Chicken Lentil Soups Recipe

Chicken Lentil Soup with savory bacon or olive oil, rich tomato paste, and tender chicken thighs, balanced by earthy lentils and aromatic vegetables. Topped with optional Parmesan.

June Arthurs
June 24, 2025
jump to recipe
Chicken Lentil Soup Recipe

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons bacon fat or olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 medium celery stalks, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • Salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 12 cups (3 quarts) low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2.5 cups French dried lentils
  • 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

Heat the fat and sauté the aromatics

Warm the bacon fat or olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes.

Cook the tomato paste

Stir in the tomato paste, coating the vegetables. Continue cooking until the paste darkens and begins to stick to the bottom of the pot, about 2 minutes.

Add liquid, lentils, and chicken

Pour in the chicken broth along with the lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a very gentle simmer. Nestle the chicken thighs into the pot, cover, and cook for 1 hour. Check occasionally to ensure it’s not boiling too vigorously.

Cool and remove the chicken

Transfer the chicken thighs to a plate to cool slightly.

Puré the soup

Working in batches, blend about half of the lentil soup until it reaches your preferred consistency. Stir the puréed portion back into the pot.

Shred the chicken and finish

Use two forks to shred the cooled chicken, then return it to the soup. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

Serve

Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with grated Parmesan if desired. Serve hot.

Chicken Lentil Soup

Chicken Lentil Soup with savory bacon or olive oil, rich tomato paste, and tender chicken thighs, balanced by earthy lentils and aromatic vegetables. Topped with optional Parmesan.
prep time15 minutes
cook time1 hour 15 minutes
total time1 hour 30 minutes
Chicken Lentil Soup Recipe
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons bacon fat or olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 medium celery stalks, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • Salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 12 cups 3 quarts low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2.5 cups French dried lentils
  • 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  • Warm the bacon fat or olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the tomato paste, coating the vegetables. Cook until the paste darkens and sticks to the bottom, about 2 minutes.
  • Pour in chicken broth and lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Nestle the chicken thighs into the pot, cover, and cook for 1 hour, checking occasionally.
  • Transfer the chicken thighs to a plate to cool slightly.
  • Blend about half of the lentil soup in batches to your preferred consistency. Stir the puréed portion back into the pot.
  • Shred the cooled chicken with two forks and return to the soup. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with grated Parmesan if desired. Serve hot.