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This Chicken Lemon Rice Soup recipe is filling and just perfect in a bowl during the winter. It is filled with veggies and chicken and is so filling and tasty in a lemony broth. A warm and comforting homemade chicken soup that the whole family will enjoy.
Set your classic chicken noodle soup aside and make this homemade Chicken Lemon Rice Soup instead. It is filled with veggies and chicken in a lemony broth that will get you wanting a second and third bowl.
I love making this soup, especially when I have leftover chicken or when I just don’t know what to make for the kids. The kids love it, too, so it’s a win-win for everyone. When I don’t have much time, I will grab a rotisserie chicken to make it for a quick turnaround.
You may also like my chicken cabbage soup or my Chicken vegetable soup.
Recipe Overview
Quick Tips
- Chicken: Use boneless or skinless chicken thighs or breasts. I love using mostly boneless breasts. Some may love keeping bone-in for added flavor.
- Rice: You may use brown or white rice. A great substitute for the rice would be either quinoa or some shredded cauliflower to keep it keto!
- Veggies: Other veggies to use include broccoli, green beans, peas, and cauliflower.
How to make chicken lemon rice soup
- Prepare the chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon Olive Oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the 1 pound Chicken Thighs and sear for about 2-3 minutes on each side.
- Sear the veggies: Add in the 1 Sweet Onion (diced), 2 Carrots(diced), 1 Red Bell Pepper (diced), and 2 Stalks of Celery (diced), and cook until tender, about 5-6 minutes.
- Add the aromatics: Add the 2 Garlic Cloves (chopped) and 1 teaspoon Thyme (chopped) and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
- Cook: Add 5 Cups of Chicken Broth, 1 Bay Leaf, and 1/3 cup of uncooked brown rice, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until rice is cooked through, about 20-25 minutes. Remove the chicken and shred it using two forks.
- Return the chicken to the pot: the shredded chicken to the pan and stir in the juice from 1 Lemon, zest, and a handful of parsley.
- Serve: Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to your taste, and enjoy!
Common questions
Store your chicken soup in an airtight container before you place it in the fridge to retain its fresh taste. The chicken soup should last for 5-7 days in the fridge.
If you have a lot of leftovers, you can store the rest of the chicken soup in an airtight container and freeze it. They should last for 4-6 months frozen. When you are ready for the chicken soup, remove it the night before and allow it to thaw in the fridge. Then reheat it on your stovetop until it starts boiling again. Adjust the taste if needed.
You may not need to cook the chicken ahead for some chicken soup recipes. For my chicken lemon rice soup, you will cook the chicken with everything else, remove it to shred halfway through, then add it back in.
If a recipe asks you to cook the chicken separately, bring a pot of water to a boil, add chicken breasts or thighs along with some herbs for some flavor. You can use cinnamon, whole cloves, and bay leaves. Allow it to boil for about 15-20 minutes. Even if it’s not completely cooked through, that’s fine. After you shred and place it in the pot with the veggies, it will have more time to cook thoroughly.
How to make it in a crockpot or slow cooker
- Add all the prepared ingredients into the crockpot, toss together, and add the lid on.
- Cook it on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours or until the chicken and rice are cooked through.
- Once the chicken is soft and tender and cooked through, shred using two forks. Remove the bay leaf, and serve.
More soup recipes
- Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Italian Chicken And Bean Soup
- Mexican Chicken Soup Recipe
- Matzo Ball Soup
- Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Homemade Roasted Tomato Soup
- Healthy Summer Corn Chowder
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Chicken Lemon Rice Soup
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound Chicken Thighs , or breasts
- 1/3 Cup Uncooked brown rice, rinsed and drained
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Sweet Onion, diced
- 2 Carrots, diced
- 2 Stalks Celery, diced
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
- 2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Thyme, chopped
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 5 Cups Chicken Broth
- 1 Lemon, zest, and juice
- Handful Parsley, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to your taste
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon Olive Oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the 1 pound Chicken Thighs and sear for about 2-3 minutes on each side.
- Add in the 1 Sweet Onion (diced), 2 Carrots (diced), 1 Red Bell Pepper (diced), and 2 Stalks Celery (diced), and cook until tender, about 5-6 minutes.
- Add the 2 Garlic Cloves (chopped) and 1 teaspoon Thyme (chopped) and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
- Add the 5 Cups Chicken Broth, 1 Bay Leaf, and 1/3 Cup Uncooked brown rice, then bring it to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer until rice is cooked through, about 20-25 minutes. Remove the chicken and shred it using two forks.
- Return the shredded chicken to the pan and stir in the juice from 1 Lemon, zest, and a Handful Parsley. Season with salt and Salt and freshly ground pepper, to your taste, and enjoy!
Notes
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is calculated using a nutrition facts calculator. It is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
- Chicken: Use boneless or skinless chicken thighs or breasts. I love using mostly boneless breasts. Some may love keeping bone-in for added flavor.
- Rice: You may use brown or white rice. A great substitute for rice would be quinoa or shredded cauliflower to keep it keto!
- Veggies: Some other veggies to use can be broccoli, green beans, peas, and cauliflower.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’ve made this soup several times because it is delicious! Just the right amount of veggies , protein and carbs. 1 bowl leaves me full and the lemon just makes the flavors of the soup stand out even more!
Thanks for the feedback! So glad you liked it.
Best vegetable soup I have ever tasted
Thank you so much Alhan