Chicken Lentil Soup
Updated Sep 19, 2025
Chicken lentil soup made with red lentils, shredded chicken, carrots, tomato pasta, and spices, simmered on the stovetop and ready in 30 minutes.
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Chicken lentil soup is so good and filling!
This chicken lentil soup is a little spin on my Lebanese crushed lentil soup, but with red lentils instead of brown ones. The red lentils give the chicken lentil soup that beautiful orange color and cook down into the broth. I like to add shredded chicken to this version because it turns the soup into more of a full meal.
The spice mix is a little different, too. Smoked paprika, cumin, and turmeric make the whole kitchen smell incredible while the soup simmers, and they add a warmth that goes so well with the carrots and chicken. For me, this chicken lentil soup is the kind of recipe I make on a Sunday and then enjoy for a couple of lunches during the week. It reheats so well and just gets better the next day.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Chicken and Lentil Soup Ingredients
- Lentils: Make sure you’re grabbing red lentils, not green lentils (the textures are different).
- Shredded chicken: I like to use breast meat, but you can use thighs too! You can also try using tofu or chickpeas to make this one vegetarian.
- Oil: I like to use olive oil, but you can use any you have on hand.
- Vegetables: My go-to veggies for this chicken and lentil soup are onion, garlic, and carrots, but feel free to add other aromatics like celery or fennel. Bell peppers and zucchini would be good, too!
- Tomato Paste: Canned diced tomatoes work well if you don’t have any tomato paste on hand!
- Seasoning: I use smoked paprika, cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper to flavor this soup. Feel free to add in thyme or rosemary as well.
- Chicken broth: You can use your favorite store-bought brand or use homemade chicken broth. I like to use chicken, but vegetable broth will work well, too.
- Garnishes: I always top my chicken and lentil soup with fresh cilantro, but parsley will work, too.
How to Make Chicken Lentil Soup
Lentil Chicken Soup Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic clove minced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup dry red lentils
- 2 large carrots sliced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups shredded chicken
- Cilantro for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onions; cook until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, one more minute.
- Stir in the tomato paste, smoked paprika, cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper and cook until the spices are fragrant, and everything is well coated in the paste, about 2 minutes.
- Add the lentils, carrots and chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Simmer until the lentils and carrots are soft, about 20 minutes.
- Stir in the shredded chicken and serve with fresh cilantro, if desired.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Tips
- Fry your spices with your onions. The spice combination in this soup is everything! To release the best flavor from your spices, make sure to toast them with oil and onions.
- Allow your soup to rest for the best consistency. It may seem too liquid-y at first, but your lentils will continue to absorb the liquid as it sets, so make sure you give your soup enough time to sit!
Serving Ideas
- Pair with fresh bread. I love sopping up this soup with some crusty homemade bread!
FAQs
After allowing your soup to cool down to room temperature, transfer it into an airtight container and it should keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, pour your soup into a pot and warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally until hot.
Absolutely! Once your soup has fully cooled, transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag, leaving some space at the top for expansion, and it should keep well for up to 2 to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve, thaw your soup overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop.
Comments
Made this with freekeh instead of lentils. It was delicious low cal meal. Thank you for the recipe!
Love that! So happy you enjoyed it, Ashley! Thank you!!
I’m sure this would have been delicious, however I thought I would try brown lentils instead of red as it’s what I had in my pantry, and I don’t think it worked as well as it would have! Flavour lacked sweetness and it was a bit watery, definitely better to use red lentils which I’m sure would break up better and add to sweetness!
So sorry the texture wasn’t the best with brown lentils! I hope you enjoy the soup even more next time with red lentils. Thank you, Kirrily!
Great flavoured soup recipe. I added shredded chicken and a few more veggies. Indian spices took it to another level. Excellent!
Yum! So happy you liked it, Robyn. Thank you for sharing!
So delicious. I cooked the chicken right in the soup when simmered for about an hour. Also added lemon juice based on other reviews and it was awesome! Will make again!
So happy you liked the recipe and the addition of lemon juice!! Thanks for sharing, Alyssa!
I happen to find this recipe on Google because I was trying to figure out what to do with the chicken I had in the fridge and the red lentils I had in the pantry and this recipe popped up so I gave it a try and it’s actually really good. I ended up using a little bit more cumin and some garam masala. I also added some chickpeas because I didn’t have carrots. Definitely give it a try.
Yum, love the tweaks you made!! So happy you found this recipe and were able to make the ingredients you had in your kitchen work! Thanks, Crystal!
This soup turned out amazing. I had to tweak it a bit, due to not having all ingredients on hand. I used ‘Better Than Bullion’ to make chicken broth, used garam marsala and touch of taco seasoning in place of the turmeric and cumin and added a couple of bay leaves. I also used one chicken leg quarter that I roasted in the oven and deboned to add to the soup, along with some peas. I love this recipe and will definitely make it again. Thank you!
Yum, love the substitutions you made with what you had in your pantry!! So happy you liked the recipe, Justine. Thank you!
This was so easy and delicious! Thank you!
Thank you! So glad you liked it, Michelle!
This soup was a disappointment. I think it needed something sour and acidic. I added sour cream. I will add some lemon juice too.
So sorry to hear you weren’t a huge fan of the soup, Hibber. I think the addition of lemon juice and sour cream sounds amazing! Hope you were able to achieve that extra touch of acidity you were looking for.
I cannot wait to try this recipe, but I have one question. The ingredient list says paprika, but the instructions mention smoked paprika. Which one should I use? Thank you!!!
Great question, Ana! You should use smoked paprika; the ingredients list was incorrect. Thank you for pointing this out. I’ve updated the recipe to say “smoked paprika” now! Enjoy!!
Delicious recipe, thank you for sharing
You’re welcome, Denise! So happy you liked it!!
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