Perfectly tart, fresh, and filling, Lemon Chicken Pastina Soup warms your heart and soul and can easily be modified to suit your own tastes.
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I love soups, y'all! As a kid, I would have never imagined that I would grow up and say that. I mean, sure, when I was sick my mom would feed us Lipton noodle soup (remember those little packages that you would add water to and boil on the stovetop?). That was pretty much the only soup I would eat as a kid.
Now I'm all grown up and I could eat soup daily, at any time of year. There are some FANTASTIC cold soups that I plan on sharing up in here, y'all, but for this time of year, we need comfort. We need warmth. And this lemon chicken soup really delivers the comfort. That lemon is like a lifeline, dragging you out of what ails you and warming you to your BONES! Make this your "I'm sick" soup and you won't regret it one bit.
the bare minimum ingredients for this soup
This soup is a riff on a Food Network show I watched years ago called "5 Ingredient Fix." The chef, Claire Robinson, created flavorful dishes with just 5 ingredients (or less). Through the years, I've added different things to it, you know, carby stuff. My favorite, naturally, was what I can no longer have--barley 🥹. But, I've found gluten free alternatives that fit the bill--gf broken spaghetti, rice, and a new favorite, gf pastina (tiny pasta). In this particular case, I'm using gluten free stars, but you can also use gluten free orzo.
- Chicken - there are several different options for the chicken you use. You can start with raw chicken breasts and/or chicken thighs, or you can use pre-shredded rotisserie chicken. Depending on what I have on hand, I'll use any of these to make this soup. That's part of what makes it so wonderful, especially when you're not feeling good and you just want to get it done.
- Lemon - you'll need a hefty dose of freshly squeezed lemon juice (a full cup!) to make the most lemony soup you'll ever have. Of course you can reduce it if you just want a slight tinge of lemon, but I want in-your-face lemon brightness.
- Garlic - we don't need a ton of ingredients to get wonderfully flavorful soup. An entire head of roasted garlic starts our journey to flavortown.
- Tarragon - you can replace the tarragon with something like parsley or even dill, but I'd give the tarragon a try at least once. Its light licorice flavor goes great with chicken and lemon.
making lemon chicken soup in an instant pot
If you have an instant pot, this soup is not only easy but extremely quick to make!
Cut off the top of a garlic head (or two if they're small) and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Wrap in foil and roast at 400 F for 40-50 minutes, or until cloves are soft.
Squeeze garlic cloves into the instant pot. Add a little bit of the chicken stock and mash the garlic cloves into it.
Add the rest of the chicken stock.
Pour in the lemon juice.
Add the pastina, rice, or broken spaghetti/angel hair to the instant pot.
Gently add the chicken breasts on top, making sure they're fully submerged in the liquid.
Secure the lid and set it to cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. Naturally release all of the pressure with no quick release.
Remove chicken breasts and shred them with two forks.
Return the shredded chicken back to the pot.
Add chopped fresh tarragon to the soup, stir, and serve.
stove top chicken pastina soup method
There's no need to go buy an instant pot if you don't have one. You can make this soup on the stovetop with minimal effort!
- Squeeze the roasted garlic into a large saucepan and add stock, a little at a time, making a paste initially with the garlic cloves.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the saucepan (except the tarragon) and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce it to a gentle simmer and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 20-25 minutes. The chicken will essentially poach in the soup.
- Remove the chicken and shred or dice into bite-sized pieces. Return chicken to saucepan and sprinkle the top with tarragon. Serve hot.
Chicken Soup Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can pre-shred chicken and add it to the instant pot or stovetop.
Absolutely! This soup is meant to be a building block to different flavors and textures. Feel free to saute some diced carrots, celery, and/or onions in a tablespoon or two of olive oil before adding the roasted garlic. Be your own chef and create the lemon chicken soup of your dreams!
Yes! Choose herbs that go well with chicken, such as parsley, dill, or basil to name a few.
Yes, just leave out the chicken and use vegetable stock. You can add beans (white beans would work nicely) for a little protein.
make it your own!
- Want to add veggies? Do it! Feel free to add diced carrots, onions, and/or celery to about one tablespoon of olive oil in the bottom of the instant pot or saucepan and sweat veggies prior to adding roasted garlic.
- How about spinach? Or kale? Absolutely! Add at the end of the cooking process, right before serving.
- Don't want to use pasta or can't find gluten free pastina? No problem! Use rice or quinoa.
- Want to make it vegetarian? Sub the chicken stock for veggie stock and leave out the chicken. For more protein, add a can (or two) of drained white beans.
more gluten free soup options
- Gluten Free She Crab Soup
- Gluten Free Chicken and Dumplings (Like Cracker Barrel)
- Instant Pot Navy Bean Soup
- Mexican Bean Soup (Naturally Gluten Free)
Leave it Lemon Chicken Pastina Soup to cure what ails ya! It's bright and lemony flavor will warm your heart and soul.
Lemon Chicken Pastina Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 whole head garlic
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 32oz (1.89kg) chicken stock or broth
- 1 cup (240g) freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 5-6 lemons)
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (pre-cooked, pre-shredded rotisserie chicken can also be used)
- 12 oz (340g) gluten free pastina or rice (any kind of tiny gluten free pasta shapes, such as stelline, orzo, or ditalini) (broken gf spaghetti, gf angel hair, or even rice may also be substituted)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves (dill or parsley can be substituted)
Instructions
Instant Pot Version
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut the top off a whole bulb of garlic horizontally and place on a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap aluminum foil to make a "package" around the garlic and roast for 40 minutes, or until cloves are light golden brown and soft. Allow to cool long enough to be able to squeeze out the bulbs.
- Squeeze all of the roasted garlic into the instant pot insert and add a tablespoon or two of the chicken stock. Use a wire whisk or fork to mash the roasted garlic into a paste with the chicken stock.
- Add the rest of the chicken stock, along with the lemon juice, chicken breasts, pastina (or rice), salt, and pepper. Secure the lid on the instant pot and pressure cook on high for 6 minutes. Allow a natural release of the pressure for the entire time (otherwise it might spew out because of the starches in the broth from the pasta).
- Remove the chicken breasts and shred the meat with two forks (or dice it into bite-sized pieces), returning it to the instant pot. Sprinkle on chopped tarragon (or whatever herb you're using) and serve hot with gluten free crackers or bread.
Stovetop Method
- Squeeze the garlic into a large saucepan and add about a tablespoon or two of the chicken stock. Use a whisk or fork to mash the garlic into a paste in the stock and then add the rest of the stock, along with the chicken, rice, and salt & pepper.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer, partially covering, until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove chicken and either shred or dice before adding it back to the pot. Sprinkle chopped tarragon (or whatever herbs you're using) on top and serve hot.
Marcy says
This soup is absolutely delicious!! The amount of lemon juice is perfect! Will definitely be making it again.
Kim says
Yay!!! It is a favorite of ours and so easy, too!
Jill Smith says
Thank you for sharing! Happy Blessed New and safe New Year to you and your family! How do I save this to my email address?
Kim says
Happy New Year to you too! I'm not sure honestly. That's beyond my tech knowledge.