Healthy Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Soup

  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: 6
  • Total: 8 hr 20 min
  • Active: 25 min
Lemon and dill brighten the deep flavors of this low-and-slow soup for the soul.
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Ingredients

5 stalks celery, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick chunks

3 large carrots, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick chunks

2 large sprigs dill, plus 1/4 cup chopped dill fronds and whole fronds, for serving

2 large sprigs thyme

1 bay leaf

1/4 small onion, peeled and root end intact

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 6 thighs)

8 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 cups cooked brown rice

1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

  1. Toss the carrots and celery together in a slow cooker. Add the dill, thyme, bay leaf, onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
  2. Rub the chicken thighs all over, including under the skin, with 1 teaspoon salt total, and place them on top of the vegetables. Add the chicken broth. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. During the last 15 minutes of cooking, remove the chicken and stir in the rice. While the rice warms through, remove and discard the chicken skin and bones and shred the chicken (it will mostly fall apart on its own).
  3. After the 15 minutes, turn off the slow cooker and remove the dill and thyme stems and the bay leaf. Add the shredded chicken and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon juice and salt as needed. Stir in a good amount of pepper and the chopped dill. Serve hot topped with whole dill fronds. 

Let's Get Cooking!

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Anonymous

Easy to make and flavorful! I am NOT a good cook and I have a family of super picky eaters. Generally, they dread when it’s my night to cook. Lol. But this was super easy to make and the dill, lemon, chicken, brown rice, and thyme really pair well together. Slow cooking it really brings out the flavor. Definitely making this again. Thanks for the easy recipe that was whole family approved! This recipe redeemed me and restored my family’s confidence that there’s hope I can cook palatable meals. :)

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