Description
A bright, comforting one-pot chicken and rice soup infused with fresh dill and lemon. It’s faster than takeout, uses simple pantry staples, and delivers a zesty, restaurant-quality flavor in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large lemon (zested and juiced)
- 1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half (optional)
- 1–2 bay leaves
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Dice the onion, carrots, and celery. Mince the garlic, chop the fresh dill, and zest/juice the lemon.
- Melt butter in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery; sauté for 5 minutes until soft.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Add chicken thighs to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and sear for 2-3 minutes per side to brown.
- Pour in chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pot to release browned bits. Add bay leaves.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in uncooked rice, cover, and simmer for another 15 minutes until rice is tender and chicken reaches 165°F.
- Remove chicken from pot, shred or chop into bite-sized pieces, and stir back into the soup.
- Remove bay leaves. Turn off heat and stir in heavy cream (if using), lemon zest, lemon juice, and fresh dill.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with crusty bread or crackers.
Notes
Add lemon juice and fresh dill only after turning off the heat to preserve their bright flavor. If using rotisserie chicken, skip the browning step and add shredded chicken in the final step. Rice continues to cook after heat is removed, so remove from heat slightly before it looks fully done if you prefer softer rice. For leftovers, add a splash of broth or water when reheating as the rice will absorb liquid.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 28
Keywords: chicken and rice soup, one pot meal, quick dinner, lemon dill soup, weeknight dinner, comfort food, healthy soup