This Hearty Chicken Red Lentil Soup has become a regular in our kitchen - a healthy and satisfying one-bowl meal that's full of flavor without feeling heavy. Inspired by a New York Times recipe, I've adapted the dish to add more vegetables and vibrant flavors, including a touch of miso for umami, fresh ginger for lift, and warm spices for subtle complexity.
Adding spinach along with carrot and parsnip makes this a complete meal, while dialing back the lemon keeps the flavors balanced - and makes it especially well suited for pairing with rosé and light red wines.
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Why This Chicken Red Lentil Soup Recipe Works
As I mentioned, a New York Times Cooking recipe was my starting point in developing this hearty chicken red lentil soup. Their version came out OK, but to my taste, the base soup was a bit bland, relying heavily on a very lemony yogurt to bring flavor. The lemon was more than I wanted, and not especially wine friendly.
But the basic concept of simmering chicken thighs and lentils together for a simple, healthy one-pot meal really appealed to me. So I set out to build a version with more lively flavors. Here are a few key elements that make this soup a winner:
More vegetables for a fuller base
Adding carrot and parsnip gives the soup more substance and a bit of natural sweetness that works well with the lentils and chicken. Plus, I had a lot of parsnips on hand from the local food share! A couple handfuls of spinach stirred in at the end round things out and make this a complete one-bowl meal.
Ginger and miso for a flavor boost
Fresh ginger brings a noticeable lift to the soup, while a small amount of miso adds umami and a subtle savory note. Y
Dried spices that build interest
A mix of warm spices, along with the Maras biber, adds gentle heat and complexity. These aren't dominant flavors, but they keep the soup from falling flat and make each spoonful more interesting.
A more restrained approach to lemon
Rather than leaning heavily on the lemony yogurt to bring flavor, I prefer to keep the lemon in check. I like to serve the lemon yogurt mixture on the side, and pass it at the table for people to take the amount that they want. This keeps the focus on the soup itself and also makes it easier to pair with wine.
Ingredients for Chicken Red Lentil Soup
Here are some notes on the primary ingredients in this soup.
Red lentils cook quickly and break down as they simmer, helping give the soup its body and are nutrient dense. They're a good choice here for a one-pot meal that comes together relatively quickly.
Chicken thighs I like using chicken thighs for this soup, as they stay tender during simmering and add more flavor than chicken breast. They help bring the heartiness to the soup that I find satisfying.
Ginger and miso Fresh ginger adds a noticeable lift, while a small amount of miso brings umami to the broth. The miso isn't prominent, but helps round out the flavor. I did use ½ teaspoon of dried ginger once when I didn’t have fresh ginger on hand. This is an OK substitute, but I encourage you to use fresh ginger if possible.
Maras biber (or Aleppo-style pepper) I used Maras biber, a Turkish red pepper with mild heat and a slightly fruity, almost smoky character. It adds warmth without making the soup spicy. If you don't have it, Aleppo pepper is a good substitute; otherwise, use a small pinch of red pepper flakes or mild paprika, adjusting to taste.
Spinach and root vegetables Carrot and parsnip add a bit of natural sweetness, while spinach stirred in at the end makes this a complete one-bowl meal. I chose to use parsnip because I had a lot on hand; you could use two carrots instead. I have used both baby spinach and chopped large spinach leaves, with good results.
Key Steps for Making Our Chicken Red Lentil Soup
Below please find a visual overview of some of thekey steps for making our Chicken and Red Lentil Soup. Head down to the recipe card for all the details!
Approach: I consider this a prep as you go recipe. You get the onions chopped, and start them sautéing with the olive oil, then chop the carrots and parsnips. You proceed with the early steps until you have the chicken and lentils simmering. That gives you plenty of time to prep the lemony yogurt and get the miso mixture ready. This makes for an efficient meal making process.
OK, let’s take a look at some of the chicken and lentil soup making steps.
Add the dried spices (turmeric, cumin and Biber pepper) to combine with the sautéing onions, carrots and parnsips.
You stir it together to let those spices bloom, releasing a nice fragrance into your kitchen.
After the spices have been added, you are ready to stir in the chicken and lentils, followed by the garlic and fresh ginger.
Add the liquid to the pot, stirring so that the chicken, red lentils and veggies get well-combined.
Lower the heat to medium low, and simmer partially covered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can make the lemon yogurt and prep the miso mixture during this time.
The soup simmers for about 30 minutes until the lentils have gotten very soft and the chicken is cooked through, as shown below.
When the chicken has cooked through, remove it to a platter using tongs or a slotted spoon.
Use two forks to shred the cooked chicken thighs.
Add the shredded chicken thighs back to the soup pot along with the miso mixture.
Next, stir in the spinach.
Let the soup simmer another 5 minutes so that the spinach wilts and the flavor combines. Now you are ready to enjoy the Hearty Chicken and Red Lentil with Spinach!
Serving notes: If you have some high quality extra virgin olive oil, you can add a tablespoon at the end of cooking to deepen the flavors. We have become big fans of Titin Evoo from Spain (Amazon affiliate link provided). Learn more about their family business and what makes great olive oil in this Cooking Chat podcast episode with the company founder.
Wine pairings
This hearty chicken red lentil soup turned out to be a great match for lighter-style wines. With the lentils, warm spices, and savory elements from the miso, I found that fresh, lower-tannin wines worked best - especially when the lemon is kept in check. At the same time, the soup has enough body and flavor that it benefits from a wine with some substance. I found two clear winners.
Beaujolais (Gamay)
I’ve made this chicken and red lentil soup several times, and was excited to try a Beaujolais I had on hand with it. As I suspected, it was a great pairing for the soup!
I opened the 2018 Domaine de Gry-Sablon Juliénas La Petite Cabane (13.5% ABV) The wine has an earthy nose, with notes of boysenberry and leather. On the palate, I found cherry fruit along with a touch of white pepper. It has a light mouthfeel, with layers of flavor that linger nicely.
The wine was excellent with the stew! Its light body, bright acidity, and peppery notes complemented the lentils and spices, while the fruit kept the pairing from feeling too heavy.
This particular bottle could be a bit hard to find. The local wine shop (Berman’s in Lexington) had a business partner looking to clear out their cellar, and had a number of older wines such as this for sale at some very good prices.
In general, I'd suggest trying a Cru Beaujolais with this soup, rather than a basic Beaujolais or Beaujolais Nouveau. I'd expect Pinot Noir and other light reds could work here as well. Frappato is a Sicilian red I plan to try one of these days, and I suspect it would be a better match than the Nerello Mascalese I tried initially.
I wasn't very familiar with Juliénas before trying this bottle, but it's one of the northern Beaujolais crus, generally known for producing wines with a bit more structure and spice than the lighter styles from the south, along with some aging potential. That tracks with my experience here - this bottle was a bit older than I typically open from the region, and it showed nicely.
If you'd like to learn more about why Beaujolais is such a versatile, food-friendly red, I've shared more details here.
Rosé of Sangiovese (Full-Bodied Style)
One of the more successful pairings I tested with this chicken and lentil soup was a dry rosé-the 2024 AVIVO Rosé ($24, 13.3% ABV) made from 100% organic Sangiovese from Lodi, that I featured at a recent "green wine" dinner.
Going into that dinner, I had initially pegged the rosé for a lighter course. But based on a conversation with AVIVO founder Ridgely Evers, I took a different approach. He emphasized that this wasn't a simple, poolside rosé, but a wine with enough depth and structure to handle more substantial food.
That advice proved to be spot on. The wine's dry profile and bright acidity helped cut through the richness of the chicken thighs, while its fresh strawberry fruit taste profile added a nice lift to the earthy lentils and savory broth. There's also a layered quality to the wine that allows it to keep up with the stew's mix of flavors, from the umami notes of miso to the ginger and dried spices.
It's a great reminder that rosé isn't just for summer sipping. A well-made, structured rosé can be a versatile partner for dishes like this-especially when you want something refreshing that still holds its own alongside a hearty meal.
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Hearty Chicken Red Lentil Soup with Spinach
This hearty chicken red lentil soup with spinach is a satisfying one-bowl meal, featuring vibrant flavors from ginger, warm spices, and a touch of miso. Serve with lemony yogurt.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins
- Total Time: 60 mins
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: braising
Ingredients
Base ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 parsnip, chopped (optional, see notes)
- 1 teaspoon Biber or Aleppo pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 ½ cup red lentils
- 4 to 5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1.5 lbs)
- 1 ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- salt and pepper to taste
Finishing touches
- 2 handfuls spinach (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon miso paste
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Build the base: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, cook for abot 10 minutes until softened and starting to brown. The add the carrots and parsnip, and cook a few more minutes. Add the dried spices – cumin, Aleppo pepper and turmeric – cook for a few minutes until the spices become fragrant.
- Add chicken and lentils to the pot, stirring to coat well with the spices. Then add the garlic and ginger, cook another minute or two.
- Stir in the liquid: Add the chicken stock and water to the pot, stirring to combine well.
- Simmer the soup: Lower the heat to medium low, and simmer with the pot partially covered for 25 to 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Prep the yogurt: As the chicken lentil soup simmers, prepare the lemon yogurt. In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, tablespoon lemon juice and parsley. Stir in a pinch of salt. Set aside, to serve the yogurt at the table.
- Prep the miso: Toward the end of the simmer time, scoop out about a ½ cup of the soup broth and pour into a small bowl. Add the miso to the liquid, and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Finish the stew: When the chicken is cooked through, use tongs or a strainer spoon to remove the chicken thigh pieces to a platter. Use two forks to shred the chicken. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot, along with the spinach and miso mixture. Stir to combine well, and add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer about 5 minutes, until the spinach has wilted. If you have some high quality extra virgin olive oil, you can add a tablespoon at the end of cooking to deepen the flavors.
- Serve and enjoy: Scoop the soup into bowls, and pass the lemon yogurt at the table and people can take the desired amount to top their soup. Enjoy!
Notes
- Parsnips and carrots: I had several local parsnips on hand, so used 1 parsnip and 1 carrot. You could use 2 carrots and skip the parsnip, if that’s what you have available.
- Spinach: We have used large spinach leaves, finely chopped, and another time, baby spinach. Both work well.
- Pepper notes: I used Maras biber, a Turkish pepper that adds mild, fruity warmth. Aleppo pepper is a good substitute; if you don't have either, use a small pinch of red pepper flakes or mild paprika to taste.
- Option for non soup fans: should you happen to have a child or other family member that doesn’t like the consistency of soup, you can put one of the chicken thighs aside for them to eat separately if they don’t want the soup.
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