This Golden Turmeric Chicken Soup recipe is packed with anti-inflammatory ingredients that’ll leave you feeling your best. And since this is the perfect recipe to freeze, make a double batch for when you or a friend are in need of a pick me up.
The Best Turmeric Chicken Soup
We love taking traditional chicken soups and amping them up with fresh flavors, which is how we came up with this tasty anti-inflammatory soup recipe. It’s filled with tender chicken, hearty veggies, tender orzo, and a gorgeous turmeric infused broth.
Looking For More Chicken Soup Recipes?
Then you’ve got to try out our classic homemade chicken noodle soup or our chicken and dumpling soup. Both are family favorites over here.
What You Will Need
- butter – Just a bit to get the perfect sear on the chicken thighs.
- boneless skinless chicken thighs – This truly gives this soup the best flavor, but you could always use boneless skinless chicken breast.
- kosher salt & ground black pepper – These cabinet staples give a nice flavor boost.
- yellow onion, carrots, and celery salt – Classic root vegetables for any classic chicken soup recipe.
- ground turmeric, ginger, lemongrass – Three nutrition packed ingredients.
- fresh lemon juice – Balances out the acidity in this hearty soup.
- better than bouillon chicken – Amps up the chicken flavor.
- chicken bone broth – Pick up your favorite store-bought broth or learn how to make chicken broth.
- orzo pasta – Learn how to cook orzo for this great recipe.
- optional ingredients – fresh parsley, bread, butter
How To Make Turmeric Chicken Soup
Start by seasoning your chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Then bring a large dutch oven or large soup pot to medium-high heat, add 2 Tbs of butter, and then sear the chicken thighs for about 2 minutes on each side. Then use tongs to remove them from the pot and place them on a clean plate to rest.
Meal Prep Tip
If you’re prepping this recipe in advance, you can chop the veggies and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of days prior to cooking.
In the same dutch oven, add the remaining butter until it’s melted and then add the onions, carrots, and celery and move them around the pot for 2-4 minutes until softened. Then add in 1 teaspoon turmeric, 2 teaspoons ginger, 3 teaspoons lemongrass, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and Better than Bouillon to the pot and mix everything together. Lastly, pour the bone broth or homemade chicken broth into the pot and give it all a good stir.
Bring the soup to a simmer and add the chicken thighs back to the pot. Let everything simmer for about 15 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F. Remove the cooked chicken thighs from the pot, shred, and then place it back into the pot and lower heat so that everything warms through. Meanwhile cook the orzo by bringing water to a boil in a medium sized saucepan. Then add the orzo and follow the package instructions so that it’s cooked al dente. Once it’s done cooking, drain the water and set the pasta aside to add to each individual bowl of soup.
Now it’s time to feast on this turmeric chicken noodle soup! Divide the orzo between individual bowls and pour the soup over the top. Serve with a sprinkling of fresh parsley and some buttered bread for one of our favorite cozy meals.
Recipe FAQs and Tips
- What does turmeric do to you body? Turmeric root has a whole slew of health benefits including anti-inflammatory agents that helps to reduce pain and increase the antioxidant capacity of the body.
- a note on the pasta – We chose to cook the orzo separately from the soup so that it didn’t become mushy. We get that this adds a step, but it’ll provide the best results.
- Does turmeric add flavor to soup? – Turmeric adds a complex, but mild flavor, of citrus, ginger, and mustard. It’s not overpowering and adds the best golden color to this yummy soup.
Made this healthy family dinner of turmeric chicken soup and loved it?! We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!
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Other Cozy Soup Recipes You Might Like
Golden Turmeric Chicken Soup
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner/Entree
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
Our warm and cozy Golden Turmeric Chicken Soup recipe is perfect for those chilly winter nights or if you’re feeling und the weather!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided (sub plant-based butter)
- 1.5 – 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 sweet yellow onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon lemongrass, grated (sub lemongrass paste)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Better than Bouillon Chicken
- 6 cups chicken bone broth
- 8oz orzo pasta (optional)*
- optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley
- serving: serve with crusty bread and butter
Instructions
- Sear Chicken: Bring a large dutch oven to a medium-high heat and melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Sear chicken on both sides for about 2 minutes. Then set aside on a plate.
- Sauté Veggies: Return the soup pot to medium high heat, melt remaining butter and then add the onions, carrots, and celery to sauté for 2-4 minutes.
- Seasoning + Broth: Add 1 teaspoon turmeric, 2 teaspoons ginger, 3 teaspoons lemongrass, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and Better than Bouillon to the pot and mix everything together. Pour the bone broth into the pot.
- Simmer: Bring the soup to a simmer and add the chicken thighs back to the pot. Let simmer for about 15 minutes or until their internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (use a meat thermometer).
- Shred + Pasta: Remove the chicken thighs from the pot, discard the skin, and shred the meat. Return shredded chicken to the pot. Keep the soup warm on a low heat and bring a separate pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the orzo pasta and cook to al dente according to the package directions. Drain pasta. (Note: orzo is optional – see Note 1).
- Taste + Adjust: Taste soup and add additional salt, lemongrass, ginger or lemon – as desired.
- Serve: Divide the cooked orzo between individual bowls and ladle the chicken soup on top. Option to garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
- *Orzo: feel free to use another type of pasta or omit entirely.
- Dairy Free: use a plant-based butter instead of regular butter.
- Gluten Free: simply use a gluten-free pasta or omit.
- Storage: leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Highly recommend storing the soup separate from the orzo, otherwise the pasta will continue to soak up the broth of the soup.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 242
- Sugar: 3.4 g
- Sodium: 719.6 mg
- Fat: 7.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 22.3 g
- Protein: 19.8 g
- Cholesterol: 64.8 mg
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