Chicken Lemon Rice Soup
By Sammi Brondo — May 13, 2026
The winter we’ve been having in the Northeast this year has been crazy.
I always love when it snows. To me, if it’s going to be cold, it might as well snow. Then at least I can enjoy the cold and outdoors with my kids. And it’s pretty.
But this winter? No thank you. This is just a little *too* much snow for me.
The first few were fun. But by the last one, I was ready for spring.
And now with a blizzard at the end of February, my head is spinning. Food-wise, I’m sick of traditional comfort food (need a serious break from lasagna), but also not craving a cold salad either.
It’s unusual for me to create a new soup recipe so late into winter, but here we are. I really wanted something that satisfied exactly what I was in the mood for: something nourishing, hearty, and comforting, but also bright and light at the same time (one can dream of warmer days, right?!).
This Chicken Lemon Rice Soup has got it all. It’s totally hearty and comforting, thanks to classic soup favorites like chicken, rice, and mirepoix.
The lemon and dill keep it bright and dare I say almost give it spring vibes.
And as far as nutrition goes, this really has everything you need: it’s rich in protein, full of fiber and antioxidants, and of course, packed with flavor.
This recipe also uses beans mixed in with the broth to add a little creaminess. While I have this Chicken & Wild Rice Soup (LINK) that uses cream, I wanted a dairy-free version too that was equally as creamy.
Not only do the beans give the broth a little more texture, but they also add more protein and fiber to the soup to make it even more filling.
Pair this with toasted sourdough or pita to dip. Get nice and cozy to eat it while we all pray for warmer, snow-free days ahead 🙂
Prep ingredients
Preheat the oven to 425 F.
Cook mirepoix
In a large stock pot, add the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté until soft, about 5-8 minutes.
Blend the beans
Add 1 cup of the broth to a blender with the beans. Blend until smooth.
Add to the pot
Add to the stockpot with the onion, carrots, and celery.
Pour broth and rice
Next, add the remaining 5 cups of broth to the pot, along with the rice. Stir and cover. Bring to a boil and then let simmer, covered, for about 25-30 minutes, until the rice has cooked.
Add chicken and dill
Remove the lid and add the chicken, lemon juice, fresh dill, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Cook for another 5 minutes over medium heat, until everything is well combined and warmed through.
Garnish
Garnish with lemon and fresh dill.
Dip and serve
Serve Chicken Lemon Rice Soup with toasted sourdough or pita bread. Enjoy!
Chicken Lemon Rice Soup Notes
- Olive oil: Olive oil is my go to, but you can always use any other neutral high heat oil of your choosing, like avocado oil.
- Mirepoix: Don’t feel like chopping your carrots, celery, and onion? Try a pre-cut mirepoix.
- Vegetable broth: Both vegetable broth and chicken broth will work well in this recipe!
- Beans: I used half a can of white beans blended with the broth to add creaminess to this soup. You can omit it completely if you’d prefer the soup without. Or for a creamier broth, add more beans to blend with the vegetable broth. Any white bean will work!
- Wild rice: To me, chicken and wild rice pair so nicely together in soup. You can use other types of rice too though – try white rice or brown rice.
- Chicken: Using rotisserie chicken helps to make this recipe really easy and quick. Store the rest of the rotisserie chicken in the fridge to eat plain or for another use.
- Lemon: Don’t skimp on the lemon! Plenty of fresh lemon gives this soup its bright flavor to really make it a chicken lemon rice soup.
- Dill: Dill also adds brightness and so much delicious flavor to this soup. Make sure to add some to garnish too.
- Storage: Soup is amazing because it stores so well both in the fridge and freezer. Store this soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 white onion finely diced
- 2 large carrots diced
- 3 sticks celery diced
- 6 cups vegetable broth divided
- 1/2 15- ounce can white beans
- 3/4 cup dry wild rice
- Rotisserie chicken breast about 3 cups roughly chopped
- 2 lemons juiced
- 1 tightly packed tablespoon fresh dill
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- In a large stock pot, add the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and sauté until soft, about 5-8 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of the broth to a blender with the beans. Blend until smooth. Add to the stockpot with the onion, carrots, and celery.
- Add the remaining 5 cups of broth to the pot, along with the rice. Stir and cover. Bring to a boil and then let simmer, covered, for about 25-30 minutes, until the rice has cooked.
- Remove the lid and add the chicken, lemon juice, fresh dill, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Cook for another 5 minutes over medium heat, until everything is well combined and warmed through.
