Chicken Meatball Soup with Creamy Lemon Rice

This recipe started with the intentions of making a simple lemony chicken broth-based soup. As I began to build on the ingredients that I wanted to include, the recipe took on a rich and creamy life of its own, and I was very pleased with the results. The beauty of this recipe is that its texture can be adapted depending on the ingredients that you choose and how they are incorporated.

Being that we are currently living through these strange and uncertain times where grocery shopping can be difficult and frustrating, I focused on using as many basic and common ingredients as I possibly could. Pretty much all of the ingredients in this recipe are standard, however I have given suggestions for substitute ingredients in case you do not have certain items on hand.

Let’s start with the liquid base. I used 4 cups of low sodium chicken broth, adding 1 cup of evaporated milk (which I happened to have on hand in my pantry). The evaporated milk will help thicken the broth and add a bit of a sweet creaminess. If you don’t have evaporated milk, but would still like to give a creamy texture to the broth, you can use 3/4 cup whole milk plus 1/4 cup half and half. Or if you prefer to go a non-dairy route, you can use a cup of almond, soy or coconut milk. If you are looking for a more liquidy, not-so-creamy broth, just eliminate to milk all together, and add another two cups of broth – 6 cups total.

The rice that you choose – and how you decide to incorporate it – will also have an effect on the recipe. I chose to use white rice, and decided to cook the rice in the broth to create a thick and creamy, risotto-like texture. The cooked white rice will absorb much of the liquid, so you may have to add more liquid if necessary. The cooked rice also absorbs much of the seasoning and flavor, which is why I prefer this method. If you want to use white rice but are not looking for a very thick texture, you can cook the white rice on its own and add it to the simmering broth before you are ready to serve it.

You can choose to use a different type of rice or grain all together, like a wild grain rice or quinoa. You can also decide to cook the rice or grains directly in the broth, or cook it on its own and add it to the simmering broth. If you decide to cook the rice or grains in the broth, it will take a bit longer to cook, and it will not thicken up the broth as much as the white rice would.

When using meatballs in soup, my personal preference is chicken meatballs. They are a bit lighter than traditional meatballs, and still carry the flavor that shredded or chopped chicken would add to a soup. Also, meat supplies can be sparse in the grocery stores during this time of quarantine. You may find ground chicken to be more easily available than ground beef. Of course, you can use whatever ground meat you prefer when making this dish!

As you can see, your choice of ingredients can take this dish into a number of different flavorful directions, and any of them would be quite tasty and enjoyable!

For the Chicken Meatballs:
1 lb ground chicken
1 large egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated cheese (parmesan or pecorino romano)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet or baking dish with parchment paper. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl, mix well. Roll the mixture into 1/2 inch to 1 inch size meatballs, depending on your preference. Place the meatballs on the baking sheet or dish, lightly spray with cooking spray. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the meatballs start to brown. Remove from oven, set aside.

For the Soup:
4 cups chicken broth (plus additional broth or water if necessary)
1 cup evaporated milk *
*(If you don’t have access to evaporated milk, you can use 3/4 cup whole milk plus 1/4 cup half and half, or either almond, soy or coconut milk. Or you can use 2 additional cups of broth if you do not want a creamy texture.)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 lemon, sliced (optional, for additional lemon flavor)
1 cup uncooked white rice
1 tablespoon fresh thyme**
1 tablespoon parsley**
** (You can substitute 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning and/or oregano if necessary)
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Once melted, add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Stir occasionally, let cook until fragrant and tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add lemon zest, stir together until you get a lemon fragrance, about 1 minute.

Add the chicken broth, evaporated milk (or whatever substitutes you decide on), lemon slices*, thyme and parsley. If you do not have thyme or parsley on hand, you can use a tablespoon of jarred Italian seasoning and/or oregano. Bring the soup mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
*The lemon slices are optional. The longer you keep the lemon slices in the soup, the more lemony the soup will taste. You can remove the lemon slices at any time, depending on your taste preference.

Add the chicken meatballs and uncooked rice to the boiling broth. If you prefer to add cooked rice, prepare it on its own and set aside, adding the rice during last 5 minutes of simmering the soup. Reduce heat to a simmer, continuing to stir occasionally. Let simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the added uncooked white rice is cooked (slightly longer if you are adding uncooked wild grain rice or other grains to the soup).

Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately and enjoy!