Greek Chicken Pearl Couscous Soup (Printable Version)

Comforting Greek soup with tender chicken, lemon, pearl couscous, and feta.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken & Broth

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz)
02 - 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
03 - 1 bay leaf

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

04 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
06 - 2 celery stalks, diced
07 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

→ Soup Base

09 - 3/4 cup pearl couscous
10 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
13 - Salt, to taste

→ Garnish

14 - 3 oz feta cheese, crumbled
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
16 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly until fragrant.
03 - Pour the chicken broth into the pot and add the bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat.
04 - Add chicken breasts to the simmering broth and cook for 12-15 minutes until fully cooked through and no longer pink in the center.
05 - Remove the cooked chicken breasts and bay leaf from the pot. Shred or chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
06 - Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Stir in pearl couscous, oregano, lemon zest, and black pepper. Simmer for 10-12 minutes until the couscous becomes tender.
07 - Add the fresh lemon juice and adjust the seasoning with salt to taste.
08 - Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Top each portion with crumbled feta cheese and fresh dill. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • The lemon and feta combination hits differently when you taste it together—bright, creamy, and somehow both light and deeply satisfying.
  • One pot means minimal cleanup, which honestly matters more than any cookbook will admit.
02 -
  • Pearl couscous absorbs broth quickly, so if you make this ahead, store the soup and couscous separately and combine them just before serving or the couscous will bloat and lose its texture.
  • Don't skip tasting and adjusting the seasoning at the end; lemon juice changes everything, and what seemed bland suddenly tastes alive and intentional.
03 -
  • Zest the lemon before you juice it—sounds obvious, but I've stood at the counter with a squeezed lemon and no zest more times than I'd like to admit.
  • If your broth tastes a little thin, simmer it for a few extra minutes before adding anything else; sometimes concentration is all it needs.
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