Chicken and Spelt Soup with Greens

A hearty and nutritious soup featuring tender chicken, ancient grain spelt, and fresh seasonal greens including broccolini, kale, and green beans. Brightened with lemon zest and aromatic herbs, this warming soup is both wholesome and flavorful.

6 servings

1 hr 56 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•1 whole chicken
•1 whole carrot
•1 stalk celery
•1 whole yellow onion
•1 whole leek
•2 leaves bay leaves
•1 head garlic
•1 teaspoon black peppercorns
•2 liters water
•1 cup spelt
•2 stalks celery
•10½ ounces broccolini
•1 to taste sea salt and black pepper
•3½ ounces green beans
•1¾ ounces baby kale leaves
•1 tablespoon lemon zest
•1 handful baby lemon balm leaves
•to serve

Cooking Instructions

1.
Place the chicken, carrot, celery, onion, leek, bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns and water in a large pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover with a lid and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes.
90 min
2.
Strain the soup, reserving the stock and the whole chicken. Return the stock to a clean pot over high heat, add the spelt and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes or until tender. Shred the chicken, discarding the skin and bones.
20 min
3.
Add the extra celery, broccolini, salt and pepper to the pot and cook for 4 minutes. Add the green beans and shredded chicken and cook for 2 minutes or until the beans are tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the kale leaves and lemon zest. Divide the soup among bowls, top with the lemon balm and sprinkle with cracked black pepper to serve.
6 min

Ingredients

•1 whole chicken

•1 whole carrot

•1 stalk celery

•1 whole yellow onion

•1 whole leek

•2 leaves bay leaves

•1 head garlic

•1 teaspoon black peppercorns

•2 liters water

•1 cup spelt

•2 stalks celery

•10½ ounces broccolini

•1 to taste sea salt and black pepper

•3½ ounces green beans

•1¾ ounces baby kale leaves

•1 tablespoon lemon zest

•1 handful baby lemon balm leaves

•to serve

Cooking Instructions

Place the chicken, carrot, celery, onion, leek, bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns and water in a large pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover with a lid and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes.

90 min

Strain the soup, reserving the stock and the whole chicken. Return the stock to a clean pot over high heat, add the spelt and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes or until tender. Shred the chicken, discarding the skin and bones.

20 min

Add the extra celery, broccolini, salt and pepper to the pot and cook for 4 minutes. Add the green beans and shredded chicken and cook for 2 minutes or until the beans are tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the kale leaves and lemon zest. Divide the soup among bowls, top with the lemon balm and sprinkle with cracked black pepper to serve.

6 min