Golden Turmeric Chicken Soup (Printable)

Golden, fragrant chicken soup with turmeric and aromatic spices. Ready in 50 minutes for a comforting, nourishing meal.

# What You Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 1.1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 medium carrots, sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated
07 - 1 cup baby spinach or kale leaves

→ Broth & Liquids

08 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
10 - Juice of 1 lemon

→ Spices & Seasonings

11 - 1.5 teaspoons ground turmeric
12 - 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin
13 - 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
14 - 0.5 teaspoon sea salt
15 - 0.25 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

→ Herbs

16 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery, sautéing for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Add garlic and ginger, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in turmeric, cumin, black pepper, and salt. Cook for 30 seconds to release spice flavors.
04 - Add chicken pieces and sauté for 2-3 minutes until just opaque.
05 - Pour in chicken broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
06 - Add spinach or kale and simmer for 5 more minutes until wilted and chicken is fully cooked.
07 - Stir in lemon juice and adjust seasoning to taste.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like comfort wrapped in warmth, the kind of dish that makes your whole kitchen smell like healing.
  • Ready in under an hour but feels like you've been simmering it all day.
  • Works as a light lunch or a nourishing dinner, and it's naturally gluten-free without any fussing.
02 -
  • Never skip blooming the spices—30 seconds in hot oil makes the difference between a spice-forward soup and one that tastes like you threw turmeric in cold broth.
  • The lemon juice at the end isn't optional; it's what prevents the soup from tasting heavy and one-dimensional, no matter how good everything else is.
  • If your broth is already salty, go easy on the sea salt added during cooking—you can always taste and add more, but you can't take it out.
03 -
  • Buy ginger in bulk and freeze what you don't use—it grates like a dream straight from the freezer and actually stays fresher longer.
  • Taste the broth before you start cooking and adjust your salt based on how salty it already is; this prevents the soup from being oversalted.
  • Use chicken thighs instead of breasts if you have the choice—they're more forgiving and stay moist even if you forget about the pot for a few extra minutes.
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