Chicken Lentil Soup Recipe Slow Cooker

This flavourful Chicken Lentil Soup has chicken, lentils, leafy greens, and corn simmering in herb-infused chicken stock with coconut milk. Made in a slow cooker or stovetop, your choice!

Our other favorite easy and healthy lentil soups are this red lentil soup recipe and reader favorite Instant Pot lentil soup recipe. Enjoy!

Chicken Lentil Soup

Chicken and Lentil Soup

Chicken lentil soup is an inexpensive way to make a filling and hearty meal. There really is nothing better than anticipating taking that first spoonful just by the smell in your kitchen!

This soup is packed with protein, iron, good fats, fibre, vitamins, and so much flavour. It is easy to make with simple wholesome ingredients. When made in the slow cooker, it's ready for you at the end of a long day. It can also be made on the stovetop in an hour!

I absolutely love cooking with lentils! Whether it's a curry type of dish like this lentil curry recipe or pressure cooker dal, or a lentil casserole recipe (yes!), I know dinner will be ready quick, affordable and healthy! Ukrainian in me loves budget-friendly meals.

Serve with a topping of crunchy tortilla chips, a side of easy kale salad and enjoy a healthy and delicious way to stay warm this season!

Ingredients for Chicken Lentil Soup

Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Keep them whole as you will shred the chicken breast towards the end.
Lentils: Dry green or brown lentils, rinsed, and drained. You can soak your dry lentils overnight if you choose. This aids in digestion and will also cut down the cooking time.
Liquids: Low sodium chicken stock. I, myself, use water with 2 organic no sodium bouillon cubes. Full fat or light coconut milk in a can. Yes, it adds nice sweetness not only to a curry but also to soups like this lentil soup, butternut squash soup and even sun dried tomato soup.
Seasonings: Garlic powder and salt.
Veggies: Corn, canned, or frozen. Dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, or swiss chard. You will probably want to roughly shop your greens before adding to the soup. They will wilt considerably, so no need to chop too small. Onion sprigs, finely chopped.
Herb: Cilantro, finely chopped.
Optional Garnish: Tortilla chips, crumbled on top, or keep them whole to dip!

Chicken Lentil Soup cooking covered in slow cooker

How to Make Chicken Lentil Soup

Stovetop method

Combine: In a large pot, add chicken stock (or water and bouillon cubes), coconut milk, chicken breasts, garlic powder, and salt and bring to a boil. Add lentils and stir to combine.
Simmer: Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until lentils are tender.

Slow cooker method

Combine: Add chicken stock (or water and bouillon cubes), coconut milk, garlic powder, salt, and lentils. Stir to mix and submerge the chicken in the liquid.
Slow cook: Cover and cook either on high or low until chicken is done and lentils are tender.

Both methods: Remove chicken and shred with two forks and return to the pot. Add in remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

Serve immediately with crushed organic tortilla chips on top and lemon kale salad!

kale on top of Chicken Lentil Soup in slow cooker

How to Store, Freeze and Reheat

Storing: Keep in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

Freezing: Once completely cooled, store in a freezer-friendly airtight container for up to 3 months.

Reheating: You can reheat from frozen covered on the stovetop on low heat. You can also thaw in the fridge overnight beforehand.

Tips and variations

Green or brown lentils: You want to use either of these as they hold their shape better than other lentils. Red lentils tend to dissolve and become mushy. This is great for this red lentil soup recipe, but just not this one!
Dry and uncooked: Lentils absolutely do not need to be soaked ahead of time. It is a choice as to whether or not you want to!
Can not carton: The reason for this is simply the amount of water. Canned coconut milk is much less diluted than it's carton counterpart.
Any broth: This recipe is flexible in how you deliver the broth. You can use chicken or veggie stock, bouillon cubes, or homemade! For a quick and easy homemade veggie broth, save your veggie scraps! Over time collect them and boil them with whatever added flavours you'd like. It is a great way to create less waste and save money!
Instant Pot bonus: To make this soup in a pinch, add all ingredients (minus spinach) to the Instant Pot and pressure cook everything for 15 minutes.

More Favorite Lentil and Soup Recipes

Spinach lentil soup
Slow cooker lentil soup
Santa Fe chicken and lentil casserole
Pressure cooker chicken wild rice soup
Pressure cooker beef barley soup

Chicken Lentil Soup with tortilla chips in a bowl and spoon

Chicken Lentil Soup

COOKING MODE Prevent your screen from going dark

2 lbs chicken breasts boneless & skinless
1 1/2 cups dry green or brown lentils rinsed & drained
8 cups chicken stock low sodium*
14 oz can coconut milk light or full fat
2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 cups corn frozen or canned
3 handfuls greens like spinach and kale
1/3 cup cilantro finely chopped
3 green onion sprigs finely chopped
Tortilla chips for garnish (optional)

Stovetop: In a large pot, add water+bouillon cubes or broth, coconut milk, chicken breasts, garlic powder, salt, and bring to a boil.
Add lentils, stir, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until lentils are tender.
Slow cooker: In a large slow cooker, add chicken stock, coconut milk, garlic powder, salt, lentils and stir to mix.
Submerge chicken in the liquid, cover and cook on Low for 8-10 hours or on High for 4 hours.
Both: Remove chicken and shred with 2 forks; return to the pot or slow cooker.
Add corn, greens, cilantro and green onion; stir well.
Serve hot with crushed organic tortilla chips on top if you wish (I recommend!!!).

Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freeze: Fully cook, cool completely and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw on a stovetop covered on low.

*I used boiling water with 2 organic no sodium chicken bouillon cubes.

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