This creamy chicken soup with rice is not your average soup. I was craving something homely and satisfying for a cool front that came through Dallas and decided on something with chicken. I did not want the usual chicken soup, so I opted for a creamy version with one distinct ingredient–preserved lemon. Preserved lemon is a “lemon pickle” used in many Moroccan and Middle Eastern dishes. It adds a great zip of lemony acidity that helps balance out the soup.
This creamy chicken soup with rice is pretty straightforward and quick. What made it even quicker was the shortcut of buying a rotisserie chicken from the store. For the base, I made a roux–equal parts flour and butter and then added my veggies, preserved lemon, milk, stock, and rice. I used wild rice, but any rice can be used. Swiss chard was added after the rice cooked and then in went the chicken.
Creamy Chicken Soup Recipe
Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 1 cup yellow onions, diced
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 2 teaspoons preserved lemon, diced finely
- 1 cup milk
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon paste
- 1/2 cup wild rice
- 1 teaspoon worchestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, ground
- 1 rotisserie chicken, pulled
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1 bunch swiss chard, chopped optional
Instructions:
- In a pot over medium heat, melt butter and add flour. Stir with a wooden spoon for a few minutes. Add olive oil, garlic, celery, carrots, onions, mushrooms and preserved lemon. Saute for 4-5 minutes.
- Add rice, milk, chicken stock, bouillon paste, Worcestershire, granulated garlic and white pepper. Cook for 20-30 minutes until rice is cooked through.
- While rice is cooking, pull meat from the rotisserie chicken and place aside. Once the rice is cooked, add in pulled chicken, frozen peas, and Swiss chard. Adjusts seasoning and serve with some saltine crackers!