Lemon Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe

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If you’re looking for a twist on your classic chicken soup or chicken and rice soup, turn to this awesome recipe. This chicken lemon rice soup is inspired by the traditional avgolemono soup that you can easily find in any Greek restaurant. Absolutely delicious and hearty but a dairy-free version of the classic, this lemon chicken rice soup is filled with tender chicken, typically chicken breasts or a whole chicken, soft rice, and zesty lemon flavor.

Whether you’re working with long grain rice or brown rice, you can make tiny tweaks to this chicken lemon rice soup recipe and make it your own. Once you learn the chicken lemon rice soup recipe, we know you’ll be wanting to make this soup tonight and every night.

How to Make Lemon Chicken and Rice Soup

This lemon chicken rice soup is a fantastic dish to cook both from scratch and using leftover chicken. The hot broth keeps you warm, the chicken and rice will fill you up, and the lemon juice in the rice soup gives it a unique tangy flavor. Learn how to make the delicious recipe below.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients: What is Lemon Chicken Rice Soup Made Of?

2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, mashed
1 1/2 cups white rice/wild rice/brown rice/arborio rice/basmati rice, uncooked
8 cups chicken broth or bone broth
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice + zest of 2 lemons
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
3/4 pound cooked boneless, skinless, rotisserie chicken breast, shredded
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Added lemon zest, optional
Parsley, optional
Fresh dill, optional
Feta cheese, optional

Chicken Lemon Rice Soup Directions

Add the olive oil to a large soup pot or dutch oven on the stove over medium-high heat.
Once the pot is hot, add the chopped onions. Sauté them for about 6-7 minutes, until the onions begin to turn translucent. Keep fire on medium heat add in the mashed garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes.
Next, add in the rice, chicken broth, thyme, and oregano, remove from medium-high heat and reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 20-25 minutes.
As the rice cooks and the soup sits, add eggs, egg yolks, lemon zest, and lemon juice to a separate bowl and whisk until fully incorporated. Set aside.
Ladle the chicken broth soup gently into the bowl with the egg mixture and slowly pour a few tablespoons at a time, constantly whisking the mixture so that the eggs don’t curdle.
After that, add the mixture to a blender and blend until nice and smooth. Then, pour the mixture back into the pot with the rest of the lemon rice soup.
Add the shredded chicken breast or whole chicken meat and salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately. Garnish with lemon slices, feta cheese, lemon zest, parsley, and dill (optional).

Cooking Tips for Lemon Chicken Rice Soup

Chicken lemon rice soup pairs well with pretty much any kind of rice. Jasmine rice and arborio rice are classic pairings, long grain white rice is a great choice if you’re looking for something fluffy and lighter, and brown rice works just as well as a health-conscious choice. Feel free to also add diced carrots into the mixture.
You can use everything from a dutch oven, deep pot, or instant pot to cook this soup recipe.
When it comes to your chicken for the chicken lemon rice soup, you can easily switch between chicken thighs, chicken breasts, or even a whole chicken depending on your preference. Drizzle olive oil to make it even juicier.
While bottled lemon juice can be used, it is best to use lemon juice from fresh lemons to get the best taste out of your lemon chicken rice soup. You can also use the extra lemon juice for your table’s water.
While best served with you’re own homemade chicken broth cooked chicken, you can also use store-bought rotisserie chicken meat and store-bought broth for this chicken lemon rice soup recipe to save on time.
For a stronger lemony flavor, add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of added lemon juice to the chicken broth of your lemon chicken rice soup recipe. You can also top with extra lemon slices.
You can easily store this chicken lemon rice soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week and freeze it for up to one month.

Final Note

Chicken soup is such a cold weather classic, but going for this lemon chicken rice soup will make it even heartier and unique. Once you make this for yourself and the family, we’re sure this will turn into one of your favorite soups to make for any meal.

Want to learn more soup recipes and rice recipes? Check out our list of recipes here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I cook rice before adding to soup?

Uncooked rice works best if you don’t want your rice to be mushy. Cooking the rice in the dish’s broth also allows for the flavor to seep into the grains.

Can you freeze avgolemono soup?

Chicken lemon rice soup can be frozen for up to one month in a freezer-safe container. Just let it thaw when you’re ready to eat it again and heat the lemon chicken rice soup up in an instant pot.

How does Gordon Ramsay make chicken soup?

Gordon Ramsay makes a great chicken noodle soup that’s classic comfort food. Find out how he makes it here.