1. Sauté the Vegetables Set a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil, letting it warm for a moment. Add the diced onion, chopped carrots, and chopped celery to the pot. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking or uneven browning, until the vegetables have softened noticeably and the onion has turned translucent around the edges.

2. Bloom the Garlic and Spices Add the minced garlic, dried sage, dried thyme, smoked paprika, and ground nutmeg directly into the pot with the softened vegetables. Stir constantly for about 30 seconds, just until the mixture becomes fragrant and the spices coat the vegetables evenly. Watch this step closely, since garlic and dried herbs can burn quickly if left unstirred even briefly, which would turn the flavor bitter.

3. Add the Pumpkin and Broth Pour in the entire can of pumpkin puree along with the chicken broth. Stir thoroughly with a wooden spoon or spatula, working out any clumps of pumpkin puree until it’s fully incorporated and evenly distributed throughout the broth, with no streaks of pure pumpkin remaining.

4. Bring to a Boil Increase the heat under the pot to medium-high. Allow the mixture to come up to a gentle boil, watching closely so it doesn’t boil over, and stirring occasionally as the temperature rises.

5. Simmer Until Tender Once the soup reaches a boil, reduce the heat down to medium-low. Let the soup simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring every so often, until the carrots and celery have become fully tender when pierced with a fork. Once the vegetables are tender, remove the pot from the heat entirely.

6. Blend Until Smooth Using an immersion blender inserted directly into the pot, blend the soup thoroughly until it reaches a completely smooth, velvety consistency with no visible vegetable chunks remaining. Move the blender slowly around the bottom and edges of the pot to make sure every bit of the mixture gets fully pureed. Once smooth, return the Dutch oven to the stovetop over low heat.

7. Add the Chicken and Milk Stir the shredded cooked chicken breast and the 2% milk into the blended soup. Cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is fully heated through and the milk has warmed into the soup. Keep a close eye on the heat during this step and do not let the soup come to a boil, as high heat at this stage can cause the milk to separate or curdle.

8. Temper the Greek Yogurt While the chicken and milk are warming, place the Greek yogurt into a separate medium mixing bowl. Ladle out about ½ cup of the hot soup from the pot, then slowly pour it into the bowl with the yogurt while whisking constantly. This gradual tempering process raises the temperature of the yogurt slowly, which keeps it smooth and prevents it from curdling once it’s added back into the hot soup.

9. Finish the Soup Remove the Dutch oven completely from the heat. Pour the tempered yogurt mixture back into the pot, stirring it in thoroughly until fully incorporated and the soup looks creamy and uniform throughout. Add the fresh lemon juice, salt, and ground black pepper, mixing everything together well to evenly distribute the seasoning and brighten the overall flavor of the soup.

10. Serve Ladle the finished soup into bowls in 1½-cup servings and serve warm, adjusting the thickness with a splash of extra broth or milk if the soup has thickened more than you’d like.