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A bowl of chicken soup with farro, shredded chicken, carrots, and celery, served with a spoon. Oyster crackers and parsley are scattered on the white surface nearby.
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4.46 from 31 votes

Chicken Farro Soup

Chicken farro soup swaps in chewy, hearty farro instead of traditional noodles, with delicious results! This chicken soup recipe is an easy, healthy, and filling weeknight meal.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Soups and Stews
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Author: Rachel Gurk

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup diced onion (1 medium onion)
  • 1 cup diced carrots (2 large carrots)
  • 1 cup diced celery (3 stalks celery)
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (more if you like!)
  • 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (see note)
  • 2 cups water, or additional broth
  • 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3 breasts)
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup farro, rinsed

Instructions

  • Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add onion, carrots, and celery and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook while stirring, for one more minute.
    1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 cup diced onion, 1 cup diced carrots, 1 cup diced celery, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper, 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Add broth, water, chicken, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and farro. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
    4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, 2 cups water, or additional broth, 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 tablespoon dried parsley, ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves, 1 bay leaf, 1 cup farro, rinsed
  • Reduce heat to low to maintain a simmer and cover and cook for 30 minutes or until farro is tender and chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally.
  • Remove bay leaf from soup. Remove chicken from the soup pan, and shred or dice, and then return it to the soup.
  • Taste the soup, and add salt and pepper as desired. If the soup is too thick for your liking, stir in extra water or broth. Serve hot.

Video

Notes

  • Chicken broth: We tested this recipe with reduced-sodium chicken broth and found that the soup needed a little more salt than is called for in the recipe. It’s important to taste the soup near the end of the cooking time, and season as desired, since chicken broth contains varying amounts of salt. 
  • Storage: Refrigerate leftover soup in a covered container for up to 3 days. The soup will thicken as it sits or when it is stored because the farro continues to absorb liquid. Add more water or broth as desired. Chicken farro soup freezes well, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium heat.
  • Get a head start: To save last minute prep time, dice the onions, carrots, and celery in the morning or even the night before. Put them in a covered container and refrigerate. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1.75cups | Calories: 317kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 411mg | Potassium: 814mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3693IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 2mg

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