Time–not wasted gas or energy–is the workhorse behind this soup. Simply sauté a handful of flavorful ingredients, add stock, bring to a boil, slap on the lid and turn off the heat. Walk away and when you come back, open the pot to a soup that tastes like it took hours to prepare. While optional, the Parmesan rind melts into the soup and adds a rich umami flavor. Make sure the lid is on tight though, as the rice will cook more slowly if steam is escaping.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 35 min |
| Active: | 15 min |
| Yield: | 6 to 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 medium carrots, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
- 2 leeks, halved, white and light green parts thinly sliced
- 2 cups chopped cooked skinless chicken (from a rotisserie chicken)
- 3/4 cup long-grain white rice
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 quarts low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 strips lemon peel, removed with a vegetable peeler, plus 2 tablespoons juice
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 piece Parmesan rind, optional
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- Grated Parmesan, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery and leeks and cook until the leeks begin to wilt, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken, rice and garlic and stir to coat the rice in the olive oil. Cook to toast the rice lightly, about 1 minute. Add the broth, lemon peel, bay leaves and Parmesan rind, if using. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and several grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Cover the pot tightly and turn off the heat. Let sit for 18 minutes without peeking.
- Uncover and discard the lemon peel, bay leaves and Parmesan rind, if added. Stir in the lemon juice, parsley and dill. Season with salt, if needed. Serve the soup, passing grated Parmesan at the table.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 253 |
| Total Fat | 11 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 24 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Protein | 15 g |
| Cholesterol | 29 mg |
| Sodium | 826 mg |
Reviews
Didn’t have the cheese, so I used jasmine rice, added grated fresh ginger, bay leaf and cardamom, then brightened with a dash lemon juice at the end. Best chicken soup ever.
Excellent soup and easily modifiable
So easy to make and tastes FANTASTIC! It also makes for great leftovers for lunch for work. Highly recommend.
So easy and delicious! I replaced the rice for egg noodles, and pressure cooked it in the instant pot. Came out fantastic, definitely going to be a go-to meal-prep lunch.
I made this soup Friday night and then again on Sunday. I made it for family and friends who are sick with the flu/covid and they all loved it. It’s so easy to make and really tasty. I plan on making it again this week. So that’s 3 times in a week. It’s that good.
Use good stock!
This soup is so easy to make and has so much flavour. Comfort on a cold winter day.
I made it to the recipe except I used Grana Padano instead of Parmesan. Since Grana Padano is salty I didn’t need to add any salt at the end. The hardest part of making this soup besides not peeking was finding the lemon peel to remove.
This is now my go-to chicken soup recipe!
I made it to the recipe except I used Grana Padano instead of Parmesan. Since Grana Padano is salty I didn’t need to add any salt at the end. The hardest part of making this soup besides not peeking was finding the lemon peel to remove.
This is now my go-to chicken soup recipe!
Ohmygosh this was fantastic! What a fresh soup for the middle of winter. I used part of a Costco rotisserie chicken and extra quantities of the veggies. I didn’t have any fresh dill so I used dried and added extra lemon juice. Kind of reminds me of the Greek egg and lemon soup with added veggies. Will definitely make this again. Was a big hit with all families members.
Yes – I actually made it today. I followed the recipe with one exception. I roasted an organic chicken with fresh rosemary, thyme and garlic. I used the breast from the chicken and approx. 2 cups of the broth. I toasted my rice in a separate hot pan for 3 minutes. I did use the cheese rind and simmer the soup for 10 minutes before turning the stove off. The exception I made was adding a handful of baby spinach and a handful of finely shopped Dino kale for color. It has a nice subtle flavor . A slight twist on chicken and rice soap. I would make again possibly adding a bit of fennel. The rice soaked up the broth. I may need more broth .