The Best Ground Chicken Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 15 ml (1 tablespoon)extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 smallwhite onion, diced
• 454 g (1 pound)lean ground chicken
• 4 large clovesgarlic, chopped
• 3 largecarrots, peeled and cut into 1.3 cm (½-inch) cubes (about 414 ml (1¾ cups))
• 3 stalkscelery, halved lengthwise and sliced 1.3 cm (½-inch) thick (about 237 ml (1 cup))
• 1.42 litres (6 cups)low-sodium chicken broth, stock or bone broth
• 1lemon, zested and juiced
• 7.5 ml (1½ teaspoons)ground coriander
• 60 ml (4 tablespoons), plus extra for servingfresh dill, chopped
• To tastekosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 227 g (8 oz)rotini pasta

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown chicken

   Heat the olive oil in a pan on the hob. Sauté the onion and ground chicken until the chicken is cooked through and the onion is translucent with a little browning.

2. 2

   Add garlic

   Stir in the chopped garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, until fragrant.

3. 3

   Fill slow cooker

   Carefully transfer the chicken and onion mixture to the slow cooker. Add all the remaining ingredients except the pasta.

4. 4

   Cook the soup

   Cook on high for 3–4 hours or on low for 6–8 hours, until the vegetables are soft.

5. 5

   Cook pasta

   About 10 minutes before serving, cook the rotini according to the packet directions.

6. 6

   Combine pasta

   Stir the cooked pasta into the soup.

7. 7

   Serve with dill

   If desired, sprinkle extra dill over the soup before serving.

What is ground chicken soup?

Ground chicken soup is a comforting, broth-based meal with minced chicken, vegetables and pasta. This American-style version brings a bright, fresh note with lemon and dill.

Browning the chicken and onion before slow cooking gives the broth a deeper savoury base. The pasta is cooked separately and added at the end, so it is less likely to become overly soft.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 484 calories, 42g protein, 47g carbs, 19g fat.

The rotini and carrots provide most of the carbohydrates, while olive oil contributes fat and chicken supplies much of the protein. For a balanced plate, serve a bowl alongside a green salad or another non-starchy vegetable.

Why brown the chicken first?

Chicken and onion: sauté them until the chicken is cooked through and the onion has softened and picked up a little colour. This step also gives you a chance to break up the chicken as it cooks.

Garlic: add it only after the chicken and onion are ready, then cook for about a minute. Garlic can turn bitter if it is left to brown for too long.

Making the broth bright

Lemon: both zest and juice bring a lively citrus flavour to the chicken broth. Keep the lemon amount as written, then taste the finished soup before adding extra seasoning.

Dill and coriander: ground coriander seasons the broth while chopped fresh dill adds an aromatic finish. Save a little extra dill to scatter over each bowl.

Getting the vegetables tender

Cut the carrots and celery into similarly sized pieces so they soften at a similar pace. The recipe’s doneness cue is straightforward: the vegetables should be soft before you serve the soup.

Cook on high for 3–4 hours or low for 6–8 hours. Slow cookers can vary, so check the vegetables towards the earlier end of the chosen cooking range.

Keep the rotini firm

Pasta timing: cook the rotini about 10 minutes before serving, following the packet directions. Stir it into the soup once cooked.

Adding pasta at the end helps it hold its shape better than simmering it in the slow cooker for the full cooking time. This is especially useful if you expect leftovers.

Season and serve

Salt and pepper: add them to taste, keeping in mind that broth can vary in saltiness even when labelled low-sodium. Taste the soup before serving and adjust as needed.

Serve it in bowls with extra dill if desired. Bread makes a simple accompaniment, or pair the soup with a crisp green salad for a fresh contrast.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the carrots and celery into even pieces so they soften at roughly the same rate.
• Break the ground chicken into small pieces as it browns for an even texture in the soup.
• Cook the garlic briefly, just until fragrant, before transferring the mixture to the slow cooker.
• Check that the vegetables are soft before serving, as slow cooker timings can vary.
• Cook the rotini close to serving time to help it keep its shape.
• Taste the broth before adding salt, since different broths can have different levels of seasoning.

Variations

• Gluten-free pasta: use a gluten-free rotini, as in the recipe’s suggested option.
• Different pasta shape: swap in another short pasta and cook it according to its packet directions.
• Extra vegetables: add more diced carrots or celery while keeping the pieces similar in size.
• Herb switch: use chopped parsley in place of some or all of the dill for a different fresh finish.
• More lemon: serve with lemon wedges so each person can add extra juice to their bowl.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the browning: the chicken and onion miss the colour-building step; sauté them in the pan before slow cooking.
• Adding garlic too early: it can brown too much; add it after the chicken and onion and cook for about a minute.
• Cooking pasta in the slow cooker: it can turn too soft; boil the rotini separately and stir it in near serving time.
• Uneven vegetable pieces: some may soften before others; cut the carrots and celery into similar-sized pieces.
• Serving before vegetables soften: the soup will lack its intended tender texture; cook until the vegetables are soft.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and use within 3–4 days. Reheat gently on the hob or in the microwave until piping hot; pasta may absorb broth as it sits, so add a splash of broth or water if needed.

Frequently asked questions