This lemon chicken couscous soup is a wonderfully simple and comforting dinner option. While making homemade stock on a weeknight might seem overwhelming, this recipe makes it effortless!
EQUIPMENT
- Large pot with lid
- Sieve
INGREDIENTS
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Water
- 1 small bunch fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion (peeled and diced)
- 4 ribs celery with leaves (trimmed and diced)
- Cancale seasoning salt to taste (or use garlic pepper, lemon pepper, herbes de Provence, or your favorite seasoning salt)
- 1 cup pearl couscous
- ⅓ cup fresh dill (roughly chopped, plus more for serving)
- 1 lemon (juiced)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Dukkah (or oyster crackers, or saltines for serving)
- Extra virgin olive oil (for garnish)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare the Stock:
- Place the chicken thighs in a 3.5-quart pot. Season with salt and place the parsley sprigs on top. Cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 2 hours.
- After 2 hours, remove the lid and the chicken from the pot. Set the chicken aside in a bowl. Strain the broth through a sieve into a large bowl, discarding the parsley sprigs. Wipe out the pot and return it to the stove.
- Remove the skin from the chicken thighs and discard. Shred the chicken meat into bite-sized pieces and return it to the broth. Discard the bones.
- Start the Soup:
- Heat olive oil in the pot over medium heat. Add the onion and celery, cooking for about 5 minutes until softened. Add your seasoning salt (Cancale or preferred seasoning) and toss to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Simmer the Soup:
- Add the pearl couscous to the pot and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the broth and chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until the couscous is tender. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Finish the Soup:
- Stir in the fresh dill and lemon juice, then simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
- To Serve:
- Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with dukkah (or oyster crackers), fresh dill, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy!
NUTRITION
- Calories: 564kcal
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Protein: 35g
- Fat: 35g
- Sodium: 156mg
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 1g
- Vitamin C: 13mg
