Many years ago when I was sick, a friend sent me containers of delicious chicken soup from the New England Soup Factory. It was just what I needed on my road to recovery. Several years later the restaurant published its own cookbook and it’s become my go-to resource whenever I want to make soup.
This recipe is a modification of one of my favorite soups from this cookbook. The original recipe uses dried chickpeas and I use canned. I also replaced dried marjoram for dried oregano, primarily because this is what I have in my pantry. And finally I added rotisserie chicken to bump up the protein and make the soup a meal.
The nice thing about this soup is you can adjust based on what you have. I’ve added the odd parsnip or potato if I have it in my vegetable drawer. Sometimes I’ve used fresh cilantro or thyme. So have fun and modify this recipe to your taste and pantry.
On a cold winter’s day I like to make multiple soups. Some freeze very well, like carrot soup, and the others will last me through the week. It makes for a productive day and I don’t have to go outside into the cold.
PrintMediterranean Chicken, Chickpea, Lentil, and Rice Soup
- Total Time: 1 hour, 33 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
This hearty and comforting soup is inspired by a similar recipe in the New England Soup Factory Cookbook.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
3 ribs celery, sliced
3 large carrots, sliced into disks
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
I teaspoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves
8 cups low sodium chicken broth
4 cups water
1/3 cup dried lentils
1/3 cup basmati rice
3 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
Chopped fresh parsley and grated parmesan cheese to serve, optional
Instructions
In a large pot heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and crushed red pepper. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add celery, carrots, and garlic. Sauté for another 10 minutes – vegetables should be soft, not browned.
Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, bay leaves, stock, and water. Bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Add the lentils and rice. Cover and simmer for another 35 minutes. In the last 5 minutes add the chicken to warm through.
Remove the bay leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir well before serving. Top with parsley and parmesan cheese if desired.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour, 18 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Calories: 418.97
- Sugar: 11.74 g,
- Sodium: 982.25 mg.
- Fat: 17.19 g.
- Saturated Fat: 3.48 g/
- Carbohydrates: 34.06 g.
- Fiber: 7.75 g.
- Protein: 35.69 g.
- Cholesterol: 82.18 g.
Keywords: chickpeas, lentils, chicken, rice
Am making soup in my slow cooker. Made a couple changes (recipes are just a guideline) as I didn’t have a few of ingredients on the list. Using homemade tomato with celery, onions and peppers. Bone broth made from leftover Thanksgiving turkey bones. Light and dark turkey meat picked from turkey bones. So far, it’s tasting good. Will be better tomorrow.
I absolutely agree that most recipes are guidelines. This soup itself is a modification of another recipe. Enjoy!