Chicken Lemon Rice Soup

Chicken Lemon Rice Soup

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Greek Recipes : Soups, Stews and Chili

This time of year always makes me think about soup. I’ve been looking for creative ways to add extra fluids to the diet when you’re not a big fan of drinking water, and soup just feels comforting and practical all at once. I didn’t want to make the usual chicken soup, so I went searching online for something a little different and decided to give this one a try. I made it according to the recipe at first, but then I started experimenting. I tried making my own stock and swapping in chicken breasts instead of bone-in thighs. After testing it both ways, I really think it shines best with homemade broth. Still, no matter how it’s made, it’s delicious. What started as a simple experiment has turned into something I come back to again and again, and it’s officially become a favorite in my kitchen.

Total Time

1 hr 10 min

Prepare Time

15 min

Cook Time

55 min

Recipe Servings

Ingredients for
Chicken Lemon Rice Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion diced
3 large carrots diced
3 celery stalks diced
1 ½ teaspoon salt divided
1 teaspoon black pepper divided
3 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or approx. 3 chicken breasts
2 dried bay leaves
8 cups water or 8 cups of homemade chicken stock
½ cup short grain rice or orzo
2 lemons juiced about ⅓ cup
Parsley chopped for serving

How to Make
Chicken Lemon Rice Soup

Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, 1 teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic and thyme. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chicken, the bay leaves and the remaining salt and pepper.

Add the water and rice, and bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.

Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board and chop into ½-inch pieces. Return the chopped chicken to the soup and remove the soup from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley.