shred it right away so it doesn’t overcook.
  • Bone-in thighs: these need extra cooking time. Remove the bones before adding the noodles.
  • Other pasta shapes: cook according to the package directions.
  • Dried dill: works in a pinch, but fresh dill has more flavor.
Storage
  • Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking, in shallow airtight containers.
  • Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
  • For longer storage, freeze for up to 2 to 3 months for best quality. The noodles may turn soft and a little mushy after thawing.
  • The best way to thaw is in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheating
  • Reheat on the stove or in the microwave, stirring now and then, until the soup comes to a boil.
  • If the noodles have soaked up the broth, add a splash of extra broth while it reheats.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 318kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 441mg | Potassium: 754mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3620IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 2mg
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