Turkey (or Chicken) Soup With Lemon and Rice Recipe (2024)

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Arthur Warren

Strip the chicken from the rotisserie chicken. Save the meat and put all the remainder of the carcass including all the skin, bones, juices, etc, into a pot along with an onion (including skin), garlic, carrots, celery, spices, whatever and simmer for two hours. Strain and add as much of the chicken and rice as you want to the soup.. You can also add a heaping teaspoon of chicken bouillon to deepen the flavor

NJ cook

Cooking cooked turkey for 10-15 minutes would toughen it unless it's frozen. I like to put shredded cooked turkey or chicken in the bottom of each bowl and pour hot broth over it--not re-cooking it at all.

David

I do a chicken soup very similar to this. I make my own stock, and utilize every part of the chicken (except the skin). It is one of my ultimate comfort foods. I even have friends asking for it when they get sick. I have no scientific data to back it up, but I think it cures cancer.

I do a few things different. I use fresh ginger and lemon grass. If you want to put a neat spin on it sub out rice and use farro. Cook it separately, and add it in the end after it's off the burner.

Amy

Leeks, celery, and garlic benefit from a little sauté before adding the liquid.Add a pinch of thymeZucchini adds benign vegetable material, but not in season in the winter. I added 1/2 pound of spinach at the end to boost nutrition and make this a one-dish dinner.

Marta

Excellent soup. Made it with broccoli and lime instead of zucchini and lemon. Delicious with Christmas leftover turkey.

UWSGrrl

I added a few slivers of fresh peeled ginger also (West Indian cure all) and since I'd no zucchini on hand, added fresh carrot curls, frozen green peas, and a generous hand full of fresh chopped escarole near the end of the simmering time. Substituted fresh flat leaf parsley for the cilantro since one member of the family thinks it tastes like soap.

Annie

This is a simple, basic and wonderful brothy soup. I do omit the chicken/turkey most of the time and make it just a vegetable soup, adding broccoli and caulifower, pea pods, mushrooms, even diced red bell pepper, whatever vegetables I have on hand, and sometimes add chopped up tomato. Generally I start the process with sauteing pancetta in a sprits of EVOO, then add the aromatic vegetables, then the broth. And often just leave out the rice. A whol different recipe but basically much the same.

brax

Very excited to leave our first comment ever after loads of NYT recipes! Delicious; Just what the doctor ordered. For a deeper flavour profile, I threw in about 2 inches of fresh grated ginger (like others have suggested), 4 carrots (sliced), and two fennel roots chopped (plus leaves). Super tasty.

Steven

I followed the recipe closely but with the following "cheats"

A) reconstituted chicken stock concentrate (always in my fridge ... adjust for its saltiness)

B) packaged frozen grilled and sliced chicken breast (warmed before adding)

The flavors were more complex than I expected. As a bonus, my wife loved it.

A hit.

Erin

This was so bland. I upped the garlic, lemon and it still tasted like a “use up what’s in the fridge” soup.

Melissa

Delicious soup-loved the dill accent

AnnO

Wonderfully intoxicating brothy soup as written! But.... be careful with the cinnamon. I stood by the pot and tasted every minute or so until it reached the desired amount of cinnamon notes (about 6-8 minutes), and then I removed the cinnamon stick. I can see where the cinnamon could overpower this broth easily if left to simmer in the broth for too long.

Heather

An absolutely delicious and simple way to use up veggies in the crisper. Don’t skimp on the lemon - it really makes the dish. As per other suggestions I did add a little minced ginger, and upped the garlic.

Yvonne

The flavor profile intrigued me so I made this. Instead of rice, I used lentils. I used 1 1/2 lemons in the broth to serve the additional lemon on the side as wedges for a squeeze of freshness. This recipe is a keeper.

Tessa

Made as written using all the lemon suggested. Homemade stock is key. Added only a handful of peas. Fresh clean taste. Delicious. Lemon, poultry, rice and zucchini are perfect partners.

davidn

Amazingly comforting

Mark Pinkerton

followed the recipe, except for sautéing the garlic celery and a small carrot before adding stock. added some Mexican oregano and thyme as the soup felt a bit under seasoned. will definitely make again. Used leftover thanksgiving turkey but will be fine with rotisserie chicken.

Alex

I used cabbage instead of zucchini, and the result was outstanding. Thanks

TJP

Added 1 and 1/2 cups of cooked wild rice. This gave the soup a chewy consistency and earthy overtones matching the turkey.

Chris

Simple and delicious. 4 stalks of celery is a bit much, I used 3 and substituted 3 carrots for the zucchini.

LindaL

Nice fairly light meal. Used dill instead of cilantro.

Alex

Delicious! Cooked per recipe (used chicken stock) but added chicken, peas, mushrooms and ginger per comments. No zucchini or leeks in the fridge. Yum.

brax

Very excited to leave our first comment ever after loads of NYT recipes! Delicious; Just what the doctor ordered. For a deeper flavour profile, I threw in about 2 inches of fresh grated ginger (like others have suggested), 4 carrots (sliced), and two fennel roots chopped (plus leaves). Super tasty.

Sarah

Added ginger - delicious!!!

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Turkey (or Chicken) Soup With Lemon and Rice Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What does adding lemon to soup do? ›

In this case, however, the lemon provides more of a flavor undertone that enhances other seasonings like thyme, parsley, and turmeric. According to trained chef Leetal Arazi, who spoke with Real Simple, you can bring a "zesty flavor" to your soup simply by adding lemon.

Why do people put lemon juice in chicken noodle soup? ›

use a bit of lemon juice in mine to brighten up the. flavor, and it adds such a welcome element. I love to. use a fun pasta shape for a soup like this, such as.

What makes a bowl of soup more flavorful? ›

"Ground paprika, turmeric, nutmeg, ground ginger, and other powdered spices add a touch of color and spiciness to broths," she says. As a general rule, use fresh herbs at or near the end of cooking and dried herbs and spices early on. This helps you get the flavors you're looking for in the right balance.

How do you make bland turkey soup taste better? ›

Gravy adds flavor and helps thicken the soup. Herbs and seasonings – Fresh or recently dried herbs add a variety of flavors to tempt your tastebuds. Herbs that work well with turkey are Italian Seasoning, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary or tarragon.

What is the most important ingredient in soup? ›

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

What is the secret ingredient in soup? ›

It may sound a bit strange and unusual for some, but vinegar is a common ingredient in some soup recipes, and there is a good reason for it. If you think about it, vinegar is really a flavor-enhancer (umami). That's why it is so often used in cooking, sauces, and salad dressings. The same is true with soups.

Do you put lemon juice on chicken before or after cooking? ›

Method
  1. Marinate chicken: Place lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a large, non-reactive bowl, whisk to combine. ...
  2. Place chicken in baking dish, brush with butter: ...
  3. Bake and baste with marinade: ...
  4. Let the chicken rest: ...
  5. Save meat juices to serve with chicken:

Why do you put vinegar in chicken soup? ›

Whether it's white wine or vinegar, a touch of acid added to the simmering pot will create a richer finished product. That's because acid helps break down the cartilage and other connective tissues in the bones of the chicken, which helps speed up the formation of gelatin in the stock.

Can I use vinegar instead of lemon juice in soup? ›

Vinegar. Apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, and rice vinegar can all be substituted at a ½:1 ratio. If your recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, then, sub 1 tablespoon vinegar and replace the rest with water if needed. Usually you won't need to add any extra liquid but it depends on the recipe.

What not to do when making soup? ›

The 7 Biggest Mistakes You Make Cooking Soup
  1. Boiling instead of simmering. You want a small bubble or two to rise to the surface of the liquid every few seconds. ...
  2. Not using enough salt. ...
  3. Ignoring water. ...
  4. Overcooking the vegetables. ...
  5. Adding tomatoes at the beginning. ...
  6. Neglecting to garnish. ...
  7. Not trying a pressure cooker.
Nov 19, 2014

How can I deepen my soup flavor? ›

Vinegar – A spoonful of vinegar is a quick fix when you find yourself with a bowl of dull, flat-tasting soup. Just a small amount of acid will brighten up the flavors. 2. Soy Sauce – Soy sauce is another item that's ideal for brightening up and adding depth of flavor to an otherwise dull soup.

What are the 5 basic principles to be followed in making delicious soup? ›

Basic principles of preparing soup are also outlined, including starting with cold water, cutting vegetables to size, selecting protein, simmering, and skimming.

How do you add depth of flavor to chicken soup? ›

For a deeply flavorful chicken soup, get some boneless, skinless chicken thighs, season them, brown them in a skillet, then finish them in a 375 F oven. You can refrigerate them until you're ready to make the soup, then simply dice them up and add them to the soup at the very end.

Can you add Worcestershire sauce to soup? ›

Adding Worcestershire Sauce To Soups

It will work in a broad range of dishes from your favorite French onion soup to velvety tomato bisque. It definitely does a great job of amping up the meaty flavors of a beef stew as well as giving vegetable soups a flavor lift, too.

How to brighten chicken soup? ›

Alternatively, just squeeze some lemon juice into your soup, which will brighten everything up and round out the flavors.

What to do if my chicken soup is bland? ›

Salt and pepper are the basic ones. Adding soup base is another good way to kick it up a notch as is adding a little acid. You can use lemon juice or vinnegar but be sparing, a little is awesome but too much is overpowering.

What is the best way to thicken turkey soup? ›

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool. Add a few tablespoons of flour or cornstarch to the bowl and whisk until it's blended smooth. Next, bring the soup to a simmer and add the mixture back to the pot. Pro tip: Don't dump in the entire mixture at once.

What seasoning makes soup taste better? ›

Some of our favorites are Dried Shallots, Dehydrated Red Bell Pepper, Dehydrated Green Bell Pepper, Tomato Flakes, Minced Onion and Roasted Garlic Flakes.

What is the purpose of adding lemon juice? ›

Supplies a healthy dose of vitamin C

Juice half a lemon into your water and you'll add a mere 6 calories to your diet. Plus you'll get more than a sixth of your daily vitamin C, which is needed to protect us from cell damage and repair injury.

What happens when you add lemon while cooking? ›

In addition to adding its own distinctive flavor, the acidity of lemon juice and zest sharpens the other flavors in a dish. In some dishes, such as tomato sauce or mashed potatoes, a lemon can bring out the other scents and tastes while remaining undercover itself.

What is the benefit of lemon in cooking? ›

In baked goods and desserts, lemons provide a light, fresh flavour. Plus, it can be used to tenderise meat, or it can be used as a substitute for vinegar in dressings. Lemon juice added to steamed vegetables will help them keep their bright colours and enhance their flavour.

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