Ive been eating a lot of garbage lately so to get back on track I decided to make this Detox Chicken and Quinoa Soup with Spinach and Lemon Recipe. I loaded it up with some delicious root vegetables, baby spinach, lemon, dill, oregano, and of course some Bobs Red Mill quinoa! I always say it, but soup is hands down my favorite thing to make. Its fun to make and it is just so therapeutic to eat. There is nothing, I mean nothing, more comforting than a delicious bowl of hot soup, and let me tell you this Detox Chicken and Quinoa Soup with Spinach and Lemon Recipe hits the spot!

For some reason nice weather is just lingering around here, and not that Im complaining because before I know it there will be two feet of snow on the ground here in Chicago. While its not the perfect weather, its around 78F right now, this Detox Chicken and Quinoa Soup with Spinach and Lemon is still delicious and perfect no matter what. There are several times throughout the year, and most often after holidays, I seem to try and detox my body with whole natural foods. Whether it be juicing or eating detox soup, it feels necessary, so with that in mind, why not make things as flavorful as possible?

I was just talking to someone the other day about how it would be so hard to be in the restaurant industry these days with all the diet restrictions. We literally avoided any alternate menus back 20 years ago because it really wasnt a thing. Not that people didnt have gluten intolerance or the necessity for vegan dishes, it just wasnt as well-known with the lack of information. As medicine has gotten better over the last 20 years, things are coming to the light and the benefits of being dairy free or gluten free are staggering and are really becoming popular. Just like some of the diets, quinoa wasnt really a thing back when I was in the business. The craziest thing we were cooking with was
Israeli couscous, which in the end aint that crazy, and is a pasta to boot.

With all of the available grains nowadays the restaurant, and homes, have dramatically changed, and thanks to Bobs Red Mill its only getting better. I love working with Bobs Red Mill and I love all of their products. Not only are ever single thing they make to the highest quality and standard, I trust them. I got a chance to meet Bob back in the summer, and he just loves everything about whole grains and stands by its biblical background. Gotta love that!

I cooked the quinoa separately and added it to the soup once it was finished. I typically do this when making soup that has any grains or noodles in it. One, the grains or noodles stay fresh and crisp. There is nothing worse than a noodle soup or grain soup that is mushy because everything is overcooked. The beginning processes of making soup are hot with stock and vegetables simmering at high heats, which can make grains break down faster, and when the pot is warm all day on the stove for grazing youre going to have mush. I used to like to caramelize all of the vegetables when making soup, but nowadays I want veggies to be crisp and taste as they should in their natural state. My time of overcooking and caramelizing vegetables in soups are over because honestly everything starts to taste the same after a while. While I like caramelized vegetables by themselves, I've moved away from it when making soups. However, if you love that roasted flavor, then by all means, please do it!

I finished off the soup before serving it by adding in some lemon juice and letting the squeezed out lemons infuse into the soup for even more flavor. I folded in the baby spinach, fresh dill, and a hint, seriously a hint, of fresh chopped oregano. This Detox Chicken and Quinoa Soup with Spinach and Lemon was an absolute hit with the family, and you better believe I'll be making it again sometime soon, just as soon as it turns a little colder.
P.S. This makes like two gallons of soup, just as an FYI.
Detox Chicken and Quinoa Soup with Spinach and Lemon Recipe
- 2 8-oz boneless skinless Chicken Breasts
- 2 tsp Olive Oil
- 2 Yellow Onions, peeled and small diced
- 4 cloves Garlic, finely minced
- 6 medium stalks Celery, diced
- 6 Carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 large Parsnip, peeled and medium diced
- 4 Russet Potatoes, peeled and medium diced
- 96 ozf Chicken Stock
- 6 cups cooked Bobs Red Mill Quinoa
- 6 cups packed baby Spinach
- Juice of 2 Lemons
- 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh Dill, minced
- 1 tsp fresh Oregano,minced
- Kosher Salt and fresh cracked Pepper to taste
Season the chicken on all sides with salt and pepper
Heat a large pot over medium-high heat with olive oil and sear the chicken on both sides until it is golden brown and cooked throughout.
Remove the chicken and finely chop it, and add it back to the pot along with the onions, garlic, celery, carrots, parsnips, and potatoes and cook over low heat for 6-8 minutes while stirring.
Add in the chicken stock and simmer over low heat until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.
Add in the cooked quinoa, spinach, lemon juice, dill, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Serve!
Hello, ImBilly Parisi, but to some Im known as Chef Billy Parisi. I do a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but for the most part Im aFood & Content Creator, Sometimes TV Host, Digital and Social Strategist, Influencer, Picture Taker, Coffee Drinker, Daddy, Husband, College Sports Enthusiast, Fashionisto, Film & MusicLover!
Ive been in the kitchen since I started washing dishes in a restaurant at the age of 13, and during that time I knew immediately that I wanted to be a chef. I graduated from Arizonas Scottsdale Culinary Institute and the University of Missouri, and have logged several years as line cook, souschef, and executive in some of the Midwests finest restaurants. I currently live in the city of Chicago with my wife Lindsay and daughter Olivia and cook up new inventions, mash-ups, fusions, and twists on old classics. Im incredibly spontaneous and outgoing, and run two small businesses BPMVC, and my latest venture, 5 Loaves 2 Fish!