Lemon Chicken Couscous Soup (Print-Friendly Version)

Zesty lemon, shredded chicken, and fluffy couscous come together in a nourishing bowl rounded with fresh dill.

# Ingredients:

→ For the homemade stock

01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
02 - 1 small bunch fresh parsley
03 - Water, enough to cover chicken
04 - Salt to taste

→ For the soup

05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
06 - 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
07 - 4 celery ribs with leaves, trimmed and diced
08 - Cancale seasoning salt, to taste (or garlic pepper, lemon pepper, herbes de Provence, or preferred seasoning salt)
09 - 1 cup pearl couscous
10 - ⅓ cup fresh dill, roughly chopped, plus extra for garnish
11 - 1 lemon, juiced
12 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ For serving

13 - Dukkah, oyster crackers, or saltines
14 - Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
15 - Additional fresh dill, for garnish

# Steps:

01 - Arrange chicken thighs in a large pot. Season generously with salt and layer parsley sprigs on top. Pour in enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2 hours.
02 - Remove lid and use tongs to transfer chicken to a bowl. Strain the broth through a sieve into a large bowl, discarding parsley. Wipe out the pot and return to stove. Remove chicken skin and bones, shred meat into bite-sized pieces, and add meat back to the strained broth.
03 - Heat olive oil in the empty pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and celery, cooking for about 5 minutes until softened. Season with Cancale or preferred seasoning salt and mix to combine.
04 - Stir in pearl couscous and cook for 2 minutes, allowing it to toast lightly with the vegetables and oil.
05 - Return the prepared stock and shredded chicken to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, or until the couscous is tender. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
06 - Stir in chopped fresh dill and lemon juice. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes, allowing flavors to meld.
07 - Ladle hot soup into bowls. Garnish with dukkah or crackers, extra fresh dill, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil before serving.

# Notes & Tips:

01 - For a brighter flavor, add the lemon juice just before serving. Use a fine-mesh sieve to ensure a clear, refined broth.

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