Simple Whole30 Chicken and Vegetable Soup with Lemon

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-05 · Updated 2026-04-05

A light, aromatic soup made with bone-in chicken thighs and vegetables, brightened with fresh lemon for a nourishing weeknight meal. This American-inspired slow-cooker recipe, ready in about 375 minutes, pairs chicken thighs, carrots, celery for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs, bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs
• 2 medium, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces carrots
• 2 stalks, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces celery
• 1 medium, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces zucchini
• 1/2 medium, finely diced yellow onion
• 2 cloves, minced garlic
• 1 sprig (leaves removed and chopped) fresh thyme
• 1, zested and juiced fresh lemon
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Pat the chicken thighs dry, then season with 1 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken thighs for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer to the slow cooker.
2. Step 2: Add 1/2 diced yellow onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 chopped carrots, 2 chopped celery stalks, and 1 chopped zucchini to the slow cooker.
3. Step 3: Stir in 1 chopped thyme sprig, the zest and juice of 1 lemon, then cover with 4 cups of water. Stir to combine.
4. Step 4: Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 3 hours until the chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.