Chicken Lemon Rice Soup Recipe
Chicken Lemon Rice Soup with onion, carrots, celery, chicken thighs, and rice in a homemade lemony broth.
Servings: 6 servings
Equipment
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.
Video
Notes
My Top Tip: Don't add the lemon juice until you're done cooking. If you add it too early, the soup could develop a bitter taste.
Storage: Let the soup cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave for 3 minutes, stirring halfway through. The rice will absorb moisture as it sits, so you may want to stir in a little water or stock when reheating to loosen it back up.
Freezing: Transfer it to multiple airtight containers, then freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
This recipe has been updated, but if you like the original version, you can still find it here:
Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
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
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
Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 723mg | Potassium: 482mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 5150IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 2mg
QR code
Scan code to view the full recipe on your phone.
