Learn how to make this deliciously creamy Red Lentil and Chicken Soup. Made with shredded chicken breast, carrots, red lentils, chicken stock, coconut milk along with herbs and spices. It's wholesome, filling and perfect for those cold and chilly days.
Calling all of my soup lovers, I have another tasty soup recipe for you to try.
If you have been following my blog for quite some time then you will already know how much I LOVE a good bowl of homemade soup.
Especially when the weather is cold outside, there is nothing better than tucking into a bowl of something warm, hearty and filling.
This time around I'm using red lentils with chicken and carrots. It's a fairly simple combination but trust me, it works so well.
I already have my Red Lentil Stew on the blog which is completely vegan friendly. This recipe is somewhat different because we are turning those lentils into a creamy soup and adding some shredded chicken.
The red lentils and carrots are cooked until tender then pureed until smooth. The coconut milk gives everything that extra touch of creaminess and finally the shredded chicken is stirred into the soup.
The end result is a thick, creamy bowl of goodness that is super delicious and filling.
Don't worry if you aren't a huge fan of coconut either. There isn't a huge amount of coconut milk used in the recipe, just enough to give the soup that creamy consistency without the coconut flavour taking over.
Reasons to Make This Soup
- It's warm, hearty and filling.
- The soup is completely dairy free.
- Red lentils naturally help to thicken the soup.
- It's made with simple ingredients.
- You can make it as spicy or non-spicy as you like.
- The recipe is perfect for the colder months.
- You can easily make a large batch and store the leftovers.
- It's blender and immersion stick blender friendly.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Chicken breast - You will need chicken breast which is cooked and then shredded before adding it to the soup.
- Red lentils - I'm using dried red lentils. Make sure you rinse the lentils thoroughly before using them, there's no need to soak them.
- Carrots - You will need roughly peeled and chopped carrots. The carrots are cooked until tender then pureed with the lentils.
- Onion/garlic - These are the base ingredients for the soup and are sauteed in a small amount of olive oil.
- Chicken stock - This forms the main liquid foundation for the soup. I recommend using low sodium chicken stock so you have more control over the salt.
- Coconut milk - This is what helps to give the soup that lovely rich and creamy consistency while keeping everything dairy free.
- Ground coriander/chilli flakes/black pepper - These are the herbs and spices used to enhance the flavour. The chilli flakes are completely optional so omit them if you don't care for any heat.
- Pink salt - Only add this if needed. Depending on the chicken stock that you are using you may find that the soup is already salty enough.
- Olive oil - You only need a small amount to saute the onion and garlic.
The steps
- Place the chicken breast in a medium bowl along with the all purpose seasoning.
- Season the chicken ensuring all parts of the chicken are well coated.
- In a medium sized frying pan, on medium heat, heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Add the chicken breasts and sear them, this will take 10-15 minutes (make sure the chicken is completely cooked through)..
- Once cooked, use 2 forks to shred the pieces of chicken breast and then set aside.
- Add 2 tablespoon of olive oil to a large saucepan on medium heat.
- Saute the onion, garlic and carrots until soft and translucent.
- Add the red lentils along with the ground coriander, black pepper, chilli flakes and stir for a few minutes.
- Pour in the coconut milk and the chicken stock.
- Bring the pot to a rolling boil then reduce the heat to medium low with the lid on.
- Simmer for 10 minutes or until the red lentils start to soften.
- After the given time, remove the pot from the stove and carefully transfer the contents into a high speed blender.
- blitz at high speed into a smooth consistency.
- Transfer the soup back into the pot.
- Stir in the shredded chicken.
- Add the pink salt to taste, as needed.
- Serve with garnish accordingly.
Notes and Tips
- Make sure you rinse the red lentils thoroughly before using them.
- There is no need to soak the lentils beforehand.
- I recommend using low sodium chicken stock so the soup isn't overly salty.
- Don't add the pink salt until the very end. Do a taste test first and add some only if needed.
- Make sure the carrots are completely soft before pureeing the soup.
- You can use an immersion stick blender or regular blender to puree the soup.
More soup recipes to try
- Roasted Curry Pumpkin Soup
- Roasted Cho Cho Soup (Chayote Soup)
- Spicy Chicken Soup Recipe
- Sopa de Plátano Verde (Vegan Green Plantain Soup)
- Instant Pot Cuban Black Bean Soup
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Creamy Red Lentil and Chicken Soup
Ingredients
To cook the chicken
- 1-1½ lb chicken breast
- 1½ tablespoon all purpose seasoning
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
To make the soup
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2½ cups carrots
- 1 cup red lentils
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ⅛ teaspoon chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 8 cups chicken stock
- pink salt to taste
Instructions
To season and cook the chicken
- Place the chicken breast in a medium bowl along with the all purpose seasoning.
- Season the chicken ensuring all parts of the chicken are well coated.
- In a medium sized frying pan, on medium heat, heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Add the chicken breasts and sear them, this will take 10-15 minutes (make sure the chicken is completely cooked through).
- Once cooked, use 2 forks to shred the pieces of chicken breast and then set aside.
To cook the rest of the soup
- Add 2 tablespoon of olive oil to a large saucepan on medium heat.
- Saute the onion, garlic and carrots until soft and translucent.
- Add the red lentils along with the ground coriander, black pepper, chilli flakes and stir for a few minutes.
- Pour in the coconut milk and the chicken stock.
- Bring the pot to a rolling boil then reduce the heat to medium low with the lid on.
- Simmer for 10 minutes or until the red lentils start to soften.
- After the given time, remove the pot from the stove and carefully transfer the contents into a high speed blender.
- Blitz at high speed into a smooth consistency.
- Transfer the soup back into the pot.
- Stir in the shredded chicken.
- Add the pink salt to taste, as needed.
- Serve with garnish accordingly.
Video
Notes
- Make sure you rinse the red lentils thoroughly before using them.
- There is no need to soak the lentils beforehand.
- I recommend using low sodium chicken stock so the soup isn't overly salty.
- Don't add the pink salt until the very end. Do a taste test first and add some only if needed.
- Make sure the carrots are completely soft before pureeing the soup.
- You can use an immersion stick blender or regular blender to puree the soup.
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