Chicken and rice soup is a delicious variation of classic chicken noodle soup that is lemony, slightly spicy, and very aromatic. Plus, it is super warming and very simple to make!
If there is one dish I make all the time during winter, it’s chicken soup! I already shared the recipes for my chicken noodle soup and lemon chicken orzo soup that I both absolutely love.
So this time, I’m sharing the recipe for the Turkish-style chicken and rice soup that my mom loves to make for the family. It’s filled with delicious ingredients and the best Mediterranean flavors!
Chicken and Rice Soup Ingredients
To make chicken and rice soup, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Chicken drumsticks: I love to use chicken drumsticks as they have the perfect amount of bones, skin, and meat to make delicious chicken soup. But if you prefer other chicken parts, feel free to use them instead.
- Rice: You’ll need uncooked rice for this recipe. Most types of rice work here, I used a type of medium-grain white rice as that’s what I usually eat.
- Chicken broth: Chicken broth is needed for the base of the soup. Be sure to use it instead of water as it adds extra flavor to the soup.
- Onion: You’ll need yellow or white onions to make this soup taste delicious. So don’t skip them!
- Carrots: Another important ingredient is carrots. They are great for adding some extra flavor and vegetables to this chicken and rice soup!
- Olive oil and butter: Olive oil and butter are needed for the base and flavor of the soup. Butter is great for the flavor while olive oil ensures that the butter doesn’t burn while cooking.
- Flour: Flour is used for the base of the soup to make everything extra creamy. It’s key for making this Turkish-style chicken and rice soup.
- Egg: Eggs are another „secret“ ingredient that is commonly used when making this type of soup. It makes the soup extra creamy and delicious.
- Lemon: Lemon juice is used to balance the flavors and add some brightness to the soup. It’s a very typical ingredient in Mediterranean dishes. So be sure to use some fresh lemon juice.
- Red pepper flakes: Red pepper flakes add a little bit of spice. If you prefer very mild foods, you can use less or skip the red pepper flakes entirely.
- Parsley: Parsley is a fresh herb that’s often used in Turkish and Mediterranean recipes. It’s definitely needed for this soup, so don’t forget to add it.
How to make chicken and rice soup
Making chicken and rice soup is super simple! Here are the instructions:
- Sauté the onion: First, preheat some butter and olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Then sauté the onion until it turns translucent.
- Prepare the soup and let it simmer: Next, add the flour and slowly pour in the chicken broth while slowly whisking everything together. Add the chicken drumsticks, carrot, salt, and pepper. Cover the pot, bring the soup to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer and cook for around 25 minutes.
- Cook the rice and shred the chicken: Remove the chicken drumsticks from the pot and add the rice and red pepper flakes. Cover the pot and let the rice cook for around 15 minutes. In the meantime, shred the chicken.
- Whisk together the egg mixture: After the soup has finished cooking, whisk together the eggs, lemon juice, and some of the soup broth. Then add it to the soup.
- Combine and finish: Add the shredded chicken to the soup. Stir in the parsley and enjoy!
Tips & Notes
Here are a few short notes that I recommend checking out to make sure that the soup turns out perfectly!
- Use chicken with bones and skin on. The bones and skin make the soup base so much more flavorful. That’s why I highly recommend using chicken drumsticks or chicken thighs.
- Adjust the amount of lemon juice and red pepper flakes. It’s really a matter of personal preferences so I’d recommend only using as much as you like.
- If you want to make a big batch for meal prep, cook the rice separately. Even after being cooked, the rice will soak up quite a bit of liquid. So if you want to store some of the soup for later usage, I’d recommend cooking and storing the rice separately.
Variations
Here are a few delicious ways to switch up the flavor of this soup.
- Vegetables: As this chicken soup is more Mediterranean, I didn’t add vegetables like celery or leafy greens. But they would definitely be great in this soup, so feel free to add them if you want. Garlic would be another delicious addition.
- Herbs: If you want to add more herbs, you definitely can! Bay leaves, dried thyme, and rosemary would taste really good in this chicken and rice soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
I think that most people can handle the amount of heat without any problems as the soup is only moderately spicy. So if you prefer milder dishes, you can reduce the amount of red pepper flakes or omit them.
I only recommend cooking the rice separately if you want to store a few extra servings in your refrigerator or freezer for meal prep. Otherwise, I’d recommend cooking the rice with the soup as described in the recipe box.
Yes, you can. I’d recommend freezing the soup without the rice. But it also works after you’ve added the rice. Just be sure to add more chicken broth when you thaw and reheat the soup. The soup can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for 2-3 months.
More delicious and simple soup recipes
If you are looking for more soups that you can add to your cooking rotation, I recommend checking out the following recipes.
- Sweet Potato Butternut Squash Soup
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- German Potato Soup
- White Bean and Kale Soup
- Stuffed Pepper Soup
Chicken and Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 yellow onion finely diced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 carrots diced
- 1 ½ pound chicken drumsticks
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 egg beaten
- ½ lemon juiced
- 1 cup uncooked rice
- ½ - 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat some olive oil and butter in a pot over medium heat. Then sauté the onion until it turns translucent.1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 yellow onion
- Next, add in the flour and whisk. Slowly pour in the broth while continuing to whisk.2 tablespoons flour, 6 cups chicken broth
- Now add the carrots, chicken drumsticks, salt, and pepper. Cover the pot, bring the soup to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer and let everything cook for 25 minutes.2 carrots, 1 ½ pound chicken drumsticks, salt and pepper
- Remove the chicken drumsticks from the pot. Then add in the rice and red pepper flakes. Cover the pot and let the soup simmer for around 15 minutes until the rice is cooked.1 cup uncooked rice, ½ - 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- In the meantime, shred the chicken and add it back to the soup.
- Next, whisk together the egg and lemon juice in a bowl. Slowly add some soup broth to the bowl while whisking everything. Then add the egg soup mixture to the pot. Stir everything.1 egg, ½ lemon
- Stir in the chopped parsley and enjoy!2 tablespoons chopped parsley
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