Lemon, Chicken and Farro Soup
Warm up your winter with this wholesome lemon, chicken, and farro soup! It’s super cozy and hearty, but also delicious and full of bright citrus flavor.
January is unofficial soup month at our house, there’s just nothing better on cold, chilly nights! I usually stick to staples like chili or chicken noodle, but this lemon, chicken, and farro soup is a refreshing twist I’ve fallen in love with.
By swapping noodles for chewy farro and adding a burst of bright lemon, it’s a hearty, filling, and wholesome bowl of comfort that’s perfect when you need something cozy and nourishing.
Table of Contents
- Why you'll love this lemon, chicken & farro soup
- How to make this soup, step by step
- Variations & serving suggestions
- About cooking with farro
- Other soup recipes
- Get the recipe
Why you’ll love this lemon, chicken & farro soup
- It’s a cozy and comforting meal perfect for cold winter nights.
- Easy to make with simple, wholesome ingredients you likely have on hand.
- Farro adds a satisfying chewy texture and boosts fiber and protein.
- Bright lemon zest and juice bring fresh, vibrant flavor to a classic soup.
- It’s versatile, and you can swap other protein or veggies to match what you have.
“This soup is delicious! I love the brightness from the lemon. I added some kale and parsley at the end because I had some to use up. I’ll definitely make this again!⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ —from reader May
How to make this soup, step by step
- Season chicken (you can use breasts or thighs) with salt and pepper and brown on both sides.
- Cook onions, carrots, celery and garlic in the chicken juices for optimal flavor.
- Add chicken broth, lemon zest, fresh thyme, and salt and pepper and return chick to the pot.
- Add farro and simmer until tender and chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
- Shred chicken and finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Variations & serving suggestions
- Swap the protein: Use a rotisserie chicken to cut down on time, or use meatballs, kielbasa sauce, or white beans.
- Add veggies: Stir in fresh spinach or kale during the last few minutes of simmering, or add chopped green beans, or frozen peas and corn.
- Make it creamy: Add a splash of whole milk, heavy cream, half & half or coconut milk.
- Top with cheese: Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan.
- If you don’t have farro: Use rice, barley or orzo pasta.
🍽️Make it a meal and serve with a side salad, freshly baked biscuits or easy breadsticks.
About cooking with farro
Are you cooking with farro? It’s one of my favorite grains! It’s versatile and hearty, and I often swap it in for rice or other grains in soups, salads, and grain bowls. Farro is an ancient grain, similar to barley when cooked, and packed with protein, fiber, magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins.
Pro tip: Instead of cooking farro like rice, boil it in water like pasta for about 20 minutes until al dente. This method preserves its chewy texture, making it perfect for soups (like this one!) since it won’t get soggy during cooking or reheating.
Other soup recipes
- Potato and Leek Soup with Italian Sausage
- Easy Weeknight Chili
- Ham and Lentil Soup
- Easy Chicken Ramen Soup
Get the recipe
Lemon, Chicken and Farro Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil , divided
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken , can use breasts or thighs
- 1 small onion , chopped
- 2 carrots , chopped
- 2 celery stalks , chopped
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 6 cups chicken broth or stock
- 1 teaspoon salt , plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper , plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme , or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 lemon , zest and juice
- 1 cup farro
Equipment
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in heavy pot over medium high heat. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Brown chicken, about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove chicken from pot and set aside.
- Add remaining olive oil to pot. Add onions, carrots, and celery and cook until softened and just start to brown, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add chicken broth, salt, pepper, thyme, and browned chicken to pot (along with any juices from the browned chicken). Zest the lemon and add zest to the pot.
- Bring to a boil and then add farro. Simmer for 20 minutes until farro is tender.
- Chicken may be cooked through before 20 minutes are up, depending on the size or your breasts or thighs. Check with an instant read thermometer (chicken is done at 165°), or by cutting chicken open to see if it's cooked through. When chicken is done, remove from pot and let cool slightly, then shred.
- When farro is tender, add shredded chicken back to pot. Add juice from half of the lemon. Taste soup, and if desired, add more lemon juice and/or salt. Serve hot.
This soup is delicious! I love the brightness from the lemon. I added some kale and parsley at the end because I had some to use up. I’ll definitely make this again!
Great additions and I love this feedback! So happy you enjoyed this recipe, Trisha! 🙂
Fantastic easy soup recipe. I highly recommend it
Happy to hear you liked it Deborah! Thanks for the comment and rating.
Annalise, thank you for this recipe. My son is recovering from surgery and this soup was just right! I used low sodium broth and eliminated teaspoon of salt when I saw the amount of sodium in one serving? I also added chopped spinach at the end to add some color and extra fiber and vitamins. Thank you for sharing!
You can always salt to taste! I’m happy you and your son enjoyed this soup.
This soup is so easy to make and is great for our (quilting) retreats, but is quick to make for a hearty family meal. I pair it with a tossed salad, and homemade rolls. Yum, yum!! I’ve purchased a whole roasted chicken to cut up and put in soup, making the assembly go even faster. It is a fan favorite I am always asked for the recipe. It is one of my go to soup recipes, and I almost have it memorized!
Added a can of Roasted Tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and parsnips. It was wonderful.
This soup has become an all time favorite.
Easy to prepare ~ minimum ingredients, and most everyone can eat this.
It is quite popular at our quilt retreats because it is so easy to make.
I’ve even purchased a whole roasted chicken to use instead of the chicken breasts called for in recipe
This recipe is SOOO easy to make, and delicious to eat. I like that I can choose the number of servings for the recipe (so no guessing).
Ingredients are minimal, and the order to cook this helps develop the flavors.
This soup was a huge hit at our quilt retreat and everyone has asked for the recipe ~
(I read a tip on farro, that you can put it in a food processor (before cooking I think) so it isn’t so farro-e, if you’d prefer.) If you don’t want to cook chicken breasts, you could easily substitute a roasted chicken from the deli at the grocery store.
Made this over the weekend and it was delicious! Light but filling. This will be in regular rotation for weekend lunches now. Thanks for the recipe!
So happy to hear you liked it, thanks for the feedback!
I made this today and absolutely loved it! I used the juice of a whole lemon and loved the citrusy zing, as well as the heartiness of the farro. Thanks for the great recipe!
Yay! I think the brightness of the lemon is one of my favorite parts too. So glad you enjoyed it!