This lemon chicken rice soup is made with fresh vegetables, tender chicken, hearty rice, herbaceous seasonings, and a touch of lemon for brightness. Nourishing and made with anti-inflammatory ingredients, it’s great for using up leftovers and comes together in one pot on the stovetop in an hour, making for the perfect, easy, feel-good comfort food!
If there’s one soup I’ve made on repeat this year, it’s this Lemony Chicken Soup. It became my ultimate feel-better bowl—light, fresh, nourishing, and definitely not your typical chicken noodle situation. It’s brighter, a little lighter, and just hits differently thanks to the lemon and basil.
I started making it because it was the only thing I could consistently stomach in my first trimester. The lemon and lemon zest in this soup really helped ease my nausea. Breakfast? Yep. Lunch, dinner, late-night—this soup carried me through. It’s gentle, simple to make, anti-inflammatory (thank you, little pinch of turmeric), and perfect when you need something that’s comforting without feeling heavy. This soup just makes you feel good.
And honestly? I think it’ll become your new go-to all season long—pregnant, sick, or totally healthy.
My Top Tips Before You Begin
- Use what you have on hand. Although this is a lemon chicken and “rice soup,” you can easily swap in another gluten-free grain or small-shaped pasta. I’ve used arborio rice and gluten-free orzo with great results. Just adjust the broth as needed. If you prefer something lighter and a bit higher in protein, use cooked, fluffed quinoa. White quinoa works best here because it has the mildest flavor and lightest texture. So, it blends into the lemony broth without overpowering the soup.
- Use freshly cooked or day-old rice differently. Freshly cooked rice makes the soup lighter and more brothy. Day-old rice soaks up broth more quickly, giving you a thicker, heartier texture. Both are great. Just adjust the amount of broth used accordingly.
- A pinch of turmeric goes a long way. Turmeric adds a subtle golden color and brings gentle anti-inflammatory support thanks to curcumin. You don’t taste it much here. It just rounds out the broth and gives the soup a little extra “feel-good” boost.
- Don’t skip the lemon zest. Zest adds the aromatic, “lemony” flavor even more than the juice. If you like a stronger lemon profile, increase the zest before adding more juice.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details!
- Olive Oil – This helps sauté the veggies, adding flavor along with good-for-you omega fatty acids.
- Veggies – Yellow onion, celery, and carrots form a mirepoix mix, creating a savory base. Then, I include garlic for extra flavor.
- Herbs and Spices – Dried basil, dried oregano, salt, pepper, and bay leaves infuse the broth with a delicious herbaceous taste. I also like to add turmeric powder for a bit of a zing, but it’s optional.
Nutrition Note: A small pinch of turmeric adds antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits, and the black pepper helps your body absorb it more easily!
- Chicken Bouillon – This gives the broth lots of rich, chicken flavor without the need to boil a chicken for hours.
- Chicken Stock – This forms the base of the broth. I recommend using low-sodium stock, so you have better control over the saltiness of the dish.
- Cooked Chicken – I like to use leftover shredded chicken or Instant Pot whole chicken. Or, I pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store as a shortcut! Really, any cooked chicken breast or thighs will do. Just make sure it’s not overly seasoned and cut or shredded into small pieces.
- Cooked Rice – Long-grain white rice (jasmine or basmati) works best, but short-grain rice will also work if you prefer a slightly thicker/creamier texture. I’ve used both! For a lighter, higher-protein option, use cooked white quinoa instead.
Note: Avoid cauliflower rice, which tends to water down the soup, and large pasta doesn’t distribute well, making the soup feel heavy and unbalanced.
- Lemon – I use both lemon juice and lemon zest to add brightness to the soup.
How to Make Lemon Chicken Rice Soup
Be sure to cook your rice or quinoa and chicken before you begin. This recipe comes together quickly. So, you’ll want to have everything nearby and ready to go!
- Sauté the veggies. Heat the oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, and sauté the onions until translucent. Then, add the carrots, celery, and garlic, and cook until fragrant.
- Season. Next, stir in the dried basil, oregano, turmeric (if using), salt, and pepper, and cook for at least 30 seconds to let the spices bloom and coat the vegetables.
Flavor Tip– Blooming the spices wakes up the flavor: Heat releases the natural oils in spices, making them more aromatic and flavorful. Which is very important for a simple soup recipe such as this.
- Simmer. Add the chicken stock and bouillon, and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer. Add the bay leaf, partially cover the pot, and continue to simmer to develop the flavors.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Stir in the cooked chicken and cooked rice or quinoa, and simmer to heat everything through.
- Finish. Remove the bay leaf, and stir in the lemon zest, fresh basil, and lemon juice.
Note: Use fresh basil as a finishing herb. Basil loses its sweetness when simmered too long. Adding it at the very end keeps the flavor fresh and bright!
- Serve. Season to taste, portion into bowls, and enjoy! Note – This soup will naturally continue to thicken as it cools and the rice absorbs more liquid. If it becomes too thick for your liking, simply stir in additional broth when reheating or before serving.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
If possible, I recommend storing the grains and broth separately. Rice, gluten-free orzo, or quinoa will continue to soak up all the broth, becoming mushy and leaving your soup super thick.
That said, once combined, leftover lemon chicken rice soup will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. I don’t recommend freezing leftovers once the soup is combined.
To serve, reheat individual portions in the microwave, or warm a large batch in a pot over low heat on the stove. The soup tends to thicken in the fridge. So, add a splash of broth as needed, along with a little fresh basil or parsley and lemon juice just before serving to brighten the flavor back up.
My Favorite Pairings
You can’t have soup without bread! I love to pair this lemon chicken soup with a side of my vegan gluten-free bread or easy gluten-free rolls to help soak up all the broth. It’s also great with my multiseed homemade healthy crackers.
Then, if cooking for a crowd, I often add a strawberry rhubarb salad, Caesar-style tomato salad, or kale pear goat cheese salad, too.
More of Our Favorite
Gluten-Free Chicken Soup Recipes
Lemon Chicken Rice Soup Recipe
Print PinIngredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil + more as needed
- ½ yellow onion diced (¾–1 cup)
- 2 stalks celery diced (1 cup)
- 2 carrots diced (¾–1 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic minced (1 ½–2 teaspoons)
- ¾ –1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Pinch of ground turmeric optional
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- Coarse black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
- 5 –6 cups chicken stock*
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 –2 ½ cups cooked chicken shredded or diced
- 2 cups cooked rice – e.g Long-grain white rice see note for tips/substitutions
- 2 –3 teaspoons lemon zest
- 2 –3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 5 fresh basil leaves sliced (chiffonade)
- Optional: chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- If using uncooked rice or quinoa, cook it before starting the soup.
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven pot over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 1–2 minutes.
- Add carrots, celery, and garlic; cook for another 1–2 minutes.
- Stir in the dried basil, oregano, turmeric (if using), salt, and pepper, and cook for another minute or so to let the spices bloom and coat the vegetables.
- Add chicken stock and bouillon; bring to a gentle simmer. *Start with 5 cups broth and adjust to desired thickness once rice has been added (later).
- Add bay leaf. Partially cover and simmer for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
- After 30 minutes, uncover the pot and stir in the cooked chicken and cooked rice or quinoa. Simmer on low for 5 minutes to warm everything through and let the flavors blend. Remove bay leaf.
- Remove from heat, stir in lemon zest and fresh basil. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice; taste and adjust with more if needed.
- Season to taste. Garnish with parsley (optional) before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This soup thickens as it cools because the rice continues to absorb the broth. When reheating, add extra broth or water to loosen it back to your preferred consistency.
Love love love this chicken soup. Super yummy, easy to make and kids approved. Will definitely keep this one in my recipe bank.
I’m so glad! Thank you for sharing and rating! Love that’s it’s kid approved too!