After a week of holiday cooking and eating, this easy comforting soup saves the day! Chicken and rice get simmered in a flavorful broth spiked with warming spices and finished with a hefty dose of greens. Serve it topped with yogurt, herbs, and pomegranate seeds if you have any leftover.
Servings 4 People
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Cook Time 25 minutes Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled, chopped
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, divided
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 6 cups water
- ½ cup jasmine rice
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 6 cups loosely packed greens*
- Plan whole milk Greek yogurt
- Fresh parsley or cilantro chopped
- Pomegranate seeds (optional)
- *Like kale, swiss chard, spinach, or use 3 cups of frozen spinach!
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion, carrot, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook for 5 minutes or until softened and lightly caramelized, stirring occasionally.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Add the spices for another 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Quickly add the water (so the spices don’t burn), rice, chicken, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then give the soup a stir, making sure no rice is stuck to the bottom. Simmer uncovered over low/medium-low heat for 15 minutes, or until the chicken and rice are cooked through, stirring halfway through.
- Remove the chicken and shred it up. Return it to the soup along with your greens and stir to wilt the greens.
- Serve topped with a dollop of yogurt, fresh herbs, pomegranate seeds (if using), and some black pepper.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Chop 1 yellow onion
- Peel and chop 2 carrots
- Mix spices together (optional)
- Prep 6 cups greens (or use frozen)
- Cook the soup
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian, substitute the chicken with 2 (15 oz) cans of white beans or chickpeas. Top with a dairy-free yogurt or just a squeeze of lemon.
- Substitute rice with quinoa or a small pasta shape.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up leftovers on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through. Top with all the toppings.
