Detox Chicken Soup
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Cleansing, immune-boosting soup with all the goodness (kale, mushrooms, celery, carrots) without compromising any taste!
Featured Comment
I have been home all week with this big pot of warm, cozy, soul-warming brothy soup. It has truly become my lifeline here.
why i love this recipe
- Immune-boosting. This soup is the perfect remedy for post-holiday resets, cold and flu season, or when you’re simply in need of something veggie-packed and fast for those busy weeknights. Loaded with vitamin C-rich kale and lemon juice, inflammation-battling mushrooms, metabolism-boosting protein and antioxidant-packed garlic.
- Flexible recipe. Because this is such a flexible recipe that is also incredibly forgiving, any lingering veggies or extra herbs can be thrown right in for a great clean-out-the-fridge hearty meal.
- Freezer-friendly. This detox chicken soup is incredibly freezer-friendly (without the orzo, of course), making it perfect for meal prep or a lightning fast meal during the week.
tips and tricks for success
- Use good-quality stock. The better quality your stock, the better your soup. Many brands love to pack in the salt so always opt for unsalted or a lower-sodium variety. Homemade stock is even better.
- Add freshly squeezed lemon juice. Lemon juice will elevate your detox chicken soup, adding a fresh, bright flavor and balancing out all the saltiness and richness of the soup.
- Add in leafy greens. This is a great recipe to sneak in leafy greens for those picky eaters. Kale, spinach, collard greens, swiss chard, or arugula are all great options.
- Mix it up. Swap or add in additional vegetables such as bell peppers, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, corn or peas + extra herbs such as lemongrass, ginger or dill.
what to serve with detox chicken soup
Tools For This Recipe
Dutch oven
Detox Chicken Soup: Frequently Asked Questions
Mushrooms can be omitted completely if it’s not your thing. Eggplant, zucchini, or tofu can be substituted, if desired, as it can absorb all the good flavors and mimic the texture of mushrooms.
Absolutely! But because dried herbs are often more potent/concentrated than fresh herbs, you need less when using dry. The correct ratio is 1 tablespoon fresh herbs to 1 teaspoon dried herbs.
You can use either chicken broth or chicken stock but always season, to taste, as store-bought broth is often saltier than store-bought stock. Broth is made from meat and vegetables while stock is often lower sodium and thicker than broth, and is made from bones and vegetables.
The orzo pasta is cooked directly in the soup, absorbing all the flavorful broth. But if you are planning for leftovers or freezing, the orzo should be cooked and stored separately.
Spinach, collard greens, swiss chard, or arugula are all great options to swap out the kale.
Yes! You can freeze the leftovers without the orzo (or else they will get mushy) in individual freezer bags, thaw overnight, and reheat on the stovetop, adding freshly cooked orzo when serving.
Detox Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 16 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup orzo pasta
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
- 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Equipment
Instructions
- Season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chicken, and cook, stirring occasionally, until evenly browned, about 6-8 minutes; set aside.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the stockpot. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add garlic and mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in thyme and oregano until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in chicken stock and bay leaves; bring to a boil. Stir in orzo, rosemary and chicken; reduce heat and simmer until orzo is tender, about 10-12 minutes.
- Stir in kale and cannellini beans until the kale has wilted, about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in lemon juice and parsley; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately.
Video
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This was the best chicken soup I have ever made. I only added half the amount of mushrooms. I did hit it with a splash of soy sauce and added 1/4 tsp each of turmeric and cayenne pepper. Wow…..we are having it again tonight. Thank you for an excellent recipe.
I’m always on the search for low carb soup options to make for lunch prep and this one is a WINNER! I was feeling a bit lazy and skipped the directions… threw everything in the crock pot instead and it turned out great! Just shredded the chicken after 8 hours on low. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
This is a great addition to our low salt low carb diet, added fresh mushrooms, carrots, garlic, pepper and a little cumin. 1 can of low salt tomato paste and two low salt diced tomatoes, even threw in a little squash I had left over from another meal! Then added fresh chicken broth that I freeze in ice cube trays. Turned out really nice…when done I measured 1 cup into sandwich Rubbermaid containers then put in the freezer. So that I could microwave 3 min. Freezing helps to keep it fresh
I made this for the first time and found it to be so easy and it came out delicious. I shared it with my mother and son and everyone thought it was great. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you!
I made this soup this weekend and love it!!! I have brought it with me for lunch everyday and it is so filling! Thank you for the delicious and healthy recipe!!
OMG!!!!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ It’s just DELICIOUS
Sodium 1635mg 68% ????
Where does this come from?
This was my concern as well. My only guess would be a ready made chicken stock. Organic Chicken stock has 500 mg per 32 oz, so 8 cups would get you to 1000 mg. If you make your own chicken stock as we usually do and freeze it, this would not be a problem. You can also buy organic low sodium chicken stock and reduce that number.
To make this truely healthy use a whole chicken. Using only the meat from animals has been shown to increase cancer. But cooking head to tail does not. Plus there is so much enjoyment eating the tender cartilage and so many minerals and vitamins in the bones and marrow. You are really missing out on flavor and nutrition when you only eat the meat.
LOL
tasted like fish!!
Excellent!
DELICIOUS!
I didn’t change a thing.
Thanks.
Made this twice now and loved it both times. It’s very versatile as well! Used turnip and Swiss chard the second time because I needed to use them up and it was still amazing.
I just made this soup and it was really good! I omitted the mushrooms and celery because I don’t love them. I added zucchini and squash. I’m wondering if the mushrooms and/or celery are the reason I didn’t feel it was AMAZING like so many other reviews. Do you think mushrooms and/or celery make a huge difference? I’m thinking when I make it again, I’ll add them and just not eat them. Thoughts? Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Kasi, I noticed the mushrooms added a significant amount of flavor in mine. I also substituted chicken stock for chicken bone broth, that seems to add more flavor and nutritious value.
This soup was delicious. Not what I normally make, but one I will put in my recipe box to make again.
Ahhhhmazing!
I did alter it a bit, not much, but here is what I did:
While I was sautéing the veggies in a separate pan, I had my broth (I used two cartons of chicken stock and one carton of veggie broth) simmering with garlic, basil, oregano, garlic, a bit of Cheyenne pepper and a can of diced tomatoes.
I used spinach in addition to the kale. I used 3x the amount of carrots it called for and I did not add chicken. This soup is our go to when we are sick, need a body cleanse or just a delicious soup on a chilly day. Definitely a family fave!
Loved this soup! Easy, makes a great broth and has so much flavor. Thank you for creating and sharing an amazing chicken soup recipe.
So so good! I subbed out the kale for zucchini and squash and it was great. Definitely a repeat lunch/ dinner for fall & winter
Followed the directions Exactly to the letter, The soup is Damn Delicious . See what I did there…… I wouldn’t recommend changing it at all. Thanks for the recipe
Best chicken soup I have made in a long time. I have shared this recipe with my friends. This will definitely be a family favorite.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND – *****
I have made this 3 times this winter alone (Australia) and have doubled to recipe every time because lets be honest…..leftovers are the best! This is easiest the most delicious soup I have ever made, the lemon really gives it such a delicious flavour, I pick the biggest one (or 2 in my case) that I can find. Also it freezers beautifully!
We love hearing that! Thanks for sharing, Jessie! 🙂
Very fresh, citrusy broth. The seasoning is spot on. My only revision was to cook the pasta separately from the broth. I like my soups pretty clear and did not want the thickening effect of pasta. Will definitely put into rotation!