Chicken Lemon Rice Soup
This chicken lemon rice soup is a classic dish packed with tangy and savory flavors. Enjoy it any time of year for a hearty comforting and satisfying meal!
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Table of Contents
- About Chicken Lemon Rice Soup
- What is chicken lemon rice soup?
- What’s in lemon chicken rice soup?
- Can you use rotisserie chicken instead?
- Can you make this soup ahead of time?
- How to store chicken lemon rice soup
- How long is chicken lemon rice soup good for?
- Can you freeze lemon chicken rice soup?
- What to serve with this soup
- What can you add to chicken lemon rice soup?
- Notes & tips for chicken lemon rice soup
- More delicious soup recipes
- More delicious chicken recipes
- How to make chicken lemon rice soup
- Recipe Details
About Chicken Lemon Rice Soup
Chicken lemon rice soup is a classic dish that is known for its tangy and savory flavors. It’s a hearty soup that’s perfect for any occasion, whether it’s for a warm dinner on a cold night or a light lunch to recharge your batteries. This dish has been around for centuries, and it’s no wonder why it’s still a popular choice for many. In this blog post, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about chicken lemon rice soup, including how to make it, how to store it, and some tips and variations to make it your own.
What is chicken lemon rice soup?
Chicken lemon rice soup is a classic Greek soup that’s typically made with chicken broth, rice, lemon juice, and shredded chicken. It’s a comforting soup that’s perfect for any occasion, and it’s easy to make. The lemon juice gives the soup a tangy flavor, while the rice and chicken make it filling and satisfying.
This soup is also known as Avgolemono, which translates to egg-lemon in Greek, as many traditional recipes contain eggs as a way to thicken the soup – however, this specific version does not include eggs.
What’s in lemon chicken rice soup?
To whip up a pot of this classic greek soup, you will need to collect the following ingredients:
- Chicken – Part of the namesake of this recipe, you can use either chicken breasts or chicken thighs. For best results, use boneless and skinless chicken. The chicken is cooked in the broth and shredded for texture.
- Garlic, bay leaves, salt, black pepper, parsley, and dill– For adding delicious flavor to the soup.
- Yellow onion, celery, and carrots – Delicious hearty vegetables.
- Chicken stock – Used for creating the broth. You can also substitute this for chicken broth or water.
- Lemon juice – For that classic lemon flavor. Fresh squeezed is always preferred, but storebought will work just as well.
- Arborio rice – A short-grain rice that’s typically used in Italian dishes, this type of rice is ideal for soups because of its creamy consistency thanks to a higher amylopectin starch content. If you’re having trouble finding this rice at your local grocery store, it can be substituted for things like brown rice, basmati rice, sushi rice, or any long-grain white rice.
- Salted butter – Technically optional but adds a delicious richness to the soup. Omit the butter to make this soup dairy-free.
Can you use rotisserie chicken instead?
Yes, you can use any type of pre-cooked chicken (or other meats) instead. To do it, just follow these adjusted recipe instructions:
- In a Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add yellow onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Add carrots and celery and cook for an additional 7 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add chicken stock, arborio rice, bay leaves, salt, and pepper, then stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Allow to cook, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes.
- Add shredded chicken (or other chosen meat), lemon juice, parsley, and dill to pot. Stir well and heat until meat is warmed through and rice is tender, about another 5-10 minutes.
- Remove bay leaves before serving.
Can you make this soup ahead of time?
Yes, you totally can! In fact, it’s a great dish to make in advance because the flavors develop even more as it sits. When you’re ready to serve the soup, simply reheat it on the stove and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
How to store chicken lemon rice soup
To store chicken lemon rice soup, let it cool to room temperature and then transfer it to an airtight container. It’s important to store the soup in the refrigerator to keep it fresh. If you’re storing a large batch of soup, consider dividing it into smaller portions so that you can easily reheat what you need.
How long is chicken lemon rice soup good for?
Once prepared and cooled, this soup can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to four days. After that, the soup may start to lose its flavor and texture, so it’s best to enjoy it within that time frame.
Can you freeze lemon chicken rice soup?
Certainly! To freeze, let the soup cool to room temperature, and then transfer it to a sealed container or freezer bag. Frozen soup can be stored for up to three months. To reheat, thaw the soup in the refrigerator overnight, and then reheat it on the stovetop.
What to serve with this soup
Chicken lemon rice soup is a filling dish on its own, but if you’re looking to make a meal out of it, consider serving it with some crusty bread or a simple salad. You can also add more vegetables to the soup to make it even more hearty.
What can you add to chicken lemon rice soup?
Chicken lemon rice soup is a versatile dish that can be customized to your liking. Here are some ideas for add-ins or variations:
- Vegetables: Such as spinach, kale, zucchini, squash, or peppers.
- Herbs: While this recipe already includes parsley and dill, a touch of thyme can add extra flavor to the soup.
- Spices: Add some zing with cayenne pepper or paprika.
- Other grains: If you’re not a fan of rice, consider using quinoa, couscous, or orzo instead.
- Seafood: Swap out the chicken for some cooked shrimp!
Notes & tips for chicken lemon rice soup
- I recommend using a Dutch oven for cooking soups but feel free to use any similar-sized pot.
- You can substitute the fresh vegetables for an equal portion of frozen vegetables. If you haven’t thawed the vegetables before adding them to the pot, cook time may need to be increased slightly.
- Adjust seasoning to taste. The amount of salt and pepper needed may vary depending on the type of chicken stock or butter you use, so make sure to taste the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Let the soup sit a bit before serving. This will help the flavors meld and while the soup lowers to a ready-to-eat temperature.
- You can dice the chicken instead of shredding it, but keep in mind that the texture of the soup would be more hearty with shredded chicken.
- For a fun garnish, top the soup with lemon slices!
More delicious soup recipes
More delicious chicken recipes
How to make chicken lemon rice soup
This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.
Step 1 – In a Dutch oven set over medium heat, add chicken, chicken stock, yellow onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Give everything a good stir.
Step 2 – Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Let the soup cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Make sure to stir occasionally.
Step 3 – Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pot and shred it with two forks. Set the chicken aside.
Step 4 – Add arborio rice and butter to the pot and give everything a good stir. Let the soup simmer for another 10 minutes.
Step 5 – Add the shredded chicken back into the pot along with the lemon, parsley, and dill. Stir everything well.
Step 6 – Continue to cook the soup for another 10-15 minutes or until the rice is tender.
Step 7 – Take a taste test and season the soup with more salt and pepper if needed. Don’t forget to remove the bay leaves before serving.
Step 8 – Serve and enjoy!
Chicken Lemon Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 2 lb chicken, breast or thighs, boneless and skinless
- 2 cups diced yellow onion
- 1 1/2 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1/4 cup salted butter, optional
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
- 2 teaspoons fresh chopped dill
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven over medium heat, add chicken, chicken stock, yellow onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and pepper, then stir. Bring liquid to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Allow to cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally.2 lb chicken, 8 cups chicken stock, 2 cups diced yellow onion, 1 1/2 cup diced carrots, 1 cup diced celery, 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic, 2 bay leaves, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Remove chicken from the pot and shred with two forks. Set chicken aside.
- Add arborio rice and butter to put, then stir well. Allow to simmer for another 10 minutes.3/4 cup arborio rice, 1/4 cup salted butter
- Add chicken back to pot, as well as lemon, parsley, and dill, then stir well. Continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes or until rice is tender.1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley, 2 teaspoons fresh chopped dill
- Taste test the soup; season with more salt and pepper if desired. Remove bay leaves.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
I do my best to provide nutrition information, but please keep in mind that I’m not a certified nutritionist. Any nutritional information discussed or disclosed in this post should only be seen as my best amateur estimates of the correct values.
