Sunday Soup: Have you ever added a whole lemon to your soup?

An easy rotisserie chicken soup recipe to brighten up the colder months

A few years ago, Kari tasted a remarkable soup with an unexpected ingredient — a whole lemon added to the pot, chopped up just like an onion. The depth of citrus flavor was unforgettable, and the best part? It’s surprisingly easy to recreate at home with the help of a rotisserie chicken.

This recipe begins with sautéing classic aromatics, then takes a bold turn with the addition of a chopped lemon and a can of coconut milk. As the lemon cooks down and caramelizes it infuses the soup with vibrant citrusy notes. Keeping this weeknight-friendly, Kari likes to get help from a rotisserie chicken; she shreds up the meat and adds all of it to the pot for a substantial boost of protein and flavor, with none of the work. She also discovered that adding a can of pantry-staple coconut milk brings a creamy, luxurious edge to this golden pot of soup (and is a good way to mellow out any potential bitterness).

This recipe makes for a hearty bowl on its own, but we love adding steamed jasmine rice or tiny pasta for a more substantial meal (orzo would be great here!).

We can’t wait for you to try this creamy, lemony twist on classic chicken soup, and keep reading for our meal prep suggestion at the end of the recipe below!

Have you ever added whole lemon to your soup?

RECIPE: Sunny Chicken Soup with Lemon and Coconut

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• Extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 cups chopped leeks (about 2 medium, or you can use any combination of shallot, onion, and/or leek)

• 2 cups chopped celery (about 5-6 stalks)

• 1 small lemon

• 10 -12 cups chicken or vegetable broth

• 1 whole rotisserie chicken

• 2 cups torn hearty greens like kale or chard, stems removed (e.g. about 4-5 large leaves of Tuscan kale)

• 1 cup grated carrot (about 1 large)

• 1 (13-14 oz) can of coconut milk

• salt, to taste

• pepper, to taste

Directions:
Start by prepping your vegetables: Trim the woody green parts and root end of the leek. Slice in half lengthwise and clean really well, making sure to remove all grit. Chop the leeks. Clean, then chop the celery. Grate the carrot on the medium hole of a box grater. Remove the greens from their tough stems, and roughly tear them into pieces. Cut the lemon by first removing the top and bottom, then slicing in half lengthwise. Remove the inner membrane and all of the seeds (this keeps the soup from turning bitter). Thinly slice, then dice the lemon into small pieces and reserve, scooping up any lemon juice that ends up on your cutting board.

In a large pot over medium heat, add a generous glug of olive oil — enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Add the celery, leeks, and season with salt; sauté and allow to soften 4-6 minutes. Add the diced lemon and sauté for 3-4 more minutes, or until the juice has cooked away and the rind is beginning to caramelize at the edges.

Add the broth to the pot and turn up the heat until the liquid reaches a simmer; lower the heat and let the soup gently simmer as you shred the rotisserie chicken, about 10-15 minutes.

Once shredded, add the chicken to the pot along with the coconut milk, grated carrot, and torn greens. Allow the soup to come back to a healthy simmer to soften the greens and carrot, and encourage all of the flavors to meld together, about 8-10 minutes. When the veggies are soft, turn down the heat and taste to adjust for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed.

Ladle into a deep bowl. Garnish with an extra squeeze of lemon juice or freshly chopped herbs.

For meal prep:
Set a large freezer bag or container near your cutting board, adding the veggie scraps and chicken bones as you work through the recipe. You’ll be doubly happy: easier cleanup, plus you have a ready-to-go bag of goodies in your freezer to start your next pot of broth!

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