Julie Clark
Posted:
Lemon Chicken Rice Soup
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Bright, fresh and flavorful lemon chicken rice soup is the perfect soup to take you into spring. Serve with a piece of our sourdough focaccia!
This lemon chicken rice soup is light but cozy, and comes together in one pot with simple ingredients. Tender chicken, soft rice, and vegetables simmer in a seasoned broth, then a splash of fresh lemon juice at the end keeps the flavor balanced. This is a unique version of our lemon chicken noodle soup.
My Go-To Chicken Rice Soup When I Want Something Light but Cozy
As soon as the weather starts to break and the sun peeks through, I start craving lemon. From grilled lemon chicken and sheet pan lemon chicken to lemon sugar cookies for dessert!
Cold weather calls for bowls of soup and this light lemon chicken rice soup is one that will keep you cozy.
It’s a chicken soup full of veggies and is amazing served with a slice of sourdough focaccia bread or a buttery soft roll.
And check out our lemon soup with fresh dill on Substack.
Love comfort food? Try our apple waffles, creamy chicken and rice, cherry hot chocolate and green apple recipes.
Enjoy! -Julie
Ingredients
I used boneless skinless chicken breasts, but chicken thighs or even a baked whole chicken would work well. If you have leftover chicken (shredded chicken), you may use that, but don’t add it in until the end since it is already cooked.
The first time I made this I used our homemade chicken broth that I have in the freezer. It was rich and delicious! But a high quality chicken stock you buy at a grocery store works well, too.
See the recipe card for full ingredients and amounts.
Lemon Chicken Rice Soup in One Pot
Bright, fresh and flavorful lemon chicken rice soup is the perfect soup to take you into spring.
Servings 6
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup chopped yellow onions
- ½ cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried leaf thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8 cups chicken stock or chicken broth
- ¾ cup white rice or brown rice
- 1 cup frozen peas thawed
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice (2 fresh lemons)
- 2 tablespoons chopped basil 4-6 leaves
Instructions
- Warm oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add cubed chicken and cook for about 3-4 minutes. 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Then add onions, celery, and carrots and cook for another 3-4 minutes. 1 cup chopped yellow onions, ½ cup chopped celery , 1 cup chopped carrots
- Add in garlic, herbs and seasonings. Cook and stir for an additional 30 seconds before pouring in chicken broth and rice. Bring soup to a gentle boil and allow to cook for 15 minutes or until the rice is tender. 1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon dried leaf thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 8 cups chicken stock, ¾ cup white rice
- Mix in the peas, fresh lemon juice and basil. Stir well, then serve.1 cup frozen peas, ½ cup fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons chopped basil
Notes
Garnish this delicious soup with fresh parsley or fresh thyme if desired.
Want a creamy chicken lemon rice soup? Add ½ cup heavy cream of coconut milk for a creamy texture.
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The soup will thicken as it sits, but is still great the next day.
Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
The calories shown are based on the soup serving 6, with 1 serving being ⅙ of the soup. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **
Nutrition
Calories: 396kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 1002mg | Potassium: 1001mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 3834IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 2mg
How to Make Lemon Chicken Rice Soup: Step by Step
Cook the chicken. Warm oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add cubed chicken and cook for about 3-4 minutes. It does not have to be fully cooked at this point.
Add in the veggies. Then add onions, celery, and carrots and cook for another 3-4 minutes to begin softening them.
Build the rest of the soup. Add in garlic, herbs and seasonings. Cook and stir for an additional 30 seconds before pouring in chicken broth and rice. Bring soup to a gentle boil over low heat and allow to cook for 15 minutes or until the rice is tender. There’s no need to cover the pot.
Add the finishing touches. Mix in the thawed peas, fresh lemon juice (add the lemon zest for more zing!) and basil. Stir well, then serve.
