I Long for Soup is the bowl I make when the day has been long and my body just wants to be held. It tastes like chicken broth deepened with garlic and fresh ginger, brightened with lemon, and finished with dill and tender rice that swells into every spoonful. The texture is brothy but satisfying, silky with a little body from the rice, and the aroma alone makes shoulders drop.
Advertisements1
The secret is a quick sauté of onion, carrot and celery until the edges go golden, then a simmer that lets the broth turn round and savory. Ginger and lemon go in near the end so they stay lively, and a handful of dill at the finish keeps everything tasting fresh rather than heavy.
You need one pot, pantry staples, and about fifty minutes, most of it hands-off. It's the soup I bring to friends who are sick, and the one I make for myself on rainy Tuesdays.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
Butter gives a rounder, richer base; olive oil keeps it dairy-free. Use whichever you have, and don't let it smoke.
1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
Yellow onion is sweetest when softened; a red onion works but will tint the broth pink. Frozen diced onion is a fine shortcut.
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
Look for firm carrots without bendy tips. If you're out, frozen sliced carrots go in at the same time with no change.
2 celery stalks, diced (about 3/4 cup)
Save the leafy tops for the finish. No celery? A pinch of celery seed plus half a fennel bulb mimics the flavor.
3 garlic cloves, minced
Fresh garlic is best here; jarred garlic tastes flatter. Add it last in the sauté so it doesn't burn bitter.
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
Grate it on a microplane so it melts into the broth. Ground ginger works in a pinch, but use just 1 teaspoon.
8 cups (1.9L) low-sodium chicken broth
Low-sodium lets you control the salt. Vegetable broth makes this fully vegetarian, and water plus 2 bouillon cubes is a solid backup.
1 pound (450g) boneless skinless chicken thighs
Thighs stay juicy through the simmer; breasts work but shred them at 20 minutes so they don't dry out. Frozen thighs should be fully thawed first.
3/4 cup (150g) long-grain white rice, rinsed
Rinsing removes surface starch so the broth stays clear. Arborio makes it creamier, but add 1/4 cup more broth.
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Kosher salt is less salty by volume than table salt; if using table salt, start with 1/2 teaspoon.
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Freshly cracked has far more aroma. White pepper gives a gentler, more old-fashioned warmth.
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus zest of 1 lemon
Add lemon off the heat so it stays bright. Lime juice works, but use 1 1/2 tablespoons since it's sharper.
Tips & Tricks
Don't boil the rice hard
keep the pot at a gentle simmer (small bubbles at the edge, not a rolling boil) or the rice will burst and turn the broth cloudy and gluey.
Salt in layers, not at the end
salt the vegetables lightly when they go in, then taste after the chicken is shredded, since broth concentrates as it reduces.
Shred the chicken while it's warm
two forks or a stand mixer paddle pull it apart easily, and warm meat absorbs the broth better.
- Add the lemon and dill after the heat is off: heat mutes both, and the soup will taste flat if you simmer them for long.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Soften the aromatics
Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat (about 350°F / 175°C) for 1 minute, then add the onion, carrot and celery. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion is translucent and the carrot edges look glossy and lightly golden.
2. Bloom the garlic and ginger
Stir in the garlic, ginger, salt and pepper and cook for 60 seconds, just until fragrant and no longer raw-smelling. Keep the heat at medium so the garlic turns sweet rather than brown.
3. Add broth and chicken
Pour in the broth and nestle in the chicken thighs. Bring to a gentle simmer (about 200°F / 93°C at the surface, with small bubbles at the edge) and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F / 74°C on an instant-read thermometer.
4. Shred the chicken
Lift the chicken out with tongs onto a plate and shred it with two forks. It should pull apart easily with no pink at the center; set it aside while the rice cooks.
5. Simmer the rice
Stir the rinsed rice into the pot, return it to a gentle simmer, and cook for 15 to 17 minutes, until the grains are tender with a slight bite and the broth has thickened slightly around them. Stir once or twice so nothing sticks.
6. Return the chicken
Add the shredded chicken back in and simmer for 2 minutes, just to heat it through. Taste and add more salt if the broth tastes thin rather than savory.
7. Brighten and finish
Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest and chopped dill. The soup should smell bright and herby right away; let it sit for 5 minutes before ladling so the flavors settle.
8. Serve steaming
Ladle into deep bowls, making sure each gets chicken and rice, and top with extra dill and a crack of pepper. A warm piece of bread on the side is never a bad idea.
Delicious Variations
Lemon-Dill Orzo Soup
Swap the rice for 1 cup orzo and cook 9 to 10 minutes, for a silkier, pasta-forward bowl.
Coconut-Ginger Version
Replace 2 cups of the broth with coconut milk and add a sliced chili for a creamy, gently spicy take.
Mushroom and Barley
Use vegetable broth, add 8 ounces sliced mushrooms with the onion, and swap in 3/4 cup pearl barley, simmering 35 minutes.
How to Store I Long for Soup
Refrigerator
Cool within 2 hours, then store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The rice will absorb broth overnight, so loosen with a splash of broth or water when reheating.
Freezer
Freeze in portions for up to 3 months, ideally without the rice; add freshly cooked rice when reheating for the best texture. Leave 1 inch of headspace in the container.
Reheating
Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat (about 300°F / 150°C) for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring, until steaming but not boiling. In the microwave, cover and heat in 1-minute bursts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
Yes, chicken breast works, but pull it out at 15 minutes so it doesn't overcook. Shred it while warm, then return it at the very end so it stays tender.
Q: Why did my rice turn mushy in the soup?
The rice was likely cooked at too hard a boil or left in the hot broth too long. Keep it at a gentle simmer and, for leftovers, cook the rice separately and add it to bowls.
Q: Is this soup gluten-free?
Yes, as written it's gluten-free since it uses rice and no flour. Just check that your broth and bouillon are certified gluten-free.
Q: Can I make I Long for Soup in a slow cooker?
Yes, add everything except the rice, lemon and dill and cook on low for 6 hours. Stir in the rice for the last 45 minutes on high, then shred the chicken and finish with lemon and dill.
Q: How do I make it vegetarian?
Use vegetable broth and swap the chicken for 2 cans of chickpeas or 14 ounces of firm tofu added in the last 10 minutes. Add an extra pinch of salt and a teaspoon of soy sauce for depth.
Make a pot tonight, wrap your hands around a warm bowl, and let the ginger and lemon do their quiet work. If you cook it, tell me who you shared it with, and taste as you go, trust your tongue.
I Long for Soup
I Long for Soup is a cozy chicken and rice soup with ginger, lemon and dill that soothes a scratchy throat and warms you from the first spoonful.
🧂 Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
- 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 celery stalks, diced (about 3/4 cup)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 8 cups (1.9L) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound (450g) boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 3/4 cup (150g) long-grain white rice, rinsed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus zest of 1 lemon
📋 Instructions
- 1Soften the aromatics — Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat (about 350°F / 175°C) for 1 minute, then add the onion, carrot and celery. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion is translucent and the carrot edges look glossy and lightly golden.
- 2Bloom the garlic and ginger — Stir in the garlic, ginger, salt and pepper and cook for 60 seconds, just until fragrant and no longer raw-smelling. Keep the heat at medium so the garlic turns sweet rather than brown.
- 3Add broth and chicken — Pour in the broth and nestle in the chicken thighs. Bring to a gentle simmer (about 200°F / 93°C at the surface, with small bubbles at the edge) and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F / 74°C on an instant-read thermometer.
- 4Shred the chicken — Lift the chicken out with tongs onto a plate and shred it with two forks. It should pull apart easily with no pink at the center; set it aside while the rice cooks.
- 5Simmer the rice — Stir the rinsed rice into the pot, return it to a gentle simmer, and cook for 15 to 17 minutes, until the grains are tender with a slight bite and the broth has thickened slightly around them. Stir once or twice so nothing sticks.
- 6Return the chicken — Add the shredded chicken back in and simmer for 2 minutes, just to heat it through. Taste and add more salt if the broth tastes thin rather than savory.
- 7Brighten and finish — Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest and chopped dill. The soup should smell bright and herby right away; let it sit for 5 minutes before ladling so the flavors settle.
- 8Serve steaming — Ladle into deep bowls, making sure each gets chicken and rice, and top with extra dill and a crack of pepper. A warm piece of bread on the side is never a bad idea.
Priya writes about cooking for busy people who want food that tastes like effort was made. Her angle is building flavor with few ingredients and forgiving techniques that survive a rushed weeknight. She writes about substitutions freely and treats recipes as starting points rather than rules.
