High Protein Split Pea Soup with Chicken
This high protein split pea soup with chicken recipe is a hearty and satisfying lunch or dinner – and great for easy meal prep! This fantastic one-pot recipe couldn’t be simpler to make, and you have delicious, high protein meals you can enjoy throughout the week.
This delicious high protein soup has all of the flavor of classic split pea, but made with tender, delicious, smoky chicken breast. See our step-by-step photos or watch our video in the post below, and make this recipe along with us today.
Want more high protein soup recipes? Try our sausage and bean Swiss chard soup, our favorite turkey bean soup, or our chicken paprika soup recipe.
Every fall, we love soup season and always make a batch of our classic split pea soup. This time, we made it higher in protein by adding in delicious, smoky chicken breasts, so you get a delicious, hearty bite of chicken in each spoonful. This delicious, high protein soup makes a fantastic filling lunch idea or a cozy dinner served with a slice of our cilantro cornbread.
Start by browning your chicken and adding in delicious, flavorful spices, then sautéing, then simmering vegetables and dried split peas until you have a delicious soup ready in less than an hour. It’s a great, inexpensive recipe that has tons of flavor in each bite. No boring lunches here!
Why This Recipe Works
- This soup is thick, filling, satisfying, hearty, and so delicious.
- It has all the flavor of classic split pea soup, but made higher in protein with diced chicken breast.
- The soup cooks in one pot, so you only have one dish to clean afterwards (heck yeah!)
- It’s a great high protein meal prep recipe for lunch or dinner.
- Cooks of any skill level can make this soup by following along with our step-by-step photos or watching the video below.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!
The base of this recipe is dried split peas, which are cheap and inexpensive and you can find in almost any grocery store. Dried split peas are high in protein on their own and cook quickly in less than an hour.
We also add chicken breast, which is browned in a soup pot and tossed with smoked paprika to give it a delicious smoky flavor, similar to how ham is added in traditional split pea soups. The lean chicken breast adds good protein to the soup as well as a wonderful texture.
The soup also has garlic, onion, and carrots as vegetables (sauteed in a bit of olive oil) and is cooked in chicken broth. The soup is seasoned simply with salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaves, which add a fantastic flavor.
Additions and Substitutions
Traditional split pea soups sometimes have diced potatoes or barley added. I omitted them from this version to keep it higher in protein and lower in carbohydrates, but feel free to add them in if you desire.
Instead of smoked paprika, to add a smoky flavor to the soup, you could also add 1/2 teaspoon of ground chipotle pepper or a few drops of liquid smoke if you have some on hand.
How To Make This Recipe
Step 1: In a large pot, add the olive oil, onions, and cubed chicken to the pot, and toss in the smoked paprika with the chicken. Cook on medium heat for 6-8 minutes until the chicken has begun to brown.
Step 2: Stir the carrots and celery and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until the vegetables have softened.
Step 3: Add in the split peas, and pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
Step 4: Stir in the thyme salt, and pepper and mix well to combine.
Step 5: Add the bay leaves to the pot. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and allow the soup to cook for 30 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender and the split peas are cooked.
Step 6: Remove the bay leaves and discard them. Taste, and adjust seasoning (adding more salt or pepper as desired). Serve hot and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Our high protein split pea soup is made with cooked chicken breast coated in smoky paprika for a delicious flavor. This recipe also has plenty of vegetables like dried split peas, carrots, onion, celery, and garlic. It’s simmered in a chicken broth with a few spices added for seasoning.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Yes, this soup freezes well when stored in an airtight container. You can store individual portions in their own containers or freeze the whole batch together.
Serving Suggestions
This soup is great with crackers, croutons, or some crispy air fryer chickpeas on top.
You can serve it on its own or with a thick piece of cilantro cornbread or Big Green Egg naan flatbread.
Expert Tips
- Season to taste. If you feel you need more salt or pepper, please feel free to add it in at the end of the recipe.
More Easy High protein soup Recipes
- Turkey Farro Soup Recipe
- Chicken Noodle Soup with Spaghetti Squash Recipe
- 30-Minute Frozen Cheese Tortellini Soup Recipe
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Coconut Milk Recipe
- Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe
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Our book One Ingredient, Five Ways showcases new easy & impressive recipes for all 4 seasons.
High Protein Split Pea Soup with Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus extra for drizzling
- 1.5 lbs chicken breast diced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 lb split peas dried
- 4 carrots diced
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 sweet onion diced
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon each Sea Salt and Black Pepper
Method
- In a large pot, add the olive oil and cubed chicken to the pot, and toss in the smoked paprika with the chicken. Cook on medium heat for 6-8 minutes until the chicken has begun to brown.
- Stir the garlic. Add in the onion, carrots, and celery and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until the vegetables have softened.
- Add in the split peas, and pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
- Stir in the thyme salt, and pepper and mix well to combine.
- Add the bay leaves to the pot. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and allow the soup to cook for 30 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender and the split peas are cooked.
- Remove the bay leaves and discard them. Taste, and adjust seasoning (adding more salt or pepper as desired). Serve hot and enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
- Season to taste. If you feel you need more salt or pepper, please feel free to add it in at the end of the recipe.
Private Notes
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