Greek Chicken Pearl Couscous Soup (Printable)

Hearty Greek-style soup with tender chicken, pearl couscous, and zesty lemon. Topped with crumbled feta for a satisfying Mediterranean meal.

# What You Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 12 oz), cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Broth & Grains

06 - 6 cups chicken stock, preferably low-sodium
07 - 3/4 cup pearl couscous

→ Flavorings & Seasonings

08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 1 bay leaf
10 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
11 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

13 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
15 - Lemon wedges for serving

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables soften.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add chicken pieces and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just opaque.
04 - Pour in chicken stock, add bay leaf and oregano. Bring to a gentle boil.
05 - Stir in pearl couscous. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15-18 minutes until couscous is tender and chicken is cooked through.
06 - Remove from heat and discard bay leaf. Stir in lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top each serving with crumbled feta and fresh dill. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, making weeknight dinners feel effortless and intentional.
  • The lemon keeps everything tasting bright instead of heavy, which is rare in a soup this satisfying.
  • Pearl couscous absorbs all the broth flavors, so every spoonful tastes like it was made just for you.
02 -
  • If your broth is too salty to begin with, the soup becomes unbalanced no matter how much lemon you add; always taste your stock before using it.
  • Pearl couscous needs the full simmer time to become tender, so resist the urge to rush it or you'll end up with crunchy grains.
  • Add the lemon juice at the very end, after removing from heat; if you cook it too long, the brightness fades and the soup tastes one-dimensional.
03 -
  • Zest your lemon before you juice it; once juiced, there's no way to get the zest, and the zest is where so much of the brightness lives.
  • Keep a spoon nearby while cooking and taste as you go; the moment you add lemon juice, you'll know if your soup needs more seasoning, and you can adjust before serving.
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