Things I want you to know about healing chicken and rice soup: it is limey, salty, and so fresh. It’s super satisfying thanks to juicy and garlic-ginger-infused chicken thighs and tender jasmine rice, and it can be (read: should be) loaded with fresh herbs and peanuts and more lime juice.
Knock on wood, but when you have a head cold, this will feel like an extremely delicious medical miracle. (*not a doctor, prone to exaggeration.*) I am convinced that it’s healing and happy for the body, and the soul, and people who like a lot of flavor in their life.
So Many Fresh and Healing Ingredients
It starts with the standard comforts of chicken and rice, but also includes:
- Ginger. So much ginger.
- Garlic and shallots. Just the right amount of potency.
- A turmeric dusting.
- Salty broth.
- A handful of spinach.
- Excessive amounts of lime juice.
- A lil pile of fresh mint and cilantro.
- Peanuts for crunch.
It’s savory but also bright. Warm and cozy, but refreshing. Super extra healthy, but comfort food. Plus, it’s golden and beautiful-looking.
How To Make This Chicken and Rice Soup Happen
It’s incredibly easy to bring this all together! Here’s what going down…
- Sauté a little garlic, ginger, and shallots in a soup pot.
- Add your chicken and spices to the pot until the chicken thighs brown. Set those aside.
- Add in your spinach until it shrinks down and set that aside.
- Add your rice and broth to the pot. Let that cook until the rice is tender.
- Shred your chicken and add it (along with your spinach) back in with everything.
- Splash a bit of soy sauce, lime juice, and fish sauce, and finish with a lil’ fresh herb treatment on top.
Let’s Get The Rice Texture Just Right
To avoid sad, mushy rice in your soup, jasmine rice is key. Make sure to add that in near the end with the broth and cook just until the rice gets soft, maybe 15-20 minutes. It’s best to not walk away from your stove in this case just so you can keep an eye on things.
How To Store Leftovers
Leftovers? But how?? You didn’t stand over the stove eating this by the ladle-full before it even made its way to the kitchen table? Just us then, okay. You can store any soup leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. The rice will likely absorb a lot of the broth as it sits in your fridge, so you may just need to add a bit more when you go to rewarm it.
Thanks to all its nutrition and big flavor and healing whole food ingredients, it is a cold-weather (and head-cold) essential. Garlic, ginger, and lime juice? These three can make it all right again. ♡
Healing Chicken and Rice Soup: FAQs
You can! Details can be found in the recipe notes.
Just toss any leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container. Of note, this soup will absorb liquid as it rests (thanks, rice). So your leftovers may need some more water or chicken broth added to soup it all up again.
Yes! Try 6 minutes on high pressure in the Instant Pot and use the quick release function. Top with herbs once the soup finishes cooking!
Yes! Have some pulled rotisserie chicken from earlier this week? Great! Use that in place of chicken thighs here. Have a box of takeout rice in the depths of your fridge? Toss that in the soup! You’ve got options that’ll work great.
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Healing Chicken and Rice Soup
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Total Time: 50 minutes -
Yield: 4-6 servings
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
Healing Chicken and Rice Soup that is limey, salty, and so fresh! Garlic-ginger-infused broth, shredded chicken thighs, tender jasmine rice, fresh herbs, and peanuts. YUM.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2-inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 3–4 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 6–8 cups chicken broth
- juice of 4 limes (about 1/4 cup, plus more to taste)
- a splash of soy sauce or fish sauce (optional)
- fresh herbs for topping (mint, basil, cilantro)
- peanuts or cashews for topping
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and shallots. Sauté for 3-5 minutes.
- Add the chicken thighs. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and turmeric. Cook, undisturbed, for a few minutes. (Add 1/4 cup water to the pan to create a little steam bath if it’s getting too browned on the bottom.) Flip and repeat until cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Add spinach and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the pan. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until wilted. Remove spinach and set aside.
- Add rice to the pan. Sauté for 1-2 minutes so it picks up all the good pan flavors. Add 6 cups broth and bring to a simmer.
- While the rice is cooking, shred the chicken.
- When the rice is soft, add chicken and spinach back to the pan. Season with lime juice, soy sauce / fish sauce, and fresh herbs. Add extra broth as needed. YUM.
Notes
I like to hold onto the herbs until just before serving, so I kept them separate and arranged a little herb salad atop each bowl of soup.
Freezer Meal Version
Freeze Together:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2-inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
6 cups chicken broth
juice of 4 limes (about 1/4 cup, plus more to taste)
Instant Pot Instructions: High pressure 13 mins + 10 mins natural release
Slow Cooker Instructions: High setting 6 hours (thaw first)
Final Step: Shred chicken and add 1 cup jasmine rice. Use sauté function with lid off, and cook for 15 minutes until rice is cooked. Stir in 3 cups spinach and a splash of soy sauce or fish sauce. Serve with fresh herbs (mint and basil), and crushed peanuts.
Check out our full freezer meal posts with all recipes and instructions here!
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
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Cook Time: 30 minutes
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Category: Dinner
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Method: Sauté
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Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Keywords: soup recipe, chicken and rice soup, turmeric recipe, healthy soup recipe, superfoods soup, detox soup
More Healthy Soups We Love
- Best Detox Crockpot Lentil Soup (so good with some warm, crusty bread for dunking)
- Spicy Instant Pot Carrot Soup (just a little bit of zing!)
- Clean Eating Instant Pot Summer Soup (so comforting and fresh)
Time To Show You Off!
One More Thing!
This recipe is part of our collection of best healthy fall recipes. Check it out!
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