Description
This comforting One-Pot Chicken and Rice Soup combines bone-in chicken breasts, long-grain rice, and fresh vegetables simmered together in chicken stock for a hearty, flavorful meal. Enhanced with lemon juice and fresh parsley, this easy-to-make soup is perfect for chilly days and can be prepared quickly in under an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein
- 2 bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed (1 to 1 1/2 pounds)
Grains
- 1 cup long-grain white rice, like basmati
Vegetables
- 2 celery ribs, diced small
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced small
- 1 onion, diced small
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled but left whole
Seasonings & Liquids
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 quarts unsalted or low-sodium chicken stock
- Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
- Chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Instructions
- Assemble the soup and bring to a simmer: Combine the chicken breasts, rice, diced celery, carrots, onions, whole garlic cloves, salt, and black pepper in a large pot. Pour in the chicken stock and heat over high until it reaches a boil. Then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Simmer for about 25 minutes: While simmering, skim off any foam that rises to the surface using a spoon. Continue to cook until the rice and vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through, approximately 25 minutes. Remove the pot from heat.
- Shred the chicken and make the garlic paste: Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the chicken breasts and garlic cloves from the pot. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and shred it finely with two forks, discarding the bones. Smash the garlic cloves into a smooth paste against a cutting board with a fork or the flat of a knife. Stir both the shredded chicken and garlic paste back into the soup.
- Season and serve: Stir in the lemon juice and taste the soup. Adjust salt or lemon juice as needed to achieve a rich, lightly salty flavor with a bright hint of lemon. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving. Store leftovers refrigerated for up to one week or freeze for up to three months.
Notes
- This one-pot chicken and rice soup is a wonderfully simple and quick meal option, ready in under an hour.
- Use bone-in chicken breasts for richer flavor and tender meat that shreds easily.
- Skimming foam during cooking helps keep the broth clear and clean tasting.
- Adjust the lemon juice and salt to your preference for perfect balance.
- Leftovers freeze well and make for convenient future meals.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (approximately)
- Calories: 160 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 878 mg
- Fat: 2 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 62 mg
