Lebanese couscous has the largest pearls and the longest cooking time of the couscous family, which is exactly why it works in soup. The pearls simmer in the broth without falling apart, and as they absorb the stock they thicken the soup a little, so every spoonful is substantial. Rotisserie chicken keeps this quick, and homemade broth is my first choice, but if you don’t have it stocked up in your freezer, good store-bought stock or bone broth works well too.
Turmeric gives the soup an earthy warmth and that deep golden color, and the lemon juice goes in with the broth so it blends into every spoonful. Taste at the end and add another splash of lemon, salt or pepper until the broth tastes bright. A reliable soup recipe is worth having, because colds don’t wait for soup season to come around.
Why You’ll Keep Making This
It starts with a rotisserie chicken and a handful of vegetables you probably already have. Everything simmers in the same pot, couscous included, so there is no separate pasta to boil. The vegetables are easy to swap for zucchini, kale, spinach, broccoli or cauliflower, depending on what is in the fridge, and the leftovers make an easy lunch the next day.
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Key Ingredients in This Recipe
You’ll find the complete list of ingredients and exact quantities in the recipe below.
- Celery
- Carrots
- Onion
- Chicken broth – home made or store bought
- Rotisserie chicken
- Lebanese couscous – see this post to learn what couscous really is.
- Lemon juice
- Turmeric
- Black pepper
- Thyme
- Oregano
- Parsley
Before you begin, watch this video below, it shows how the recipe comes together. Subscribe on YouTube for new recipes for two.
How to Make Turmeric Chicken Couscous Soup
Step 1 – Heat olive oil in a medium pot and add the carrot, celery and onion. Stir and saute them in the oil for about 5 minutes, until they begin to soften.
Step 2 – Add the chicken broth, the shredded rotisserie chicken, lemon juice, couscous, turmeric, thyme, oregano, salt & black pepper. Stir to combine and cook for about 15 minutes. This is the time the couscous needs. Read more about cooking couscous here.
Give the soup a good stir, taste and add a little bit of salt & pepper if needed and/or a splash of lemon juice. Sprinkle with some finely chopped parsley and serve.
Alternative & Substitutes
- Instead of rotisserie chicken you can use fresh chicken. Add it to the pot with the broth and cook it for 15 to 25 minutes, until it reaches 165°F. The couscous only needs 15 minutes, so if your chicken needs longer, add the couscous 5 to 10 minutes after the chicken goes in. Timing depends on the thickness of the chicken breast. To shorten it, cut the thickest part in half. When the chicken is done, take it out, shred it, and return it to the soup.
- Lebanese couscous can be replaced by Israeli or Moroccan couscous or any other type of pasta, like orzo, pastina or even ramen or noodles.
- If you want a more rustic looking soup, cut the vegetables in coarser pieces.
- Add other vegetables, like zucchini, kale or spinach, or broccoli or cauliflower.
Storage Note
- Homemade chicken soup will keep well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, in an air-tight container.
- If you want to keep it longer, freeze it in an airtight container up to 2-3 months.
- The couscous keeps absorbing broth as the soup sits, so it will be thicker the next day. Add a splash of broth or water when you reheat it.
What to Serve with Turmeric Chicken Couscous Soup
Other Chicken Soups to Try
Turmeric Chicken Couscous Soup
Pin Recipe FacebookIngredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 ounces celery, finely chopped
- 2 ounces carrots, finely chopped
- 1 ounce onion, finely chopped
- 3 cups chicken broth, home-made or store-bought
- 1/2 lemon, juice only
- 4 ounces chicken breast, rotisserie of fresh, shredded
- 1/3 cup Lebanese couscous, (NOTE 1)
- 2 teaspoons turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- salt
- parsley, garnish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a medium pot and add the finely chopped carrot, celery and onion. Stir and saute them in the oil for about 5 minutes, until they begin to soften.
- Add the chicken broth, the shredded rotisserie chicken, lemon juice, couscous, turmeric, thyme, oregano, salt & black pepper. (NOTE 2)
- Stir to combine and cook for about 15 minutes. This is the time the couscous needs.
- When the couscous is cooked, give the soup a good stir, taste and add a little bit of salt & pepper if needed and/or a splash of lemon juice.
- Sprinkle with some finely chopped parsley and serve.
Notes
- I used Lebanese couscous, the largest pearls with the longest cooking time. You can of course replace this type of couscous with Israeli couscous or a type of tiny pasta, like orzo or pastina.
- Instead of rotisserie chicken you can use fresh chicken. Add it to the pot with the broth and cook it for 15 to 25 minutes, until it reaches 165°F. The couscous only needs 15 minutes, so if your chicken needs longer, add the couscous 5 to 10 minutes after the chicken goes in. Timing depends on the thickness of the chicken breast. To shorten it, cut the thickest part in half. When the chicken is done, take it out, shred it, and return it to the soup.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.