Lemon Chicken Rice Soup

When it comes to soup, the most requested one in our house usually involves chicken, rice and lemon. There are so many variations I’ve made using this combination of ingredients but I think we’ve found one we’re going to stick to from now on. This Lemon Chicken & Rice Soup is full of flavor and so easy to make… in less than 30 minutes! And with only a few pantry staples, it’s a soup you can make any time…

My husband isn’t picky per se, but when it comes to soup, he has a definite preference. It’s always something with chicken, rice and lemon – in that order. This soup brings together those ingredients nicely with a slightly creamy broth. In fact, it’s very much like the Greek avgolemono (egg & lemon) soup. The addition of egg yolks adds a nice richness to the soup, almost velvety in texture. Feel free to switch things up by adding your choice of other vegetables aside from carrots (peas would be a nice choice).

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt & pepper to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, minced
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 medium carrot, diced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 cup long grain rice, cooked
4 large egg yolks
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Prep the chicken by patting dry and dicing into bite sized pieces. Season as desired and set aside.

In a dutch oven over medium high heat add oil. Add the onions and cook until the onions are translucent. Then add the chicken to the pot and cook until lightly browned. Add the broth to the pan and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits.

Add the carrots, thyme, and rice. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the lemon juice and yolks together in a bowl. Whisking constantly, gradually ladle 1 cup of the hot soup into the egg mixture, then stir the egg mixture back into the soup. Reheat over low heat for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with a garnish of fresh parsley.