COURSE:
British, Lunch, Main Course, Recipe Page, Recipes, Soup
Lemon Pepper Chicken Noodle Soup
Fresh, zesty and wonderfully soothing, this Lemon Pepper Chicken Noodle Soup is a bright twist on a timeless classic. Combining tender shredded chicken, light egg noodles, and a fragrant lemon-pepper broth, it’s the kind of nourishing dish that brings comfort with every spoonful – whether you’re feeling under the weather or simply craving something wholesome.
The sharpness of lemon cuts through the richness of the broth, while cracked black pepper adds a gentle heat that builds warmth without overpowering the dish. Balanced with carrots, celery, and herbs, it delivers both freshness and depth, making it perfect for light lunches or satisfying suppers. It’s a dish that feels restorative and refreshing, without being heavy.
One of the standout features of this recipe is its versatility. You can easily adjust the seasoning, use different noodles, or add in extra greens like spinach or kale for added nutrients. It also works brilliantly with leftover roast chicken, helping you make the most of what you already have.
With the Instant Pot, this soup comes together in a fraction of the time it would take on the hob – no long simmering required. You’ll have a flavourful, aromatic broth and perfectly cooked noodles in under 30 minutes, with minimal effort and hardly any washing up.
Whether served with warm bread, a sprinkle of fresh herbs, or enjoyed simply on its own, this Lemon Pepper Chicken Noodle Soup is a bowl of comfort with a citrusy twist – light, bright and endlessly slurpable. It’s sure to become a regular in your seasonal soup rotation.
Lemon Pepper Chicken Noodle Soup
Prep Time:
5 minutes
Cook Time:
25 minutes
Servings:
6
Total Time:
30 minutes
Product:
Instant Pot Multi-Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 2 sticks celery
- 2 spring onions
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 lemon (zest and ¼ cup juice)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1.5 litres (6 cups) chicken stock
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
- 130 g pasta of choice (e.g. Mafalda)
- 4 eggs
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) double cream
- Olive oil, salt, and black pepper as needed
Instructions
- Finely dice the 1 onion, 2 sticks celery, and 2 spring onions. Press the sauté setting on the Instant Pot and set to medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil, then once hot, add the onion, celery, spring onions, and 1 bay leaf. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until soft and translucent.
- Finely grate the 2 cloves garlic and zest the 1 lemon. Add both to the pot and sauté for 2 minutes more until fragrant.
- Pour in 1.5 litres (6 cups) chicken stock, bring to a boil, then add the 4 chicken thighs.
- Press cancel to turn off sauté mode, secure the lid, and set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 5 minutes. Perform a quick release when finished.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to shred with two forks. Break the 130 g pasta roughly in half and add it directly to the hot broth. Secure the lid again, set to pressure cook for 0 minutes, then perform another quick release.
- While the pasta cooks, crack 4 eggs into a bowl. Add the ¼ cup lemon juice and whisk together. Stir in the 80 ml (⅓ cup) double cream. Slowly ladle in about 500 ml (2 cups) of the hot soup broth while whisking constantly to temper the egg mixture.
- Cancel pressure mode, then switch the Instant Pot to sauté on the lowest setting. Slowly pour the tempered egg mixture back into the pot, stirring continuously, until the soup thickens and becomes silky. Return the shredded chicken to the soup, add the sliced spring onions and stir through.
- Taste and adjust with salt and black pepper. Serve hot with extra lemon zest or sliced spring onions if desired.
Notes
Chicken thighs are used here because they’re more forgiving, staying juicy and tender while shredding easily. If you prefer to use chicken breasts, reduce the pressure cooking time: 2 minutes for smaller breasts, 3 minutes for larger ones.
Lemon Pepper Chicken Noodle Soup
COURSE:
British, Lunch, Main Course, Recipe Page, Recipes, Soup
Prep Time:
5 minutes
Cook Time:
25 minutes
Servings:
6
Total Time:
30 minutes
Product:
Instant Pot Multi-Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 2 sticks celery
- 2 spring onions
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 lemon (zest and ¼ cup juice)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1.5 litres (6 cups) chicken stock
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
- 130 g pasta of choice (e.g. Mafalda)
- 4 eggs
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) double cream
- Olive oil, salt, and black pepper as needed
Instructions
- Finely dice the 1 onion, 2 sticks celery, and 2 spring onions. Press the sauté setting on the Instant Pot and set to medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil, then once hot, add the onion, celery, spring onions, and 1 bay leaf. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until soft and translucent.
- Finely grate the 2 cloves garlic and zest the 1 lemon. Add both to the pot and sauté for 2 minutes more until fragrant.
- Pour in 1.5 litres (6 cups) chicken stock, bring to a boil, then add the 4 chicken thighs.
- Press cancel to turn off sauté mode, secure the lid, and set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 5 minutes. Perform a quick release when finished.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to shred with two forks. Break the 130 g pasta roughly in half and add it directly to the hot broth. Secure the lid again, set to pressure cook for 0 minutes, then perform another quick release.
- While the pasta cooks, crack 4 eggs into a bowl. Add the ¼ cup lemon juice and whisk together. Stir in the 80 ml (⅓ cup) double cream. Slowly ladle in about 500 ml (2 cups) of the hot soup broth while whisking constantly to temper the egg mixture.
- Cancel pressure mode, then switch the Instant Pot to sauté on the lowest setting. Slowly pour the tempered egg mixture back into the pot, stirring continuously, until the soup thickens and becomes silky. Return the shredded chicken to the soup, add the sliced spring onions and stir through.
- Taste and adjust with salt and black pepper. Serve hot with extra lemon zest or sliced spring onions if desired.
Notes
Chicken thighs are used here because they’re more forgiving, staying juicy and tender while shredding easily. If you prefer to use chicken breasts, reduce the pressure cooking time: 2 minutes for smaller breasts, 3 minutes for larger ones.
Lemon Pepper Chicken Noodle Soup
Fresh, zesty and wonderfully soothing, this Lemon Pepper Chicken Noodle Soup is a bright twist on a timeless classic. Combining tender shredded chicken, light egg noodles, and a fragrant lemon-pepper broth, it’s the kind of nourishing dish that brings comfort with every spoonful – whether you’re feeling under the weather or simply craving something wholesome.
The sharpness of lemon cuts through the richness of the broth, while cracked black pepper adds a gentle heat that builds warmth without overpowering the dish. Balanced with carrots, celery, and herbs, it delivers both freshness and depth, making it perfect for light lunches or satisfying suppers. It’s a dish that feels restorative and refreshing, without being heavy.
One of the standout features of this recipe is its versatility. You can easily adjust the seasoning, use different noodles, or add in extra greens like spinach or kale for added nutrients. It also works brilliantly with leftover roast chicken, helping you make the most of what you already have.
With the Instant Pot, this soup comes together in a fraction of the time it would take on the hob – no long simmering required. You’ll have a flavourful, aromatic broth and perfectly cooked noodles in under 30 minutes, with minimal effort and hardly any washing up.
Whether served with warm bread, a sprinkle of fresh herbs, or enjoyed simply on its own, this Lemon Pepper Chicken Noodle Soup is a bowl of comfort with a citrusy twist – light, bright and endlessly slurpable. It’s sure to become a regular in your seasonal soup rotation.
