Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken & Rice Soup is the ultimate comfort food. Tender chicken, healthy veggies, and chewy rice finished with a bright, lemony twist make this a true one-pot wonder. This easy dish is like a warm hug in a bowl!
**This is an updated and improved version of a recipe originally posted in May 2020
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To make this delicious recipe, you will need these simple ingredients:
- boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- carrots chopped
- celery chopped
- onion chopped
- rosemary fresh or dried
- thyme fresh or dried
- bay leaf
- sage
- chicken stock
- garlic minced
- fresh pepper
- long grain brown rice
- fresh lemon juice
- lemon zest
🔪Instructions
This great recipe involves just a few simple steps:
Preparing Your Slow Cooker
Prepare your slow cooker by coating it with a non-stick agent. Any nonstick cooking spray or oil will work. Olive oil and avocado oil are my go-to coatings. While this step is less important with soup that some other recipes, clean up will still be easier.
NOTE: some slow cooker inserts come with a nonstick surface. Use of a non-stick agent is still suggested. However, oil is sometimes recommended rather than spray to protect the longevity of the non-stick surface. Check your slow cooker's manual if you have any concerns.
Alternatively, you can choose to use a slow cooker liner.
Cooking
- 🍋 To a greased slow cooker, add all ingredients other than bay leaf and fresh herbs (if using).
- 🍋 Gently lay bay leaves and fresh thyme sprigs/rosemary sprigs (if using) on top of slow cooker contents.
- 🍋 Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours
- 🍋Once chicken is cooked through, use tongs to gently remove and discard bay leaves (and any fresh herb sprigs)
- 🍋Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred
- 🍋Stir shredded chicken back into the slow cooker along with lemon juice and zest.
🥣Serving suggestions
- This delicious crock pot chicken and rice soup is really a full meal on its own. A side of warm, crusty bread is a perfect pairing with the hot broth.
- A crisp garden salad is also a great way to round out this cozy meal.
- OR try it with a warm veggie side dish. Whole cauliflower dijon and maple vanilla carrots are great choices to accompany with this easy chicken soup.
- This crockpot chicken soup is the perfect soup-and-a-sandwich soup. Grilled cheese and BLT's both complement this lemon rice soup wonderfully!
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🔄Substitutions
- The rice in the soup can get a bit mushy while cooking. We like it that way! If you prefer firm rice, use 100% wild rice (not a wild rice blend). This will change the flavor to be more of a wild rice soup. However, the rice will remain much firmer during the slow cooking process.
- Another way to ensure rice grains stay firm is to use already-cooked rice. Stir cooked rice into your soup about 15 minutes before serving. You can use a homemade rice recipe or microwavable rice (do not cook first). If you are a fan of white rice, this is the way to go!
- Chicken thighs and bone-in chicken pieces can be used in places of chicken breasts.
- Add chopped fresh dill during the last 30 minutes of cooking to vary the flavor profile.
- Not a fan of rice in your soup? Try chicken noodle soup, chicken tortilla soup, or chicken barley soup instead!
Storing
Store leftovers of this crock pot chicken lemon soup in an airtight container or zipper top bag. They will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer.
Note
The rice in this soup will continue to absorb liquid as it sits. Freezing will make the rice even mushier. If this is a concern for you, cook as instructed without rice. Remove some soup for the last hour of cooking and add cooked rice to each portion as desired.
💜Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Simple to make: This comforting soup is incredibly easy to make. Just toss the ingredients into your slow cooker and let it work its magic
- One bowl meal: Packed with chicken, vegetables, and rice, this soup is a stand-alone dish.
- Deliciousness: The lemon and herbs in this dish take it to the next level.
- Prep in advance: This soup makes a large batch. It is ideal for meal prepping or feeding a crowd.
😉Hints & hacks
- There are a lot of different opinions regarding the best way to shred chicken. Some people prefer to use a potato masher while others use the beaters of a handheld mixer. This slow cooker chicken will be so tender it will be easy to shred with two forks (my preferred method)
- I always recommend the use of a slow cooker liner. Of course, this is an optional step. I like to purchase my liners in bulk for a less expensive per-piece price.
- In the market for a new slow cooker? I love mine!
- Minute rice, instant rice, and white standard rice should not be used in this recipe.
- This is a great dish if your people will be eating at different times. After the cooking time, turn your slow cooker to low and everyone can have a warm and filling meal, no matter what time they are ready to eat.
- Always check to ensure your slow cooker is plugged in and turned on! There is nothing more disappointing than coming home to a cold crockpot! 😏
📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Rice Soup
(Click on the stars to leave a rating)
Print Pin Rate SaveAll nutrition information shown here is automatically generated and should be considered an estimate. If you follow a specific diet, please calculate your own values to ensure accuracy.
Equipment
- Mixing Spoon
- 2 forks (or other equipment for preferred method of shredding chicken)
Ingredients
- 2 -3 lg chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- 2 carrots chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1½ tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon dried ground rosemary alternative: 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme alternative: 2 fresh thyme sprigs
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup brown long grain rice
- 2 lemons juice of 2 lemons and zest of one lemon
Instructions
- place 2 -3 lg chicken breasts, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 1 medium onion, 1½ tablespoon garlic1 cup brown long grain rice into a greased slow cooker.
- add 1 teaspoon dried sage, ½ teaspoon dried ground rosemary, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, and ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- pour in 8 cups chicken stock and stir to combine
- Place 2 bay leaves (and fresh rosemary/thyme if using in place of dried) on top and cover.
- cook 6-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high
- prior to serving, carefully remove bay leaves (and rosemary/thyme sprigs) and discard.
- remove chicken breasts from soup, shred with two forks, and return to pot. Stir to fully mix
- add lemon juice and zest and cook for an additional 15-30 minutes
Final Step
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Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information shown here is automatically generated and should be considered an estimate. If you follow a specific diet, please calculate your own values to ensure accuracy.
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JULIE lennert says
I am going to cook the Lemon, slow cooker, chicken soup RIGHT NOW! I've been looking for a Greek Chicken, Lemon & rice soup. Can I substitute Reeses WILD RICE for the brown rice. The possibility of " mushy of rice would be reduced. Think I'll try this and let You and others know the outcome. Soooooooo...HERE I GO !!! LOVE LOVE ALL YOUR INFO!!! GOD BLESS......MS. JULES
The Lazy Slow Cooker says
Wild rice is a great idea! Please let us know how it goes.
And...thank you so much for kind words and support!
💙💜💚
Jim says
My fams fav recipe!
The Lazy Slow Cooker says
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to share.