Description
This Chicken & Pearl Couscous Soup is a cozy, one-pot comfort food recipe made with tender shredded chicken, buttery pearl couscous, and hearty vegetables in a golden savory broth. It’s the perfect homemade soup for cold days, quick weeknight meals, or family gatherings. A flavorful and easy-to-make twist on classic chicken soup—dairy-free, kid-friendly, and endlessly customizable.
Ingredients
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
1 cup pearl couscous (Israeli couscous)
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups chicken broth or stock
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
2 tablespoons fresh dill or parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
1. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 5–7 minutes until softened.
2. Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
3. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Let it simmer for 10 minutes to develop flavor.
4. Add pearl couscous and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
5. Stir in shredded chicken and continue simmering for 5 minutes until heated through.
6. Add chopped fresh dill or parsley and a splash of lemon juice if desired. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.
Notes
To avoid mushy couscous, cook it just until al dente and avoid over-simmering after adding it.
For a gluten-free version, swap pearl couscous with cooked quinoa.
Add fresh spinach or kale at the end for extra nutrients and color.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 730mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 21g
- Cholesterol: 55mg