Chicken Lemon Rice Soup
Updated Nov 09, 2026
Chicken lemon rice soup made in one pot with chicken thighs, short grain rice, vegetables, and fresh lemon.
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My mom used to make chicken lemon rice soup all the time when I was growing up. Especially during Ramadan or when one of us wasn’t feeling well. So I’ve been eating some version of this chicken and rice soup for as long as I can remember! And for me, it’s all about the lemon. I want to really taste it in the broth, not just get a little hint of it. My mom always made it with rice, too, and I still prefer those little bites of rice over noodles in this soup.
Now that I’m in Michigan, I find myself making this chicken lemon rice soup a lot when it starts getting cold. It’s a little different from my classic chicken noodle soup, and it’s similar to Greek avgolemono, but without the eggs. I use short-grain rice and a ton of fresh lemon juice. It’s pretty simple, and I think that’s part of why I’ve kept coming back to it all these years.
Recipe testing notes
For the past 10 years, I’ve tested every recipe multiple times before sharing it! These notes give you a peek into my process of developing and testing.
I really prefer using chicken thighs in this chicken lemon rice soup. I’ve found that chicken breast can get a little dry when you’re simmering it for a while, and I don’t want that. I just put the thighs right in the pot with the veggies and thyme and let everything cook together. I’m getting my chicken cooked and making the broth at the same time. Love that! Then I just pull the chicken out, chop it up, and put it right back in.
I did try this with long-grain rice, and it was good, but I wasn’t completely happy with the broth. It was a little thinner than I wanted. I really like how short-grain rice gets softer and thickens everything up a bit. That’s how I prefer this soup. The only thing is, that rice does not stop soaking up the broth, lol. Your leftovers will probably be a lot thicker the next day. I just add a splash of water or broth when I reheat mine.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
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Chicken Lemon Rice Soup Ingredients
- Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they’re really hard to overcook! You can also use chicken breasts if you prefer. Leave them whole while they simmer, then cut them into small pieces before returning them to the pot.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon juice is best! ⅓ cup is usually about 2 lemons. You can use bottled if that’s all you have.
- Rice: I use short-grain rice, like arborio, for this recipe. A long-grain white rice like jasmine or basmati also works well. Add it to the pot uncooked. If you want to use brown rice, just increase the cooking time by an extra 25 minutes to make sure it cooks through.
- Vegetables and oil: Diced yellow onion, diced carrots, and diced celery cook in olive oil to make the base of the soup. Dice them so they’re about the same size and finish cooking at the same time.
- Water: I use water to build the broth, but you can also use low-sodium chicken broth.
- Seasoning and herbs: You’ll also need minced garlic, dried thyme, bay leaves, chopped fresh parsley, salt, and pepper. If you don’t have fresh garlic, you can substitute ½ teaspoon garlic powder for each clove.
How to Make Chicken Lemon Rice Soup
These step-by-step photos walk you through how to make Chicken Lemon Rice Soup. For the full ingredient list and detailed instructions, head to the recipe card below, or skip straight to the → Chicken Lemon Rice Soup recipe below
1. Soften the vegetables
Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot. Add the onion, carrots, celery, some of the salt, and some of the pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened.
2. Stir in garlic and thyme
Once the vegetables soften, stir in the minced garlic and dried thyme. Keep stirring for about a minute so the garlic doesn’t burn.
3. Add chicken and bay leaves
Place the whole chicken thighs over the vegetables. Add the bay leaves and the remaining salt and pepper.
4. Pour in water and rice
Add the water and uncooked rice, then bring the pot to a boil.
5. Simmer the chicken rice soup
Lower the heat and cook uncovered until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, chop it into ½-inch pieces, and return it to the pot.
6. Finish with lemon and parsley
Take the pot off the heat, then stir in the lemon juice and chopped parsley. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
Full Chicken Lemon Rice Soup Recipe
Chicken Lemon Rice Soup Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 3 large carrots diced
- 3 celery stalks diced
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper divided
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 8 cups water
- ½ cup short grain rice
- 2 lemons juiced about ⅓ cup
- Parsley for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, 1 teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened.
- Add the garlic and thyme. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Add the chicken, bay leaves, and remaining salt and pepper.
- Add the water and rice, and bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board and chop into ½-inch pieces. Return the chopped chicken to the soup and remove the soup from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley.
Equipment
Notes
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ cup short grain or Arborio rice
2 lemons, juiced
Parsley for serving Instructions
- Place chicken and scraps from the outer layers and ends of the onions, carrots, and celery in a large stock pot. Season with salt and pepper, add bay leaves and water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is fork-tender, about 30 minutes.
- Remove chicken and shred; then strain the chicken broth using a fine-mesh sieve and discard the vegetable scraps.
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and thyme and cook until tender, about 4–5 minutes. Stir in the shredded chicken and rice, then return the broth to the stockpot and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer until the rice is cooked, about 20 minutes.
Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with fresh parsley, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Variations
- Bell pepper. Add ½ cup diced bell peppers with the onion, carrots, and celery.
- Zucchini. Add a finely chopped zucchini when you add the onion, carrots, and celery.
- Frozen peas. Stir in ¾ cup during the last 5 minutes of cooking. No need to thaw; you can add them directly from the freezer!
- Baby spinach. Stir in 2 cups during the last few minutes of cooking, just until wilted.
Recipe Tips
- Keep the soup at a gentle simmer. Once it boils, lower the heat so the liquid bubbles gently. A hard boil can reduce the liquid too quickly.
- Simmer the soup with the lid off. You want the soup to reduce a bit, which will make it taste better and more concentrated!
- Check the rice before finishing. If the grains are still firm in the center, continue simmering for a few minutes before adding the lemon.
Serving Ideas
- Bread: I love dipping homemade dinner rolls or garlic cheese bread in the lemony broth!
- Salad: Sometimes, for a more full meal, I’ll make a simple salad while the soup simmers. Try my mixed greens salad, classic Caesar salad, or simple green salad.
Troubleshooting
The rice continues to absorb broth after cooking, especially in the fridge. Loosen the soup with water, adding ¼ cup at a time as it reheats. Taste afterward and adjust the salt and lemon juice.
Measuring the juice helps keep the balance consistent. If you’ve already added too much, stir in water ¼ cup at a time, tasting between additions. You may need a little more salt after diluting it.
More Chicken Soup Recipes
Lebanese Freekeh Soup with Chicken
Comments
This was delightful! I don’t usually bother with reviews, but this was easily the best lemon rice soup that I have ever made. I used chopped rotisserie chicken breast and fresh lemon thyme, replaced the onion with shallots and was (sadly) out of celery. A sprinkle of powdered bouillon did the trick, as well as a dash of tumeric for color. I normally use bottled lemon, but fresh was such a difference that I will always do it. Thanks for the recipe, from a fellow Michigander!
Hello to a fellow Michigander! So happy this was the best lemon rice soup you’ve made, and that the fresh lemon made such a difference. It means a lot that you took the time to leave a review! Hope you enjoy it all soup season long!
Just curious – why 8 cups of water instead of chicken broth? I am going to make this tonight!
Great question! Since the chicken thighs simmer in the water along with the vegetables, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves, they essentially create a flavorful chicken broth as the soup cooks. I like using water here so the soup stays light and the lemon flavor really comes through. You can absolutely use chicken broth instead, though! I’d recommend low-sodium broth and adjusting the salt to taste since broth will add extra saltiness. Hope you enjoy it!
Made this exactly as the recipe was written. We found the soup to be very bland so I added Better Than Bullion to give it some balance and body. The lemon 🍋 is a nice touch for the brightness of flavor.
Sorry to hear you found it bland. I’m going to retest it to see if it needs any tweaks. Thank you for the feedback, I appreciate it!
Super warm and hearty while also fresh and bright! I substituted celery for fennel, used orzo, and didn’t use chicken. I also didn’t use thyme (didn’t gave any) and added lots of dried parsley. Still so amazing! Perfect for gloomy days 🙂
Love the tweaks you made! I agree, this recipe is so comforting on a gloomy day!
A new favorite!! I used rotisserie chicken and broth. I had leftover Milanese lemon risotto and it was the perfect use of leftovers. I took your advice and added zucchini. It came together quickly and it was absolutely spectacular. Do not hesitate to make this dinner. Thank you so much. Sooo good! Xo
Aww, amazing!! So happy you loved it, Carolyn! Thank you so much!!
Wonderful recipe! Turned out great will be making often. I did use the short grain rice and love it!!
Amazing!! So happy you liked it, Beth! Thanks!!
I made this today and it was so so good. The lemon really makes it. I used Chicken Bone Broth and cooked the rice separately so it wouldn’t absorb all the broth. Thank you!
Yay!! So glad you liked it! Thank you!
Best soup in the world!
Aww, so glad you love it!! Thank you!
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