Lemon Chicken Soup with Rice

Name: Lemon Chicken Soup with Rice
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts ((or chicken thighs)); 3 cloves garlic, (minced); 1 yellow onion, (diced); 1 cup diced celery; 1 cup diced carrots; 2 bay leaves; 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 3/4 teaspoon black pepper; 8 cups water ((or chicken stock)); 1/4 cup salted butter; 3/4 cup arborio rice; 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice; 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley; 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

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This Lemon Chicken Soup with Rice recipe is made with simple ingredients to create a warm and comforting meal. A deliciously light tasting soup!

A WARM AND COMFORTING SOUP RECIPE

I don’t know about you but I love a good soup recipe. If you are looking for an alternative to chicken noodle soup then you must give this Lemon Chicken Soup with Rice a try. Don’t let the simple ingredients fool you! The flavors blend together so well to create a light and bright tasting soup. This is the perfect soup to serve with some warm, crusty bread. It makes for an amazing lunch or dinner!

spoons inserted into a large pot with lemon chicken rice soup.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What does adding lemon to soup do?

Adding lemon juice is similar to adding salt to soup in that it adds an additional layer of flavor and stimulates those same tastebuds like salt does. You don’t taste a strong lemon flavor. It just brightens the flavors of all the other ingredients in the soup.

How do I make this dairy free?

Just leave out the butter.

How can I make this soup with leftover or rotisserie chicken?

Add butter to the pot first, sauté the onion, then add the garlic, carrots and celery and sauté for 7 minutes, until tender. Add in the rice, salt and pepper and stir well, then add in stock (don’t use water if using leftover chicken) and simmer for 15-20 minutes before adding the shredded chicken, lemon juice, parsley and dill.

Can I use dried herbs instead of fresh?

Yes. 1 1/2 Tablespoons of dried parsley can be used instead of fresh. 2 teaspoons of dried dill can be used instead of fresh.

Do I have to use arborio rice?

No. You can use long grain white rice instead. If you use brown rice, you may need additional liquid but I haven’t tested it with brown rice.

overhead photo of Lemon Chicken Soup with rice in a black pot with a black serving spoon inserted.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF POST)

boneless, skinless chicken breasts
garlic
yellow onion
celery
carrots
bay leaves
salt and pepper
water (or chicken stock)
salted butter
arborio rice
lemons
fresh parsley and fresh dill

diced celery, diced carrots, lemons, chicken breasts, butter, garlic, rice, bay leaves and diced onions.

HOW TO MAKE LEMON CHICKEN SOUP WITH RICE:

Place chicken breasts, garlic, onion, celery, carrots, bay leaves, salt, pepper and water into a large pot over medium heat. Stir mixture.

water being poured into a large pot filled with chicken breasts, diced celery, diced onion, diced carrots and seasoning.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and allow to simmer for 30 minutes (until chicken is cooked). Note: Internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165F degrees when thoroughly cooked.

cooked chicken breasts shown in pot with carrots, onions, celery and a bay leaf.

Remove chicken from the pot and shred or finely dice. Set aside.

cooked chicken being shredded with two forks in a bowl.

Add butter and rice to the pot and stir well. Cover and simmer mixture over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.

Add the cooked chicken, lemon juice, parsley and dill into the pot. Stir well and continue cooking (covered) for another 10-15 minutes, until rice is tender.