Creamy Chicken Lemon Rice Soup is one of those recipes I keep coming back to, again and again. It uses ingredients I almost always have on hand and comes together in one pot. It’s the perfect comfort dish for a chilly day.
I have officially perfected chicken and rice soup to make it exactly how I like it. Using chicken sausage instead of chicken breast means you skip a whole step of shredding and seasoning. And I love to adding eggs to make the broth nice and creamy!
It’s also a genuinely nourishing bowl of soup! The chicken provides plenty of protein, the kale adds a boost of greens, and the eggs add a creaminess to the broth without needing heavy cream. It took me a few batches to get the tempering step just right (more on that below), but once you’ve done it once, it becomes second nature.
If you’re after more cosy soup recipes, you’ll want to check out my Chicken Sausage and White Bean Stew. It uses a similar combination of chicken sausage, broth and kale. I also have a whole collection of 30+ healthy soup recipes if you’re looking for more inspiration this soup season!
Everything You Need to Make Chicken Lemon Rice Soup
This chicken lemon rice soup uses simple ingredients that you can find at any grocery store. I’ve listed everything below along with any substitution notes. You can find the full ingredient quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- extra virgin olive oil – used to sauté the vegetables and brown the sausage.
- brown onion and celery – these form the flavour base of the soup. You can swap the brown onion for a white onion if that’s what you have.
- chicken sausages – I like to remove the sausage meat from its casing rather than using chicken mince. Chicken sausage meat is already well seasoned and adds a lot of flavour. If you can’t find chicken sausages, chicken mince works too, just add a little extra salt and pepper.
- garlic – you will need 4 cloves, minced. If using jarred minced garlic, use 1 teaspoon per clove called for.
- chicken stock – use a good quality stock or broth here as it makes up most of the soup’s flavour. Homemade stock, like my Easy Low FODMAP Chicken Broth, works really well.
- medium grain white rice – this is what gives the soup its comforting, hearty texture. Arborio rice would also work well as a substitute. If all you have is long grain rice, feel free to use it.
- eggs and fresh lemon juice – whisked together and tempered into the broth, these are what give this soup its classic silky texture and bright, tangy flavour. This is the most important step, so make sure to read the tips below before you get started.
- Tuscan kale – also known as cavolo nero or lacinato kale. You can swap for curly kale or baby spinach if that’s what you have on hand.
- spices – I use finely ground sea salt and white pepper to season the soup. White pepper has a milder flavour than black pepper but you can use black pepper if you prefer.
- fresh dill – adds a lovely fresh, herby finish to the soup. Other fresh herbs like fresh parsley or cilantro would work, too.
Tips for Making the Best Chicken Lemon Rice Soup
This lemon chicken rice soup really is quite simple to make, but there are a few key tips to help you get that classic silky texture right every time.
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- break up the sausage meat as it browns – use a spatula to break the sausage into small pieces as it cooks so it’s evenly distributed throughout the soup rather than in large clumps.
- simmer the rice until tender before adding the eggs – this is important, as the rice needs to be fully cooked before you move onto the next step.
- temper the eggs before adding them to the pot – whisk the eggs and lemon juice together first, then slowly whisk in about ¼ cup of the hot soup liquid before pouring the egg and lemon mixture back into the pot. This gently raises the temperature of the eggs so they don’t scramble in the hot broth.
- don’t let the soup boil after adding the eggs – once the tempered eggs are stirred through, keep the heat low. If it boils, the eggs can split and the broth will look curdled.
- stir often while the soup thickens – this helps the egg mixture combine evenly into the broth for that lovely silky consistency.
- add the kale last – stir it through right at the end and let it wilt gently in the residual heat of the soup.
- taste and adjust the seasoning – depending on how salty your stock and sausages are, you may want to add a little extra salt, pepper or lemon juice at the end to balance the flavours.
Storage
This lemon chicken soup with rice will continue to absorb liquid the longer it sits, so I think the soup is best the day it’s made, though it’s still delicious the next day. Leftovers will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat gently on the stovetop over a low heat, stirring often, and add a splash of stock or water or stock/broth if the soup has thickened. Or, heat it up in the microwave for ease! I don’t recommend freezing this soup, as the texture of the egg-thickened broth doesn’t hold up well once thawed.
Creamy Chicken Lemon Rice Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large brown onion, peeled and finely diced
- 3 sticks celery, diced
- 500 grams chicken sausages
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 2/3 cup medium grain white rice
- 3 eggs, whisked
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 2 stalks Tuscan kale, finely sliced
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper, finely ground
- ½ teaspoon finely ground sea salt
To serve
- Fresh dill
Instructions
- Bring a large pot or Dutch oven to a medium heat. Add the olive oil and then the diced onions and celery. Sauté until the onions are translucent.
- Push the sausage meat out from its casing and add it to the pan. Use a spatula to break the sausage meat up as it browns. Once browned, add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant.
- Add the chicken stock and rice and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then turn to a low heat. Taste and season with salt and white pepper. Simmer until the rice is tender.
- Add the lemon juice to the eggs and whisk to combine. To temper the eggs, add about ¼ cup of the soup liquid to the eggs and whisk to combine. Pour into the soup and stir to combine. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until thickened. Be careful not to let the soup boil as it will separate.
- Add the finely sliced kale to the soup and continue simmering to wilt the kale. Turn off the heat.
- Serve warm topped with dill.
Notes
- Nutrition facts are an estimate only.
- Tempering the eggs slowly is the key step in this recipe, don’t rush it or the eggs may scramble in the hot broth.
- Once the eggs have been added, avoid letting the soup return to a boil.
- Leftover rice will continue to soak up liquid in the fridge, so you may need to loosen the soup with a splash of extra stock when reheating.
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