- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 35 min
- kcal
- 364
- protein
- 36.9 g
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 400 g
- 1 ¼ l
- 2 cloves
- 100 g
- 1 tbsp
- 1 tsp
- 1 tsp
- ½ tsp
- 15 g
Process
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Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, sliced carrots and sliced celery and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns translucent and the carrots begin to soften.
Add the minced garlic and dried thyme and stir for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown or it will turn bitter.
Pour in the chicken broth, then add the rinsed rice and the bay leaf. Raise the heat and bring to a gentle boil, then lower to a simmer.
Simmer uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes, until the rice is tender but still has a slight bite. Stir once halfway so the rice does not stick to the bottom.
Add the cooked chicken, lemon zest, half the lemon juice, salt and black pepper. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes only, just until the chicken is heated through. Overcooking at this stage makes the chicken dry and stringy.
Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust with the remaining lemon juice and more salt if needed. Ladle into bowls and scatter over the chopped parsley.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The most common mistake is adding the cooked chicken at the start. It has already been cooked once, so it only needs 3 to 4 minutes in the hot broth to warm through; longer simmering turns it dry and fibrous.
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. This removes surface starch so the broth stays clear instead of turning cloudy and gluey.
- If you are using rotisserie chicken, it is already salty, so hold back the salt until the end and taste first.
- The soup thickens as the rice sits and absorbs broth. If it becomes too thick, loosen it with a splash of hot broth or water rather than more oil.
Substitutions
- long-grain white rice→orzo or small pasta, cooked separately and added at the end
- chicken broth→vegetable broth for a lighter version
- dried thyme→dried oregano or a pinch of poultry seasoning
- fresh parsley→fresh dill or chopped chives
Storage & reheating
Cool the soup within 1 hour, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The rice will absorb liquid overnight, so reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave in 1-minute bursts, adding a splash of broth or water to loosen it. For freezing, it is best to freeze the broth and vegetables without the rice for up to 2 months, then cook fresh rice when reheating, because frozen rice turns mushy.
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 364 kcal |
| Protein | 36.9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 36.1 g |
| Fat | 8.2 g |
| Saturated fat | 1.9 g |
| Fiber | 4.3 g |
| Sugar | 6.3 g |
| Sodium | 1766 mg |
| Cholesterol | 100 mg |
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Can I use leftover chicken that was already seasoned or breaded?
Yes, but keep it simple. If the chicken was heavily seasoned, breaded or coated in sauce, scrape off the coating first, otherwise it will cloud the broth and taste muddy. Plain roasted, poached or rotisserie chicken works best.
How do I stop the rice from turning mushy in the soup?
Cook the rice in the broth only until it is just tender, about 12 to 15 minutes, and serve the soup soon after. If you plan to eat it over several days, cook the rice separately and add a spoonful to each bowl so it never sits in the broth and swells.
Why did my chicken soup turn out dry and stringy?
The chicken was simmered too long. Cooked chicken only needs 3 to 4 minutes in hot broth to warm through. Add it at the very end, after the rice and vegetables are fully cooked, and keep the heat at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil.
Can I make this soup ahead of time?
Yes. Make the base with the broth, carrots, celery, onion and garlic up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it. Reheat the base, then cook the rice and add the chicken and lemon at the last minute so both stay fresh-tasting.
How can I make it taste brighter if it seems flat?
Finish with lemon juice and zest off the heat, not during cooking, because the bright aroma cooks away. A final taste for salt also helps, since under-salting reads as flat. Add the lemon in small amounts and taste after each addition.
Can I freeze this chicken and rice soup?
Freeze the broth, vegetables and chicken without the rice for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container, leaving 2 cm of headspace. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop, then stir in freshly cooked rice. Rice frozen in the soup turns soft and grainy on thawing.
What can I use instead of rice?
Small pasta such as orzo or ditalini works well, but cook it separately so it does not starch up the broth. For a lower-carb version, use diced zucchini or cauliflower florets and simmer them for 6 to 8 minutes until just tender.
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