Lemon Chicken and Rice Soup
In short: A light, brothy soup of tender chicken, rice, carrots and celery brightened with lemon zest, lemon juice and fresh dill. It takes about 55 min in total and makes 5 servings.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 5
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 230 kcal
Lemon and chicken soup is simple, clean-tasting food for days when you want something light but still filling. Chicken poaches right in the stock, so the meat stays tender and the broth gains flavor, and long-grain rice cooks in the same pot. Lemon zest and juice go in at the end, along with fresh dill or parsley, so the soup tastes bright instead of cooked down. It is on the table in under an hour.
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, carrots and celery for 6 minutes, stirring, until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in the stock, add the bay leaves and chicken, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 15 to 18 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (74°C / 165°F), then lift it onto a board.
- Stir the rice into the broth and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the grains are tender.
- While the rice cooks, shred the chicken with two forks.
- Return the chicken to the pot with the spinach, if using, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the bay leaves.
- Off the heat, stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice and dill. Season with salt and pepper, taste, and add more lemon if you like. Serve hot.
Tips
- Add the lemon at the very end. Long cooking dulls its freshness and can make the broth taste flat.
- Rice keeps absorbing liquid as the soup sits. For leftovers, add a splash of stock when reheating, or cook the rice separately and add it to each bowl.
Questions and answers
How is lemon chicken rice soup different from Greek egg-lemon soup?
Greek avgolemono is thickened with beaten eggs, which makes it creamy and silky. This soup is a clear, brothy one with rice, and the lemon juice is stirred in at the end with no eggs.
Can I use brown rice in this soup?
Yes, but brown rice needs 30 to 35 minutes. Add it as soon as you lift out the chicken, and top up the broth with a little extra stock or water.
How long does lemon chicken rice soup keep?
It keeps for 3 days in the fridge. The rice swells as it sits, so add some extra stock when you reheat it.
How long does it take to make Lemon Chicken and Rice Soup?
About 55 min in total: 15 min of preparation and 40 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Lemon Chicken and Rice Soup?
About 230 kcal per serving, with 23 g of protein, 22 g of carbohydrates and 5 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 230 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 23 g |
| Carbohydrates | 22 g |
| Fat | 5 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Sodium | 900 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
