Meta description: This high protein chicken vegetable soup has about 35 g of protein per bowl, cooks in one pot, and freezes beautifully. Easy, filling, and meal prep friendly.
Most chicken soup is basically warm broth with a few lonely pieces of chicken floating around.
Plenty of store bought versions have under 10 grams of protein per cup, which is not exactly a meal. I used to finish a bowl and be hungry again an hour later.
So I built one that actually keeps me full.
This high protein chicken vegetable soup has shredded chicken breast, red lentils, and white beans in the same pot. One generous bowl gets you roughly 35 grams of protein.
And no, it doesn’t taste like gym food. There’s a little trick with the lentils that makes the broth rich and almost creamy without any cream, and I’ll show you exactly when to use it.
My husband and I travel full-time, so I’ve cooked in a lot of tiny rental kitchens with one decent pot and a very dull knife. This recipe works in every single one of them.
Side Note: If you’re also stocking your fridge with make ahead lunches, this soup holds up for days, which I’ll cover below.
Why This Recipe Works
A few small choices make this soup way better than it has any right to be.
- Three protein sources. Chicken, lentils, and cannellini beans each bring something different to the bowl.
- Red lentils break down. They melt into the broth and thicken it naturally.
- The chicken cooks whole. It stays juicy because it simmers gently in the soup instead of getting blasted with heat.
- Lemon at the end. This wakes up every flavor in the pot.
Here’s a fun number. Cooked chicken breast has about 31 grams of protein per 100 grams (roughly 3.5 oz), and one cup of cooked lentils has about 18 grams.
Stack those together and you can see how this soup gets so high.
What You’ll Need
This makes about 6 large bowls (around 1.5 cups each).
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Boneless, skinless chicken breasts | 1.5 lbs (about 680 g) |
| Olive oil | 1 tablespoon |
| Yellow onion, diced | 1 large |
| Carrots, sliced into coins | 3 medium |
| Celery stalks, sliced | 3 |
| Garlic cloves, minced | 4 |
| Dried thyme | 1 teaspoon |
| Smoked paprika | 1/2 teaspoon |
| Low sodium chicken broth | 8 cups (about 1.9 L) |
| Dried red lentils, rinsed | 1/2 cup |
| Bay leaf | 1 |
| Canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed | 1 can (15 oz) |
| Zucchini, diced | 1 medium |
| Fresh baby spinach | 4 packed cups (about 4 oz) |
| Lemon, juiced | 1 large |
| Fresh parsley, chopped | 1/4 cup |
| Salt and black pepper | To taste |
Quick note: Use low sodium broth. Regular broth can get salty fast once the soup simmers down.
Tools You’ll Need
Nothing fancy here.
- Large pot or Dutch oven (5 to 6 quart)
- Cutting board and sharp knife
- Fine mesh sieve (for rinsing the lentils)
- Wooden spoon
- Two forks (for shredding the chicken)
- Instant read thermometer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Ladle
How to Make High Protein Chicken Vegetable Soup
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 40 minutes | Total time: 55 minutes
- Prep your veggies. Dice the onion and zucchini, slice the carrots and celery, and mince the garlic. Rinse the lentils in a fine mesh sieve until the water runs mostly clear.
- Start the base. Heat the olive oil in your pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion turns soft and translucent.
- Wake up the spices. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and smoked paprika. Cook for 30 to 60 seconds, just until it smells amazing.
- Add the liquid and the chicken. Pour in the broth, then add the lentils and bay leaf. Nestle the whole chicken breasts into the pot. Bring everything to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer and cover. Cover the pot and cook for 18 to 20 minutes. The chicken is done when an instant read thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part.
- Shred the chicken. Move the chicken to a cutting board and shred it with two forks. By now the lentils should be soft and the soup should look slightly thicker.
- Add the beans and zucchini. Stir in the cannellini beans and zucchini. Simmer uncovered for 6 to 8 minutes, until the zucchini is tender.
- Bring it all together. Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Stir in the spinach and let it wilt for 1 to 2 minutes. Fish out the bay leaf.
- Finish it off. Add the lemon juice and parsley. Taste, then add salt and pepper until it tastes right to you.
That’s it. One pot, nine steps, and a soup that tastes like it simmered all afternoon.
Pro Tips
I’ve made this soup more times than I can count. These are the things I wish I’d known the first time.
- Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil makes chicken breast tight and rubbery. You want small, lazy bubbles.
- Salt at the end. Lentils and beans soak up seasoning, and the soup concentrates as it cooks. Tasting at the end keeps you from over salting.
- Rinse the lentils. It sounds fussy, but it removes dust and the foam that can cloud your broth.
- Don’t skip the lemon. Without it the soup tastes flat. With it, it tastes finished.
- Use a thermometer. Guessing is how chicken ends up dry. Pull it at 165°F and it stays juicy.
Substitutions and Variations
This soup is pretty forgiving, so you can swap based on what’s in your kitchen.
| If you don’t have | Try this | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken breasts | Boneless, skinless thighs | Slightly juicier, slightly less protein |
| Raw chicken | 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken | Add with the spinach and skip steps 4 to 6 timing for the chicken |
| Red lentils | Green or brown lentils | Cook 25 to 30 minutes, and they hold their shape instead of thickening the broth |
| Cannellini beans | Chickpeas or great northern beans | Same amount, drained and rinsed |
| Zucchini | Green beans or frozen peas | Peas only need a minute or two |
| Spinach | Chopped kale | Add it 5 minutes earlier since it’s tougher |
Fun Variations
- Italian style: Add 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, one can of diced tomatoes, and a parmesan rind to the simmering broth.
- Spicy: Stir in 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes with the garlic.
- Creamy: Blend 1 to 2 cups of the finished soup, then stir it back into the pot.
- Lower carb: Skip the beans and lentils, then add extra chicken and some cauliflower florets.
Make Ahead Tips
This soup is a meal prep dream.
You can chop the onion, carrots, celery, and zucchini up to 2 days ahead and keep them in airtight containers in the fridge.
You can also cook the whole pot ahead and just reheat it. I actually think the flavor gets better on day two.
Side Note: If you’re making it for the week, hold off on the spinach and lemon until you reheat each portion. They taste much fresher that way.
Nutrition Breakdown
Here’s the rough math per serving (1 of 6).
| Nutrient | Per Serving (estimate) |
|---|---|
| Calories | About 295 |
| Protein | About 35 g |
| Carbohydrates | About 25 g |
| Fiber | About 7 g |
| Fat | About 6 g |
These numbers are estimates based on standard ingredient values. Brands of broth, beans, and chicken vary, so run your exact ingredients through a nutrition calculator if you need precise numbers.
What to Serve With It
The soup is filling on its own, but a few sides make it feel like a full dinner.
- Toasted sourdough with a little butter
- A simple green salad with lemon vinaigrette
- A grilled cheese for dipping (on the days when the soup doesn’t need to be a protein project)
- A spoonful of plain Greek yogurt on top for extra tang and a little more protein
If you add yogurt, stir it into your bowl instead of the pot. Boiling it can make it curdle.
Time Savers
On a busy weeknight, these shortcuts help.
- Chop while things heat. Dice the zucchini and measure the lemon while the chicken simmers.
- Buy pre-chopped mirepoix. That’s the onion, carrot, and celery combo, and many stores sell it in one container.
- Use rotisserie chicken. It cuts about 20 minutes off the cook time.
- Use one cutting board. Do the veggies first, then the chicken, to save on dishes.
Leftovers and Storage
Let the soup cool for a bit, then get it into the fridge within 2 hours of cooking.
- Fridge: Store in airtight containers for 3 to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze for 2 to 3 months for the best quality. Portion it into single servings and leave about an inch of space at the top for expansion.
- Reheating: Warm it on the stove over medium heat until it’s steaming hot, and make sure it reaches 165°F (74°C).
The lentils keep absorbing liquid as the soup sits, so it will be thicker the next day. Just add a splash of broth or water when you reheat.
FAQ
Can I use frozen chicken breasts?
It’s easier with thawed chicken, but you can cook it from frozen. Just add about 10 minutes to the simmer time and check that it reaches 165°F.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
Yes. Combine everything except the beans, zucchini, spinach, lemon, and parsley. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours until the chicken hits 165°F, then shred it and stir in the rest. Let it cook another 20 minutes.
Why is my soup so thick?
Red lentils absorb a lot of liquid and break down. Stir in a little extra broth until it looks the way you like.
Can I skip the lentils?
You can. Use an extra can of beans and the soup will still be a solid source of protein, just a bit thinner.
Is this soup gluten free and dairy free?
The recipe itself has no gluten or dairy ingredients. Always check your broth label to be sure.
How do I get even more protein in it?
Add another half pound of chicken, or top your bowl with a spoonful of Greek yogurt.
Wrapping Up
This high protein chicken vegetable soup is the one I make when I want something cozy that won’t leave me hunting for snacks an hour later.
It’s simple, it’s filling, and it tastes way fancier than the effort it takes. Plus you’ll have lunch sorted for the next few days.
If you make it, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment below with your rating and any swaps you tried, and ask me anything if you get stuck. I read every one!