One-Pot Lemon Chicken Rice Soup (Printable)

Zesty one-pot soup with tender chicken, rice, and colorful vegetables in 50 minutes

# What You Need:

→ Protein

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 12.3 oz), diced

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
03 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
04 - 1 small yellow onion, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 cups packed baby spinach
07 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon

→ Grains

08 - 2/3 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed

→ Liquids

09 - 5.5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 2 cups water

→ Herbs & Seasonings

11 - 1 bay leaf
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish

→ Fats

16 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add diced chicken and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned but not fully cooked through.
04 - Add rice, bay leaf, thyme, and oregano. Stir to combine.
05 - Pour in chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 18 to 20 minutes until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through.
06 - Discard bay leaf. Stir in spinach, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until spinach wilts.
07 - Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Stir in fresh parsley.
08 - Serve hot, garnished with extra parsley and lemon slices if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in a single pot, which means you'll actually want to make it on a weeknight instead of ordering takeout.
  • The lemon juice hits at the very end, making the whole bowl taste alive and refreshing rather than creamy and sleepy.
  • Tender chicken and fluffy rice cook together without any fussing or timing stress.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice because excess starch makes the soup cloudy and gluey instead of clean and brothiness.
  • Add the lemon juice at the very end, not during cooking, because heat diminishes its brightness and you lose what makes this soup special.
03 -
  • Taste the broth before adding chicken because some store-bought versions are already salty, and you don't want to oversalt the finished soup.
  • The secret is not overcooking the spinach because even 30 seconds too long makes it turn dark and bitter instead of bright green and tender.
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