Golden Turmeric Chicken Soup (Printer Version)

Fragrant golden soup with tender chicken, turmeric, and warming spices for ultimate comfort.

# What You'll 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 - 1½ teaspoons ground turmeric
12 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
13 - ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
14 - ½ teaspoon sea salt
15 - ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

→ Herbs

16 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Add minced garlic and grated ginger, cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in turmeric, cumin, black pepper, and salt. Cook for 30 seconds to release aromatic oils.
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 gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
06 - Add spinach or kale and simmer for 5 minutes until wilted and chicken is cooked through.
07 - Stir in lemon juice and adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like a warm hug tastes, if that makes sense—simple but deeply satisfying in a way that sticks with you.
  • You'll feel genuinely nourished instead of just full, which is its own kind of magic.
  • The whole thing comes together faster than you'd expect, making it perfect for those moments when you need something real but don't have hours to spend cooking.
02 -
  • Don't skip blooming the spices in the oil—it sounds like a small thing, but it's what separates a soup that tastes like it has turmeric in it from a soup that actually tastes like turmeric.
  • The lemon juice is what makes this soup actually memorable rather than just warming; add it at the very end so it stays bright and doesn't cook off into nothing.
03 -
  • Use fresh ginger and turmeric whenever possible—they're not interchangeable with their powdered versions, and you'll taste the difference in every spoonful.
  • If the soup tastes bitter instead of warm and earthy, your heat was too high when blooming the spices; start over with a new batch and go gentler this time.
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