Introduction
I am currently sitting at my desk, scraping the very last drops of lemon chicken soup from my bowl, and I am not ashamed to tell you that my soul is entirely at peace. There is food that feeds your body, and then there is food that makes you pause, take a deep breath, and whisper, be still, my soul.
This soup is the latter. But it didn’t just appear in my kitchen by magic, and it certainly didn’t come out of a fancy gourmet magazine. This bowl of comfort has a story—and like most good things in my home, it started with a little bit of resourcefulness, a lot of love, and a very specific journey.
The Story of the Chicken
It all started with a beautiful sight at my Publix: Greenwise Whole Chicken on sale. A good sale is always a win, but a sale when you already have a plan in mind? That is a kitchen victory.
I brought it home and got right to work, cooking it up the very next day. I had a vision for that Lemon Chicken and for the past week, it has been the quiet anchor of our meals.
The Thursday Prep
Okay, I had a 5.6 lb Greenwise Chicken in the fridge, waiting for the slow cooker. I also snagged Inspiration Potatoes (they are the baby potatoes) on sale, a bag of baby cut carrots, and a good-size onion. And a bag of Greenwise Lemons.
First, I laid the baby potatoes, baby carrots, and onion cut into wedges in the slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and whatever else you like on your vegetables. Just be aware your whole pot will have a lemon flavor.
And then I rinsed my whole chicken, patted it dry with paper towels, and set it on top of the vegetables. I used my oval 7 qt slow cooker. I put the bird on its back and tucked the wings behind it. To top it off I sprinkled the bird with sea salt, garlic powder, and rosemary.
Finally, wash your lemons. I used one and a half, because I had the half in the fridge. Dry your lemons and then slice them into 1/8 to 1/4 inch rounds. Lastly, lay the lemons on top of the chicken.
Put the lid on and start the slow cooker. Low is good for 4 to 6 hours. As the cooker heats up and steam begins working it will steam the oils out of the lemon slices.
This Lemon Chicken is super simple and so much better than store bought!
Unpacking the Slow Cooker
I don’t think I checked the temp of this chicken once. I took a look at it every hour or 90 minutes, and at 5 1/2 hours it was looking done. And it was well cooked. My slow cooker will cook for the amount of time you tell it to and then switch to warm. So, at the 6-hour mark I turned the whole thing off and let it sit there 45 to 60 minutes, just to start cooling down.
I set my workspace up. A sheet pan, slotted spoon, a quart jar for broth, and 2 containers – one for chicken, the other for vegetables. I used a larger container for vegetables and a second smaller container for chicken. And disposable gloves. I brought the slow cooker liner over to my workspace and put on my gloves.
First the chicken. It was still hot! Use the slotted spoon! I moved the chicken to the sheet pan where I separated the meat from the bones and skin. The bones and skin can be used to make broth, so hang on to them for now. I was able to remove both breasts as a whole piece; this was exciting because my husband likes the white meat best.
Next, I spooned all the vegetables into their container. Use the slotted spoon here also. We just want the vegetables.
Wrapping Up
Now I am left with the broth. The slow cooker liner has cooled a bit but is still very warm. So, I set my quart jar on the sheet pan. Taking off my gloves, I picked up the liner using hot pads to protect my hands and poured the broth into the jar.
Finally, I used a soapy cloth to wipe the outside of each container, and the jar. Because working with chicken is always messy, even with gloves. I set each container on a hot pad with plenty of air flow to cool off a bit more. Lastly, I set all 3 containers in the fridge for the night.
One Lemon Chicken, Many Meals
We started with a standard Roast Chicken & vegetables meal. The microwave is really good for reheating. Then we moved on the delicious Creamed Chicken. And chicken on toast topped with melted cheese. I used the fat that rose to the surface of my jar of broth to make gravy. And then i used the broth itself as the liquid for my gravy. Only the broth wasn’t liquid, it was gelled. And a golden lemon color.
The Grand Finale: Lemon Chicken Soup
Oh my! This soup was the best I have ever made. And I’ve made some good soups.
Take your leftover vegetables and cut them into bite- sized pieces. Do the same with the leftover chicken, if you like. Put the chicken and veggies in a pot and top it with the last of your chicken broth/gel. I had a pint left. Turn the heat on and stir until the broth is liquid. At this point I added about a 1/3 cup of vegetable water. I could have added more. But my husband likes a tight soup, so I didn’t want too much liquid. You make your soup as you like it.
To read about my unique, but old-fashioned way of meal planning see my post about it.