Lebanese Chicken Soup
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Yum, Lebanese Chicken Soup with Vegetables… is everything you need on a fall or cold winter day. This chicken soup recipe has a delicious flavorful broth and is loaded with chicken that just falls off the bone! Packed with healthy and wholesome ingredients!
Lebanese Chicken Soup with Vegetables
Growing up, whenever I even presented a hint of sickness, my mom would whip up this Lebanese chicken soup. I truly felt like her soup had healing powers! Perhaps, it’s just the Placebo effect, though?
This recipe is one of favorite homemade Chicken and Rice Soup recipes, it has unbelievable flavor and is easy to meal prep and make ahead for a busy week!
I am a big time soup lover, and I love it all!
Lebanese Lamb Soup, Makhlouta-15 Bean Soup, Lebanese Red Lentil Soup, Lentil Soup with Pasta, Lebanese Lentil Soup with Spinach, & Lebanese Lemon Lentil Soup– these Lebanese soups are all time favorites in my kitchen!
Lebanese Chicken Soup- Shorbet Djaj
Lebanese Chicken Soup, also known as Shorbet Djaj in Arabic- where Shorbet translates to soup and Djaj translates to chicken.
Making homemade chicken soup from scratch, is the perfect way to use up all those veggies stocked in the fridge!
I love that this simple soup recipe is so versatile, you can replace the veggies I used with others you may have on hand. I used handful of potatoes, carrots, onions, zucchini, parsley to go into the mix in the perfectly spiced chicken broth.
Other Ingredients:
(Full recipe with exact measurements, at the end of this post)
- Olive oil– A flavorful oil to drizzle at the end, just before soup ready to be served.
- Soup vegetables– Onions, carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, parsley and potatoes.
- Salt– To taste. Remember, you can always add more salt after the soup has been cooked.
- Water– Which will be become the chicken broth for the soup.
- Bay leaves and cinnamon sticks– Aromatic spices that adds an extra level of flavor to the soup.
- Chicken– Use a more flavorful cut of chicken, like legs and thighs. You can also use a whole chicken, and allow it to fall apart naturally as the soup cooks. Avoid using breasts as they can become rubbery, especially the longer you cook the soup.
- Rice– You can replace for noodles, if you desire.
How to Make Lebanese Chicken Soup
The variety of vegetables, cooked in the chicken broth is what makes this soup so hearty. If you have not made chicken soup from scratch, I highly recommend you to try this easy chicken soup recipe.
- Make your broth: Since we’re not using chicken stock, this should only take about 30-40 minutes at the most. Simply add the raw chicken legs and thighs to a large pot, cover with cold water (about 8 cups), and bring to a boil. Skim off foam. Reduce to medium-low heat, add bay leaves and cinnamon sticks and simmer covered until the chicken is fully cooked. Mine took about 30 minutes. You want it to be fork-tender and fully cooked.
- Remove the chicken from the broth and allow it to cool.
- Add carrots and potatoes, cook for 20 minutes over medium heat.
- Add rice, onion and zucchini, and tomatoes, cook for another 10 minutes or until vegetables are cooked.
- Shred the Chicken: While the veggies and rice are cooking, and once the chicken is cooled enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones. You should have about 4 cups of meat. Discard the bones and skin. Shred the chicken into bite size pieces.
- After the rice and veggies are cooked, stir in fresh parsley, shredded chicken and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Taste and adjust salt, if necessary.
- Serve with a piece of toasted bread and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions:
What Type of Chicken is Used in Chicken Rice Soup?
I prefer to use combination of chicken thighs and legs or whole chicken for this soup. Not only do thighs and legs have the most flavor and tender texture when simmered, but their natural richness makes the soup more substantial. You can use chicken breasts if you’d like, but just keep in mind that the soup won’t taste as rich and hearty.
How to Freeze Leftover Chicken Soup:
This soup will keep well for up to 3 days, when stored in an air tight container in the fridge.
To freeze, allow your soup to cool at room temperature before transferring to the refrigerator to cool completely. Next, transfer to freezer-friendly containers or double-bag in freezer-friendly zip-lock bags. Remove most of the air, leaving just a small amount of space to allow the liquid to expand as it freezes.
- To reheat, allow the soup to thaw in the fridge overnight, then transfer to a pot and cook until heated through.
- Keep frozen for up to 3 months.
Can I Use Leftover Cooked Rice In Chicken Soup ?
You can also use leftover cooked rice to make chicken rice soup if you’re looking to clean out the fridge. Follow the recipe as instructed, then add the precooked rice at the end along with the chopped parsley and shredded chicken.
Can I Use Leftover Cooked Chicken?
You can definitely use leftover cooked chicken in this chicken soup recipe. You just won’t be able to make your homemade chicken broth. Use store bought chicken broth, instead.
More Lebanese Soups You Might Like:
Spinach Lentil Soup with Lemon
Lebanese Lentil soup with vegetables
Lebanese Lemon Lentil Soup- Adas b Hamod
Lebanese Red Lentil Soup
Lentil Soup with Pasta
If you make this Lebanese chicken soup recipe or any other recipe on the salt and sweet kitchen, then don’t forget to snap a photo and hashtag it #thesaltandsweetkitchen — I would love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook!
Lebanese Chicken Soup With Vegetables
Yum, Lebanese Chicken Soup with Vegetables… is everything you need on a fall or cold winter day. This chicken soup recipe has a delicious flavorful broth and is loaded with chicken that just falls off the bone! Packed with healthy and wholesome ingredients!
Ingredients
- 2 chicken thighs
- 4 chicken legs
- 6 cups water
- 3 large carrots- sliced into 1/4-inch thick circles
- 1 zucchini- cut into medium size pieces
- 2 small tomatoes- diced
- 1 large onion- sliced thinly into wedges
- 1 large potato- cut into medium size pieces
- 1 cup parsely- chopped
- Any other vegetables you have around and want to add.
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- 1 cinnamon sticks
- 1-2 Bay leaves
- 2 tbsp long grain rice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- In a large pot, place chicken thighs and legs and cover with water (about 8 cups)
- Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Skim off foam.
- Reduce heat to medium low, add a cinnamon stick and bay leaves and Simmer covered until chicken is tender. Mine took about 30 minutes. You want it to be fork-tender and fully cooked.
- Remove the chicken from the broth and allow it to cool.
- Add carrots and potatoes, cook for 15 minutes over medium heat.
- Add rice, onion, diced tomatoes and zucchini, cook for another 10 minutes or until vegetables are cooked.
- While the veggies and rice are cooking, remove the meat from the bones. You should have about 4 cups of meat. Discard the bones and skin. Shred the chicken into bite size pieces.
- After the rice and veggies are cooked, stir in fresh chopped parsley, shredded chicken and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Taste and adjust salt, if necessary.
- Serve with a piece of toasted bread and enjoy!
How to make Lebanese chicken soup:
Recommended Products
The recommended products below are affiliate links to products I use and love!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 322Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 274mgSodium: 674mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 55g
Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients you use.
Really enjoyed this chicken soup with Vegetables. I added celery to mine. So delicious.
Thanks, Fatma!