Detox Chicken Soup
by Chungah
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This detox chicken soup is cleansing and immune-boosting with all the feel-good vegetables! Perfect for cold season or when you need a reset!
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why you’ll love this detox chicken soup
- 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.
What is detox chicken soup?
Detox chicken soup is a soup made with lean protein, aromatics, vegetables, and low-sodium chicken broth to support immunity, provide hydration, and nourish the body after cold and flu season.
How to make detox chicken soup
- Brown the chicken. Generously season the chicken with salt and pepper, then cook until golden brown in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat, about 6-8 minutes.
- Cook the vegetables. Sauté the onions, carrots, and celery until tender, then stir in the garlic and mushrooms until the mushrooms are browned.
- Sauté the aromatics. Stir in the thyme and oregano.
- Simmer. Add the chicken stock and bay leaves, and bring to a boil. Then stir in the orzo, rosemary, and chicken, simmering until the orzo is tender and cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. Pro tip: if preparing for leftovers or to freeze for later, cook the orzo separately or else the orzo will continue to soak up the broth.
- Add in leafy greens. Stir in the kale and beans until the greens have wilted. Then stir in the lemon juice and parsley, seasoning one last time with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve. Serve warm with crusty bread.
what to serve with detox chicken soup
Tools For This Recipe
Detox Chicken Soup: Frequently Asked Questions
Mushrooms can be skipped or you can substitute eggplant, zucchini, or tofu as they can absorb all the good flavors and mimic the texture of mushrooms.
Absolutely! But because dried herbs are often more potent and concentrated than fresh herbs, you need less when using dry. For example, the correct ratio is 1 tablespoon fresh thyme = 1 teaspoon dried thyme.
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 excellent substitutes.
Yes! You can freeze the leftovers without the orzo (or else they will get mushy) in individual freezer bags, thawing overnight and gently reheating on the stovetop until warmed through and adding freshly cooked orzo just before serving.
Detox Chicken Soup
Video
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
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.
Equipment
Notes
- 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 and extra herbs such as lemongrass, ginger or dill.
- Freeze without the orzo. Orzo acts like a sponge and will continue soaking up the liquid. If preparing for leftovers, cook the orzo just before serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
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!
Sounds nice, but I read elsewhere that night shades (tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers and eggplant) actually CAUSE inflammation when they are cooked. You would have to eat them raw for them to keep their anti inflammatory compounds. Not sure if that’s true, I guess eat the soup and find out, right?
This is not supported by science. The opposite has actually shown to be more true.
Wonderful soup! I didn’t have any parsley so I substituted it with dill and green onion. I also didn’t use chicken stock but plain water, which turned out to be perfect since the ingredients are packed with flavor. Finally, I added parmesan cheese as a garnish. Yum!
Very good recipe. Tastes amazing. Always come back to it.
Excellent … lemon brought it to *****!
This is my favorite soup! Thank you so much!
Very comforting on a cold winter night! I woke up with a sore throat today so I’m trying to ward off illness and this soup sounded perfect!! I added some fresh ginger for a little extra immune boost! Also, I poached chicken breasts and shredded them before adding to the soup. Very delicious!!
Sounds delicious!
Can you put this in the crockpot?
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
I made this in my instant pot. It was delicious.