This easy chicken and rice soup is a comforting and delicious one-pot meal loaded with tender vegetables, chicken and a flavorful broth that the whole family will love! Makes the perfect soup recipe for chilly weather!
2teaspoonschopped fresh thyme , or 3/4 teaspoon ground thyme (more to taste)
1 Tablespoonfresh lemon juice, more to taste
¼teaspoonsalt, plus more to taste
¼teaspoonground black pepper, plus more to taste
¾cuplong grain rice
2 ½cupscooked chicken breast
Instructions
In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté about 3 minutes and stir in the garlic. Sauté until the onions are translucent.
Stir in the chicken broth, water, thyme, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Bring the soup to a boil and turn the heat to medium-low. Add the rice and cover pot with a lid. Simmer 10 20 minutes, or until the the rice is almost cooked through. Stir in the chicken. Add more lemon juice, thyme, salt, and pepper, if needed. Cook just until the rice is tender.
Remove soup from heat. Serve while hot.
Notes
Rice: Check the rice packaging that you are using for cook time and adjust cooking time accordingly, you do not want to overcook it. If using brown rice, it will take about 35 to 45 minutes to cook.Cooked rice: If using leftover rice, add in the last minute of cooking and use 1 cup less broth. Storage: The soup will keep up to 3 days in the refrigerator if stored in an airtight container. After sitting overnight, it will absorb more liquid and thicken up a bit. So feel free to add another can of broth if needed when reheating.Freeze: When freezing this soup, I'd recommend leaving out the rice. It has a tendency to get mushy in the freezer. When reheating, simply prepare the rice separately and then mix it in right before serving.