Search

Lemon Chicken Soup with White Beans

A bright lemon chicken soup with white beans and spinach. 35 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber per bowl, light and GLP-1 friendly.

  • 35g protein
  • 296 calories
  • 45 minutes
  • 6 servings

Jump to recipe

By The Protein First Kitchen Team. Published

Bowl of chicken soup with bread and a spoon
Photo by @yu_grino on Unsplash

This lemon chicken soup is our answer to the question we hear most from readers on GLP-1 medications: what can I eat when I am not very hungry but still need protein? A bowl is light, bright with lemon, and carries 35 grams of protein plus 6 grams of fiber from the beans.

Why poach the chicken in the soup

Simmering whole chicken breasts directly in the broth flavors the soup and keeps the chicken moist, with no extra pan. Pull it at 165°F, shred it and stir it back in at the end so it does not dry out.

Make it thicker or thinner

Mashing some of the beans gives the broth body without cream. For a brothier soup, skip the mashing. For a heartier bowl, add 1/2 cup small pasta or orzo with the beans (adds about 35 calories per serving).

Small-portion tip

A 1-cup serving has about 200 calories and 23 grams of protein. Freezing in 1-cup containers makes it easy to heat just what you want.

You might also like

For a meatless, fiber-rich bowl, try our high protein lentil soup. For something heartier, our creamy white chicken chili has 40 grams of protein.

Lemon Chicken Soup with White Beans

Prep 15 min. Cook 30 min. Makes 6 servings of about 1 1/2 cups.

Servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring now and then, until soft, about 7 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
  3. Pour in the broth and add the whole chicken breasts and the salt. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook gently for 15 to 18 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part.
  4. Move the chicken to a cutting board and shred it with two forks.
  5. Add the beans to the pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Mash about a quarter of the beans against the side of the pot to thicken the broth.
  6. Return the chicken, stir in the spinach until wilted, then turn off the heat and add the lemon juice. Season with pepper and more salt to taste.

Notes

  • Keeps 4 days in the fridge and freezes well for 3 months (freeze before adding the lemon juice for the brightest flavor).
  • A spoon of grated Parmesan on top adds about 20 calories and 2 grams of protein.

Ratings and comments

Be the first to rate this recipe.

Your rating for Lemon Chicken Soup with White Beans

Ratings appear right away. Comments are read by our team before they are published. See our privacy policy.

    Questions people ask

    What makes this soup GLP-1 friendly?

    It is high in protein and fiber, low in fat and not greasy or heavily spiced, which matches the general eating advice for people on GLP-1 medications. Smaller bowls still deliver a meaningful amount of protein.

    Can I use rotisserie chicken?

    Yes. Skip the poaching step and stir in 4 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken with the beans. Rotisserie chicken is saltier, so taste before adding salt.

    More recipes like this