High Protein Leek and Chicken Soup
- Janice Tracey
- 1 hour ago
- 6 min read
What Women Over 50 Really Need from Lunch
Why should you try this high protein leek and chicken soup? Many women over 50 default to a light lunch – a small soup, a salad, maybe a cracker or two on the side . It feels sensible (low calorie but healthy veggies), but all too often it leaves them hungry by mid‑afternoon, reaching for snacks, biscuits or another coffee just to keep going.
For women over 50 (and really most of us), lunch needs to do more. It needs to:
Provide enough protein to support muscle, joints and metabolic health
Contain fibre and slow‑release carbohydrates to steady blood sugar and energy
Include healthy fats for satiety and nutrient absorption
Actually feel satisfying, not something you eat while already thinking about your next snack
This is where a well‑designed soup can be a game changer.
This high protein leek and chicken soup is a twist on the classic vegetable soup
Scroll to the bottom for 2 fab recipes or read the next few paragraphs for WHY this soups is for you.
This leek and chicken soup is very much a nod to the traditional vegetable soup many of us grew up with – leeks, carrots, celery, garlic and herbs simmered gently in stock.
But I have very intentionally upgraded the classic.
By adding lentils, butter beans, chicken, spinach and a small amount of parmesan, it moves from being a "starter soup" to a proper, nourishing meal – one that supports energy, muscle and appetite control rather than undermining it.
It’s comforting, familiar and warming, but nutritionally far more robust than the classic version.
Where the Nutrition Comes From (and Why It Matters)
Protein for strength, metabolism and fullness
Protein needs increase as we age, yet many women over 50 are under‑consuming it – especially at lunch.
This soup delivers protein from several sources:
Chicken – highly bioavailable protein to support muscle maintenance and repair
Red lentils & butter beans – plant proteins that also bring fibre and minerals
Parmesan – a small amount adds both protein and calcium
The result is a lunch that genuinely satisfies, helping prevent that familiar 3–4pm energy dip.
Fibre for digestion, blood sugar and cholesterol
Leeks, lentils, butter beans, carrots, celery and spinach all contribute to the soup’s excellent fibre content.
This is especially relevant for women over 50 because fibre:
Supports digestive health and regularity
Helps blunt blood sugar spikes
Plays a role in cholesterol balance
Feeds beneficial gut bacteria
The combination of soluble and insoluble fibre here makes this soup both gentle and effective for digestion.
Healthy fats for satiety and inflammation balance
The mix of olive oil and a small amount of butter provides flavour, mouthfeel and satiety.
Healthy fats:
Help you feel full for longer
Support absorption of fat‑soluble vitamins
Contribute to hormone and brain health
This is one reason this soup feels comforting rather than watery or insubstantial.
Micronutrients that quietly do a lot of work
This soup is rich in key micronutrients that women over 50 particularly benefit from:
Iron, folate and magnesium from lentils and spinach (energy and cognition)
Potassium and antioxidants from vegetables (heart health)
Calcium from parmesan (bone health)
Nothing flashy – just steady, foundational nutrition done well.
Why This Soup Works So Well for Women Over 50
This isn’t a "diet soup" designed to keep calories low at the expense of nourishment.
Instead, it:
Supports stable energy across the afternoon
Helps preserve muscle and strength
Encourages better appetite regulation
Feels emotionally satisfying as well as physically filling
It’s exactly the kind of lunch that helps women say, “I didn’t even think about snacking.” And so in it's own way, it can be a powerful weight loss tool for women over 50.
Turn It into a High‑Protein, No‑Snack Lunch
Pair this soup with two slices of my cheesy porridge bread, and you have a beautifully balanced, high‑protein meal. Or my basic Porridge Bread recipe with just a few grams less protein.
Together, the soup and bread provide:
A substantial protein hit across animal and plant sources (38g protein)
Plenty of fibre and slow‑release carbs (16g fibre)
Enough energy to carry you through to dinner comfortably
This combination ticks a crucial box for women over 50: feeling fed, not restricted.
When meals are properly balanced, snacking often becomes unnecessary – not through willpower, but because the body simply isn’t asking for more.
A Final Thought
If you’re used to keeping lunch light and then battling hunger later in the day, this soup is a gentle invitation to try a different approach.
Still comforting. Still familiar.
But designed to truly serve your body at this stage of life.
Sometimes, the most supportive meals aren’t about eating less – they’re about eating better.
RECIPE 1 High Potein Leek and Chicken Soup
6 generous servings.
Nutritional Profile per serving (estimated using online calculators)
Energy 285 kcal Protein 20 g Carbohydrate: 36 g, of which sugars: 7–8 g; Fat: 7.1 g Saturated fat: 2.5 g Fibre: 7.5 g
Ingredients
2 large leeks (sliced finely)
2 medium carrots (diced)
2 sticks celery (diced)
6 cloves garlic minced
½ tbs oregano
½ tbs Italian herbs
150g dried red lentils
1 tin butter beans
4 balls frozen spinach
Juice of one lemon
25g grated parmesan
150g cooked chicken
1.5 litres chicken stock
½ butter and ½ tbs olive oil
1. Melt butter and olive oil in a large saucepan. Saute leeks, garlic, carrots and celery for 5-10 minutes.
2. Add in the rinsed red lentils, butter beans and herbs.
3. Pour in the chicken stock, bring to the boil and then simmer for about 30 minutes until carrots are soft and lentils melting.
4. Add in the cooked chicken and spinach and simmer until spinach defrosted and melting into the soup.
5. Stir in the lemon juice and season well.
6. You can either stir in the parmesan now or wait until serving. I prefer to wait until serving and top the soup with it.
Serve this with 2 slices of my Cheesy Porridge Bread for a whopping 38g protein and 16g fibre (540 calories). No need for afternoon snacking after that lunch.
RECIPE 2 Cheesy Porridge Bread
A cross between my original porridge bread recipe and the old viral cottage cheese bread recipe
I get 16 slices.
Nutritional Profile (estimated from online calculators)
Per slice: Energy 128 cal; Protein 9 g; Carbs 10g g; Sugars 1.4g; Fibre 5g; Fat 6g (1.1g saturates)
200g oats (fine cut works best but I have used large flake as well )
300g cottage cheese (blitzed)
50ml milk
25g pumpkin seeds
25g sunflower seeds
25g hemp seeds
2 tbs nutritional yeast
1 tbs psyllium husk powder
2 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1. Mix the dry ingredients.
2. Mix the wet ingredients. Leave out the milk, this is only if the mixture needs loosened a bit.
3. Stir in wet to dry and mix well and pour into a lined 2lb loaf tin. Smooth top.
4. Bake in a preheated oven 170 degrees for 45 minutes
5. Remove and turn upside down and return to the oven for another 10-15 mins.
6. Remove and wrap in a clean tea towel until cooled.
7. Cut into 16 slices. I like slim slices and recommend this to clients.
8. This loaf will keep for a few days. I store in an airtight container in the fridge.
9. Freezes well and toasts well from frozen.
The psyllium husk adds some extra fibre but I’ve made this loaf with or without and its fine. For extra protein, swap out the seeds for all hemp seeds as they are higher in protein (but lower in fibre). I personally like the mix of the 3 seeds.
This is very similar to my basic porridge bread recipe (slightly spongier) but the cottage cheese and nutritional yeast give in a bit of a cheesy flavour and higher protein so I think I prefer this. I may grate some parmesan on top next time.
Amended from a recipe from The Tummy Fairy on Instagram
I help women over 50 live longer, stronger and happier lives. Whether its getting rid of unwanted pounds (the hard to shift kind), focussing on stronger bones, making sure your brain stays clear, have more energy to do the things you love or figuring out what makes your gut tick - I can help. Check out my Work with Me page and book in a free Discovery Call for a chat.