Well, the weather outside is not exactly frightful…but it has changed and fall is definitely in the air. At Chez Badass, that means it is that special time of year once again. Oh yeah baby – I’m talking about Soup Weather! I like to make lots of different soups once the weather cools down…and one of my favourites is Lemon Chicken Soup.
I base my soup on this recipe: Yum & Yummer’s Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo but I use rice instead of orzo and spice it differently because I am lazy like that and I hate bay leaves according to my preferences.
Chop onion, carrot, garlic (I use the already minced stuff) and celery and sauté in olive oil until onion is soft and translucent. (I don’t measure. I just chop till it looks like enough, to me.)Then add the seasoning. I like Italian seasoning for my soups. I put that shit on everything. Again, I don’t measure. I just shake it on till it seems like enough. I can always add more later.
Then I prepare the chicken stock. Since I don’t have a big freezer anymore, I no longer have homemade stock on hand. This is the next best thing, I have found.
Zest BEFORE juicing. I can’t stress this enough. It is so much harder to zest a juiced lemon not that I would know anything about that. This recipe calls for 1/4 cup lemon juice. I managed to get just that amount from my lemon.
Add lemon juice and zest to the soup. Then I add the rice (1/2 cup). I have used brown and basmati, in the past. This time I used arborio, just for a change. You could add whatever starch you like to this recipe. Barley, noodles, potatoes…anything (or nothing) would be good. Go crazy!
Sometimes (like this time) I add 1/4 teaspoon turmeric for colour.
I had previously cooked and chopped up chicken breasts in the freezer, so that got added to the soup.
Let everybody in the soup pot commingle and get to know each other for about 20 minutes or so while things are simmering.
As always: please feel free to let my co-host Donna or myself know what’s on your plate at your house, in the Comments of either Donna’s or my post (or both, if you are so inclined!). Please check out Donna’s post, to read about the delicious dessert she makes for sharing with friends!
Remember: if you decide to blog or Facebook or Instagram about it, to use the tags #whatsonyourplateblogchallenge or #woypbc so we can find you out on ye olde interwebbs!
Rock on,
The WB
You always make me smile (laugh) with your posts Deb and I wish I was there to help you eat that yummy looking soup! Great post 🙂
Thank you very much, Debbie 💕 I’d love to share a meal of soup with you!
This sounds wonderful, although you lost me at turmeric.
In our house it’s pie time. Apple and chicken pot lately.
😉
Yum! Pie time works for me, although I find the idea of making a pie crust from scratch intimidating…maybe someday I’ll put my big girl pants on and give it a go. Thanks, Rivergirl 💕
Oh hell, I just use Pillsbury refrigerator crusts. They’re perfect.
😉
I’m not a huge soup fan, although I do love pumpkin soup, potato and leek soup and sweet potato and peanut butter soup (hmm, there seems to be a theme to the soups I love). And seeing your bread reminded me of your bread recipe which I was going to try and make and will now have to go back through your posts to find it. That looks amazing for a gf recipe!
Unfortunately I have had little to no luck with GF loaves….they were consumable for only the first 20 minutes or so, then devolved into doorstops. I probably was using the wrong type of gluten free flour because others sing the praises of GF rustic bread. The loaves I am successfully making now are with regular flour. Love potato and leek soup, also butternut squash soup…have not made pumpkin, sweet potato or peanut butter but they sound delicious. Thanks, AJ 💕
Looks good, though I generally only eat soup when I’m under the weather, regardless of the weather outside.I like your line, “Let everybody in the soup pot commingle and get to know each other . . . ” Sounds like something a cannibal would do, also.
Hehehe! Yes, I could see that being a directive given by a cannibal 🤣. Thanks, TG 💕
I’m right there with you! When it starts to get cooler outside, it’s soup time! It looks like your soups are similar to mine – more stew than soup. Let me grab a fork and I’m in!
I think it is our mutual heritage…the Dutch are big on making a meal out of soups…and usually on Saturdays, for some reason. I have been to multiple Dutch relatives where it is the Saturday main meal. Hmmm…that gives me an idea…I haven’t made “balletjes” (mini-meatball) soup in years…maybe for next Saturday? Thanks, Joanne 💕
I made meatball soup for my girls often … now it’s Josephine’s family favourite. Each day it gets thicker and there’s always so much some gets frozen too. I think it’s one of my favs as well for nostalgia and comfort. It’s worth the time it takes rolling out 50-100 small meatballs!!! 😂
Yes indeed 😁
The best part about soups is I make a big batch. There are leftovers to freeze and on that day I don’t feel like doing much, I can pull it out of the freezer. I also keep cooked chicken ready for either chicken salad or soup.
Yes! Such a good idea – always having cooked chicken and soups on hand. I have another soup (beef barley) in the freezer right now, so I ended up giving the bulk of the lemon chicken soup to my daughter and her husband. I need a bigger freezer, clearly 😁. Thanks, Kate 💕
I can confirm this soup is DELICIOUS! She served it to me during a fabulous vacation with her last month.
Thank you, my dear sister 💕
I absolutely love soups of all kinds and eat them all year round (even when the weather is lovely). This soups looks amazing and combined with your famous bread (which is honestly the best bread that I have ever tasted in my life) we’ll that’s divine! I look forward to giving this a try. And I look forward to our upcoming hike! 😀
Hmmm…perhaps I need to get a wide-mouth thermos so we can dine al fresco on our hikes, with some hot soup and some bread…although I always look forward to our lunches out, especially now that we are fully vaccinated. Anyways, this batch of soup will be finished by me later on today as I gave most of it to my daughter and hubs. And the bread will be too old, sadly. Next time? Thanks, Donna 💕
I have a wide mouth thermos for hiking. So next time we can plan an al fresco picnic – no problem!
I’m a big fan of soup too. The weather hasn’t cooled down enough here yet, but I’m looking forward to making my favorites throughout the fall and winter. Your Lemon Chicken Soup sounds yummy… and now that my husband knows how to make your bread, I think I know what kind of soup to make first.
😁 Thanks, Janis (and Paul!) 💕
Sounds amazing! A definite must try in this house I think … who doesn’t love lemons? 🍋
Oh, have you blogged that bread recipe? I think I must try it as well!
I’ll post the link to the recipe I am using now – slight adjustment from the one I posted last month. Thanks, sister dear 💕
Here it is:
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11376-no-knead-bread
Hang on, the above is behind a paywall.
Here’s another:
https://leitesculinaria.com/99521/recipes-jim-laheys-no-knead-bread.html
It’s Jim Lahey’s no knead bread that I use too – adapted from Nigella. Brilliant – as is this soup. I almost wish it wasn’t so warm outside or I’d be making this…although I might make it anyway.
Thanks, Jo…it was from reading your post that I decided to search for another recipe 💕
Gosh I love soup – but rarely make it … though it’s stew time and that be almost soup – in fact I have similar to yours here in my fridge – made from cooking a whole chicken in stock with your veggies – and now deboned – ready for a few meals – last night with a cheese sauce … but I’d love to use your lemon version. Sounds excellent – bread and I don’t agree … but once in a while I indulge. Now – it’s lunchtime … ready for my salad – my go to lunch. Cheers Hilary
Most of my soups end up more stew-like than anything 😁. And there is nothing wrong with that, in my books!😍 I hope you enjoyed your lunch and will try the lemon version for your “stew”. Thanks, Hilary 💕
I absolutely love chicken with lemon. And fish with lemon. And tea with lemon. Ok, I have a thing for lemons!
The soup and your freshly made bread look amazing. Like you, I generally take a recipe and use it as guidance and I can’t be bothered with measuring spices. Who has the time? hence, I’m not a baker. 🙂
I’m with you, Suz, about the “lemon anything”! Yeah, free-wheeling a baked goods recipe doesn’t always turn out well, I have found. But for most anything else, yes! Thanks 💕
https://equipoiselife.wordpress.com/2021/10/08/woyp-birch-jowls-anyone?
Wow! Bernie, I took a look at your post and my mouth is watering. Thanks for joining in!💕
I make a zillion soups and yet I’ve never done a lemon chicken one. Ok well I guess that’s up next. I might use orzo because I love it. I’m with you on the non exactly following recipes for soup.
I would use orzo if I could find a gluten-free version. Making a soup with wheat products means I can’t share it with my daughter and her family, and I NEED to be able to give soup away when I make it…it makes a lot of soup and I only have a little freezer at the moment. Thanks, Bernie 💕
Deb, I love soups, any time of year. You and I have similar chicken soup methods – I add oregano and lemon, but will have to try the full-on Italian seasoning. Also, I sprinkle a little parmesan cheese on top just before serving.. I prefer wide noodles to rice, but Malcolm loves rice, so much so that his version resembles a gumbo instead of a soup. As far as not measuring, you can never have too many good veggies.
Mmmmm….your soup sounds great! I use rice because my daughter is gluten-intolerant. I should try gluten-free noodles. I’ve had great success with them in pasta dishes so they should work well in soups too. Thanks, Suzanne 💕
You’ve got me chuckling yet again, Deb – so you are belong to Team No Bayleaf! I’m the opposite – I put them in everything, including fruit coulis!
Wow! Maybe I should give bay leaves another go. I haven’t allowed them in my kitchen in 30 years. Perhaps my tastes have changed. Thanks, Ju-Lyn 💕
Hi Deb, we are both on the same wavelength for this month’s #Whatsonyourplateblogchallenge. Being married to an Italian I’m big on using Italian seasonings as well. Your soup looks delicious and by the look on your face in the selfies I think it tasted pretty good too. Thanks for hosting with Donna, I love thinking about what I’ll contribute each month. This month mine is a Nourishing Slow Cooked Vegetable Soup. https://www.womenlivingwellafter50.com.au/nourishing-slow-cooked-vegetable-soup/
Loved your soup recipe and love using the slow-cooker too! Thanks for joining us, Sue 💕
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