This Lemon Chicken Rice Soup is so comforting and delicious. It’s perfect for a cold rainy day and is so easy to make. Full of protein and vegetables, this soup is also good for you!
There is nothing better than a big bowl of chicken soup. It’s perfect for when there’s a cold going around or just when you need a little bit of extra comfort. This chicken and rice soup is almost like a warm hug in a bowl!
Want more recipes that uses lemon? You’ll have to try my Lemon Blueberry Bread and my Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Chicken Recipe. Both are perfect if you’ve got that lemon craving!
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Chicken Rice Soup Recipe
- It’s super tasty. We love chicken soup so combining it with lemon to make the best fresh and bright tasting lemon chicken, just hits the spot. You’ll love this twist on the traditional chicken rice soup.
- It’s made in one pot. Who doesn’t love a one pot recipe? It makes cleaning up so much easily. Even better, this chicken lemon rice soup is done in less than an hour.
- It’s healthy! This soup is made with delicious and wholesome ingredients that are good for you as well. Perfect for when you’re feeling under the weather.
What You’ll Need to Make This Lemon Chicken Soup
- Chicken thighs — boneless skinless
- Rice — I used jasmine rice.
- Vegetables: celery, onions, zucchini, carrots, garlic, and fresh spinach.
- Seasoning: ginger, chicken couillon, salt, black pepper, oregano, cilantro
- Cilantro
- Olive oil
- Lemon
- Bay leaves
How to Make Chicken Lemon Rice Soup
- Sauté your vegetables: On medium heat, add in the olive oil and sauté the diced onions, celery, carrots and garlic for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the chicken: Add in the boneless chicken thighs and sauté on both sides for 3-4 minutes.
- Season and simmer: Add in the rice, cilantro, chicken bouillon, black pepper, salt, bay leaves, ginger pieces and the water or chicken broth. Cover and let them cook on medium heat for 20 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Shred the chicken: Open up the pot and remove the chicken. Shred them and return back into the pot along with the zucchini. Cover and cook again for 15 more minutes.
- Finishing touches: Remove the pot from heat and stir in the fresh lemon juice. Serve and garnish with some lemon juice.
Tips and Substitutions
- Vegetables: feel free to add whatever you have on hand. Have some peas? Add those in. Have spinach, kale, or swiss chard? Leafy greens go well with this lemon chicken rice soup.
- Chicken: feel free to use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs if you wish. Alternatively, you can cut down on cooking time by using shredded rotisserie chicken instead.
- Cilantro: if you’re not a fan of cilantro, feel free to substitute with any herb of your choice such as basil, thyme, rosemary, parsley, dill, etc.
- Make this creamy: stir in ½ cup of heavy cream cream at the end of the soup to make it creamy. Don’t want to add cream? Stir in grated parmesan cheese to make this lemon chicken soup creamy.
- Rice: Don’t have rice? You can use orzo instead.
- You want to make sure that your carrots, onions, celery, and zucchini are cut into bite sized pieces since you want a little bit of everything in each spoonful.
- Be sure to add in the lemon at the very end. The lemon will cause the soup to taste bitter if you add it too early to the soup.
FAQs
If you would like to meal prep this lemon chicken rice soup, skip cooking the rice in the soup. If you want to meal prep this, cook the rice separately and add it when you are reheating the soup at work or school. If you meal prep this soup with the rice inside, the rice will absorb a lot of the liquid. This soup without the rice will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, you can heat it up on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Just like meal prepping, I’d skip freezing this chicken rice soup with the rice in it. To freeze, be sure to let the soup cool first then transfer the soup into either freezer safe bags or containers. If you are using bags, you can press all the air out and store it flat, taking up less room in the fridge. For the best results, I’d serve the soup within 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw the soup in the fridge overnight and reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave and add in some cooked rice.
While this soup can be enjoyed on its own, here are a few sides I like to serve with my lemon chicken rice soup: Roasted Garlic Bread, Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Greek Orzo Salad, Autumn Pear Salad, or my No Knead Artisan Bread.
More Dinner Recipes You’ll Love
- Lemon Chicken Piccata
- Easy Shrimp Salad
- Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Shells
- Greek Chicken Skillet Recipe
- Caribbean Jerk Fish Bow
I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious Lemon Chicken Rice Soup recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it and share it with your friends and family!
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The Best Lemon Chicken Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 4 large chicken thighs skinless and boneless
- 1 cup celery sliced
- 1 cup onion petite diced
- 1½ cup zucchini diced
- ¾ cup carrots diced
- ½ cup rice washed, I used jasmine
- 2 inch ginger stalk peeled and sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cubes chicken bouillon
- 7 cups water
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- ¾ tsp. black pepper
- ¾ tsp. salt
- 2 tbsps. olive oil
- ⅓ cup lemon juice
- 1 whole lemon sliced for garnishing
- 2 bay leaves dry or fresh
Instructions
- Bring a large pot over medium heat and add in the olive oil. Sauté the diced onions, celery, carrots and garlic for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the boneless chicken thighs and sauté on both sides for 3-4 minutes.
- Add in the rice, cilantro, chicken bouillon, black pepper, salt, bay leaves, ginger pieces and the water or chicken broth. Cover and let them cook on medium heat for 20 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Open up the pot and remove the chicken. Shred them and return back into the pot along with the zucchini. Cover and cook again for 15 more minutes.
- Remove the pot from heat and stir in the fresh lemon juice. Serve and garnish with some lemon juice.
Notes
- Vegetables: feel free to add whatever you have on hand. Have some peas? Add those in. Have spinach, kale, or swiss chard? Leafy greens go well with this lemon chicken rice soup.
- Chicken: feel free to use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs if you wish. Alternatively, you can cut down on cooking time by using shredded rotisserie chicken instead.
- Cilantro: if you’re not a fan of cilantro, feel free to substitute with any herb of your choice such as basil, thyme, rosemary, parsley, dill, etc.
- Make this creamy: stir in ½ cup of heavy cream cream at the end of the soup to make it creamy. Don’t want to add cream? Stir in grated parmesan cheese to make this lemon chicken soup creamy.
- Rice: Don’t have rice? You can use orzo instead.
- You want to make sure that your carrots, onions, celery, and zucchini are cut into bite sized pieces since you want a little bit of everything in each spoonful.
- Be sure to add in the lemon at the very end. The lemon will cause the soup to taste bitter if you add it too early to the soup.
This is one of the best soups I’ve ever made! Made very minor modifications for the kiddo. Added cilantro to top of bowls at the end, used just a tad less lemon juice, and subbed chicken stock for the bouillon. So tasty my husband could not believe how delicious it was.
Thanks so much for leaving a review Mrs. Heather. I am glad you guys enjoyed the recipe.