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.
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.