Chicken Lentil & Rice Soup

Hey everyone, 

Today I am sharing another soup recipe (I know!) that I started making a few years ago. Luis loves this soup, and as soon as the weather starts to get colder, he starts to ask for it. It's a very hearty soup with ingredients that you won't mind feeding yourself or your kids.

Everyone needs a go-to soup recipe, and this is mine.

Chicken Lentil and Rice Soup

3 cups carrots, chopped                         2 small red peppers, chopped
3 cups celery, chopped                           6 cups chicken broth **
6 cups water                                         1/2 cup green lentils, uncooked
1/2 cup white rice, uncooked                  3 chicken breasts, cooked & chopped*
3 tbsp lemon juice                                 Salt & pepper to taste
2 tbsp olive oil

1. You will want to add your olive oil to a preheated soup pot, and let sit for about a minute to get hot. Next add all of the vegetables to the pot and stir to coat with the oil. Let cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until tender and starting to brown.

2. Add your chicken broth and water; stir well. Bring to a rolling boil.

3. Get your rice, chicken and lentils ready to go into the pot.

You will add the chicken first, and let boil for about 5 minutes to warm the chicken back up and get the soup back up to boiling. Next add your green lentils, give a good stir and put the lid on. Leave for 5 minutes.

Next you will add the rice, stir well and put the lid on. Let everything cook for 20 minutes. Add the lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. You want to add the lemon juice right at the end because the acid can actually stop the lentils from cooking properly, leaving them tough to chew.

Now you can enjoy your healthy and yummy soup.

I had a few notes in the ingredients list that I want to mention:

* I often use uncooked chicken instead of cooked chicken. You will want to add it to the broth and increase the boiling time to 15 to 20 minutes (it will still boil with the rice and lentils, so the cooking time will be closer to 50 minutes).

** You can substitute a cup or two of the chicken broth with vegetable broth as well. It will add a fuller vegetable flavour to the soup, just make sure you keep at least half of the broth chicken.

Hopefully you guys enjoy this soup as much as we do. Feel free to share any changes you make, I would love to see how this recipe grows.

Kerby

Linking to:
Six Sisters Stuff - Strut Yourself Saturday #174 
It's So Very Cheri - Party Time 11/23/14 
A Night Owl - Monday Funday 11/24/14 
Someday Crafts - Whatever Goes Wednesday #249