Chicken Potato Soup with Dill and Lemon
Senior Editor & Writer
Nicholetta Bokolas
Award-winning food blogger and writer sharing simple recipes, good food, and the stories that come with them.
There are few things I love more than a big, hearty pot of chicken soup once the weather starts to cool down. The minute those chilly days arrive, this is exactly the kind of dinner I want simmering on the stove. This creamy chicken potato vegetable soup recipe is packed with tender chicken breasts, carrots, celery, potatoes, garlic and fresh herbs in a rich, lemony broth. A little heavy cream makes it cozy, but my favourite part is actually how I thicken the soup.
Instead of adding flour, I scoop out some of the tender potatoes, mash them really well and stir them right back into the pot. They melt into the broth and create the most delicious creamy texture without turning the soup into something overly thick or heavy.
Then fresh dill, parsley and lemon go in right at the end.
SO good.
You can eat this chicken and potato soup exactly as it is or ladle it over egg noodles for more of a chicken noodle soup situation. Either way, it’s hearty, comforting and exactly the kind of recipe I want in my fall and winter rotation.
At a Glance
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Serves: 6
- Made in one large pot or Dutch oven
- Packed with chicken, potatoes and vegetables
- Naturally thickened with mashed potatoes
- Fresh dill and lemon keep the broth bright
- Egg noodles are completely optional
- Great for leftovers
- Freezer-friendly if you leave out the cream until reheating
Ingredients:
For the Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the Soup
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 4 celery ribs, diced
- 7 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 4 cups peeled and cubed potatoes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper
- 1/2 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- juice of two large lemons (about 1/3 cup)
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 3 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
For Serving
- cooked egg noodles, optional
- freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan
- fresh dill or parsley
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towel. Season both sides with sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken and sear for 2–3 minutes per side, until nicely golden. The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this point. Transfer it to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
- Add the diced onion, carrots and celery and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken broth.
- Add the potatoes, oregano, garlic powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, sea salt and fresh thyme.
- Return the chicken breasts and any accumulated juices from the plate to the pot.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
- Partially cover the pot and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove about 1½ cups of the cooked potatoes and transfer them to a bowl.
- Mash thoroughly with a fork, then stir the mashed potatoes back into the soup. This naturally thickens the broth and gives it a creamy texture.
- Remove the chicken from the soup and transfer it to a cutting board or plate. Shred it using two forks, then return the shredded chicken to the pot.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the lemon juice, heavy cream, chopped fresh dill and parsley.
- Remove and discard the thyme stems.
- Simmer gently for another 5 minutes.
- Avoid bringing the soup to a hard boil once the cream has been added.
- Taste and adjust the salt, black pepper and lemon as needed.
- If serving with egg noodles, cook them separately according to the package directions.
- Divide the noodles between serving bowls and ladle the hot soup over top.
- Finish each bowl with freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, fresh dill or parsley and freshly ground black pepper.
- Don’t forget to rate this recipe and leave a comment!
The Potato Trick That Makes This Soup So Creamy
This is the part of this creamy chicken potato soup recipe I really love.
Once the potatoes are fork-tender, I remove about 1½ cups with a slotted spoon and mash them with a fork. Then I stir those mashed potatoes right back into the base of the soup.
That’s it.
The potato naturally thickens the chicken broth and gives you that cozy, creamy texture without needing a roux or spoonfuls of flour.
You still get plenty of bite-sized pieces of potato throughout the soup, but the broth becomes richer and almost silky.
If you’re using Yukon Gold potatoes, they’re especially nice here because they have a naturally buttery texture and mash beautifully. Whatever potato you choose, just peel and cut them into similarly sized cubes so they cook evenly.
Why I Sear the Chicken First
Could I simply drop the chicken into the broth and let it cook?
Sure.
But taking a few minutes to sear the seasoned chicken breasts in olive oil first gives us more flavor.
The paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper create a golden coating on the chicken, and all those browned bits left in the bottom of the pot become part of the chicken potato soup flavor.
You don’t need to cook the chicken through at this stage. Just give it 2–3 minutes per side to develop some colour, remove it, and then start cooking the vegetables right in the same pot.
Less cleanup, more flavour.
That’s always a win.
Don’t Rush the Vegetables
Onion, carrots and celery form the classic base for this chicken vegetable soup.
Once the chicken comes out, I turn the heat down to medium heat, add another little drizzle of olive oil and let the vegetables cook for several minutes before adding the garlic.
That gives the onions time to soften and become sweeter while the carrots and celery start losing their raw edge.
Then in go seven cloves of garlic.
Yes, seven.
We’re making a big pot of soup here, and I want that flavour.
The garlic only needs another minute before the broth goes in. You want it fragrant, not browned.
Dill and Lemon Make This Chicken Vegetable Soup
Chicken, potatoes and cream can easily become very rich, which is exactly why the dill and lemon matter so much.
The lemon juice cuts through the richness of the heavy cream, while the fresh dill adds this gorgeous bright, almost grassy flavour that makes the whole soup taste fresh.
Fresh thyme simmers in the broth earlier in the recipe, while dill and parsley are added near the end so their flavour stays vibrant.
I wouldn’t add the dill too early.
Fresh herbs lose some of their personality the longer they boil, and I want the dill to actually taste like dill when the soup reaches your bowl.
Egg Noodles or No Egg Noodles?
Totally your call.
If you want this to feel more like chicken noodle soup, cook egg noodles separately according to the package directions and add some to individual bowls before ladling the soup over top.
I purposely don’t cook the noodles directly in the soup.
That way they don’t soak up all the broth while the soup sits in the refrigerator, and your leftovers don’t turn into one giant pot of swollen noodles the next day.
Personally? I ate mine without noodles and didn’t miss them at all.
The chicken and potatoes make this soup substantial enough on its own.
Chicken Breast or Thighs?
My original chicken potato soup recipe uses boneless, skinless chicken breast.
Chicken thighs would be a possible variation if that’s what you prefer. Dark meat tends to stay especially juicy in soups, although it will change the flavour and richness slightly.
Either way, the most important thing is not overcooking the chicken.
Once it’s cooked through, remove it, shred it with two forks and return it to the broth.
What About Other Vegetables?
I love this chicken vegetable soup exactly as written with carrots, celery and potatoes because it feels like classic chicken soup.
You could certainly experiment with other vegetables if you’re cleaning out the fridge. Spinach stirred in at the end would wilt quickly, and sliced green onions could make a nice garnish.
But you don’t need a refrigerator full of veggies to make this good.
The simple combination in the original recipe is part of what I love about it.
If you’re craving a completely different style of chicken vegetable soup, there’s a great tomato-based version that combines shredded chicken, potatoes, tomatoes, corn and green beans in a savoury broth.
How to Store and Freeze Chicken Potato Soup
Let the soup cool before transferring it to an airtight container and storing it in the refrigerator.
For reheating, warm individual portions in the microwave or gently heat the soup on the stove, stirring occasionally.
This soup also freezes well, but there’s one important thing I would do differently:
Leave out the heavy cream if you’re planning to freeze it.
Cream-based soups can sometimes separate after freezing and thawing. Make the soup through the potato-mashing stage, freeze it without the cream, and add the cream after you reheat it.
You can also leave the cream out entirely if you want. The mashed potatoes still give the broth plenty of body.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you thicken chicken potato soup?
I mash about 1½ cups of the cooked potatoes and stir them back into the broth. Their starch naturally thickens the soup without flour.
Can I make chicken potato soup without cream?
Absolutely. The mashed potatoes already create a creamy texture, so you can leave the heavy cream out if you prefer.
What potatoes work best for chicken soup?
Yukon Gold potatoes are a great choice because they’re naturally creamy and hold their shape well. Other potatoes can work too.
Can I freeze creamy chicken and potato soup?
I recommend freezing the soup before adding the heavy cream. Reheat it gently, then stir the cream in once the soup is hot.
Can I add noodles?
Yes. Cook egg noodles separately and add them directly to individual bowls. This keeps them from absorbing all the broth in your leftovers.
Why add lemon to chicken soup?
Lemon brightens the entire soup and balances the richness from the chicken, potatoes and cream. Add the lemon and cream over low heat and stir gently as they go in. Avoid letting the soup come back to a hard boil, which can cause the cream to separate.
This Is Soup Weather Food
This creamy chicken and potato soup is exactly what I want when the temperature drops and dinner needs to feel cozy.
It’s hearty without being ridiculously heavy, packed with chicken and veggies, and that mashed-potato trick gives the broth such a beautiful texture.
But the dill and lemon are what really make it for me.
They keep everything bright and fresh and the soup tastes incredible.
Serve it as-is, add egg noodles, grate a little Pecorino or Parmesan cheese over the top and grab your biggest soup spoon.
Dinner is handled.
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Nicholetta Bokolas
Nicholetta is an award-winning food blogger and writer whose work lives at the intersection of food and story. She shares simple, approachable recipes inspired by the flavours she grew up with, grounded in the belief that good food should never be too complicated. She is currently writing a food memoir that traces her grandmother’s journey from Greece to Canada, and the recipes that carried her through building a new life and a successful restaurant. A lifelong home cook, Nicholetta is most at home in the kitchen, cooking for the people she loves and gathering around a table where food is as much about connection as it is about what’s on the plate.
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