Name: Ginger Lime Chicken & Rice Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1-2 large shallots ((or 2-3 small), peeled and halved lengthwise); 2 3- inch pieces fresh ginger (peeled and halved lengthwise); 1 tbsp neutral oil (optional); 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs; Kosher salt; 4 cups chicken broth; 4 cups water; 6 garlic cloves (peeled and smashed); ¾ cup jasmine rice; 2-3 dashes fish sauce; Fresh lime juice (to taste); 1 dash soy sauce or tamari; Pinch of sugar (to taste); Thinly sliced scallions; Crispy chicken skin ((reserved from the thighs)); Chili oil; Lime wedges

Soups

Ginger Lime Chicken & Rice Soup

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There are a million ways to make chicken soup, and I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of trying new ones. This Ginger Lime Chicken & Rice Soup is my latest take, with a fragrant broth full of ginger, garlic, and charred shallots, tender shredded chicken, and plenty of fresh lime. It’s exactly what I’d want when I’m feeling under the weather, but honestly, I’d happily eat it any day of the week.

The soup starts by charring the shallots and ginger, similar to how you would when making pho. It’s a small extra step that adds so much depth to an otherwise simple broth. The chicken thighs simmer right in the pot with the aromatics, which are then strained out before adding the rice. A little fish sauce, soy sauce, and a pinch of sugar round out the broth, while the fresh lime gives it just the right amount of brightness.

And whatever you do, don’t throw away the chicken skin! While the soup simmers, the skin crisps up in the oven until it’s golden and crunchy, almost like crispy shallots. Crumble some over each bowl with sliced scallions, chili oil, and an extra squeeze of lime. It’s such a good contrast to the tender chicken and rice, and easily my favourite part of the whole recipe.

ginger lime chicken and rice soup in a white bowl with a ceramic soup spoon

Ingredients

1-2 large shallots (or 2-3 small), peeled and halved lengtheise
2 (3-inch) pieces fresh ginger, peeled and halved lengthwise
1 tbsp neutral oil, optional for searing the chicken thighs
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Kosher salt (I recommend Diamond Crystal)
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
¾ cup jasmine rice
2-3 dashes fish sauce
Fresh lime juice, to taste
1 dash soy sauce or tamari
Pinch of sugar, to taste
Toppings: thinly sliced scallions, crispy chicken skin (reserved from the thighs), chili oil, lime wedges

Prep STEPS

There’s very little prep involved in this recipe! I recommend getting the steps below out of the way and gathering your pantry ingredients so everything is ready to go.

Peel the ginger and shallots, then halve them lengthwise.
Peel and smash the garlic cloves.
Thinly slice the scallions and cut the lime into wedges for serving.
Just before searing, pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season generously with kosher salt.
If you don’t have chili oil on hand, make a batch! It’s easier than you’d think, and I swear by my Aunt Lily’s recipe.

Charring Methods

I like to char the ginger and shallots directly in a dry Dutch oven before making the soup. It’s an easy way to get some colour on the aromatics without dirtying another pan, and the charring adds a lovely depth to the broth. A few different ways to do it:

Dutch oven: Place the ginger and shallots cut-side down in a dry Dutch oven over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until deeply charred.
Broiler: Place the ginger and shallots cut-side up on a baking sheet under the broiler, turning as needed until charred in spots.
Gas flame: Using metal tongs, carefully hold the ginger and shallots directly over a gas flame, turning until charred on all sides.

What You’ll Need

You don’t need anything fancy for this one!

A Dutch oven or large pot is essential for this soup. I prefer cast iron because it gets nice and hot for charring the aromatics, and you can make the whole soup in the same pot. Mine is from Lancaster Cast Iron, and I also love this similar option from Tramontina.

You’ll also need a baking sheet to crisp up the chicken skin in the oven. I reach for this one from GreenPan most often because I love the smaller 9×13-inch size, but any baking sheet or sheet pan will work.

Before adding the rice, I like to strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve for a clearer broth, but this is optional. A spider strainer or slotted spoon works just as well if you only want to remove the aromatics.

How to Make it

Step One:

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Step Two:

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place the shallots and ginger cut-side down in the dry pot and cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes, until deeply charred. Remove and set aside.

Alternatively, char them under the broiler on a baking sheet, turning as needed, or carefully hold them over a gas flame using metal tongs until blackened in spots.

halved ginger and shallots charring in a black cast iron pot

charred ginger and shallots in a black cast iron pot

Step Three:

Add the neutral oil to the same pot over medium heat. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season generously with kosher salt. Place them skin-side down and sear for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes, then remove from the pot.

The oil is optional, as the chicken thighs will render some fat on their own.

chicken thighs searing in a black cast iron pot

Step Four:

Carefully remove the skin from the chicken thighs and spread it out on a lined or nonstick baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crispy. Set aside on a paper towel to cool.

Step Five:

Meanwhile, return the chicken thighs to the pot and pour in the chicken broth and water, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add the charred shallots, ginger, and smashed garlic cloves. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat, partially cover, and simmer for about 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

garlic cloves, charred ginger and shallot, and chicken thighs simmering with broth in a black cast iron pot

Step Six:

Remove the chicken from the pot, shred the meat, and discard the bones.

chicken thigh meat on a plate after being shredded off of the bones

Step Seven:

Using a spider strainer or slotted spoon, remove and discard the ginger, shallots, and garlic from the broth.

For a clearer broth, I like to strain it through a fine-mesh sieve before returning it to the pot, but this is optional.

Step Eight:

Add the jasmine rice to the broth and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and the broth has thickened slightly.

broth and rice in a black cast iron pot with a wooden spoon in it

Step Nine:

Turn off the heat and stir in the shredded chicken, fish sauce, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, a dash of soy sauce, and a pinch of sugar. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Step Ten:

Ladle into bowls and finish with sliced scallions, crumbled crispy chicken skin, a spoonful of chili oil, and a lime wedge.

Substitutions

Chicken thighs: I prefer bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe because they add so much flavour to the broth, and you get the crispy chicken skin for garnish! Boneless, skinless thighs or chicken breasts will work too, but you’ll want to adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Shallots: Substitute with one small yellow onion, halved. You can char it the same way as the shallots.

Fresh ginger: Fresh ginger is pretty essential to the flavour of this soup, so I wouldn’t recommend substituting it with ground ginger.

Chicken broth: You can use all chicken broth instead of the 4 cups of broth and 4 cups of water for a richer, more savoury soup. I recommend using low-sodium broth so you can control the salt.

Jasmine rice: Any long-grain white rice will work here, although cooking times may vary. You can also cook the rice separately and add it to individual bowls before serving, which is especially helpful if you’re planning on having leftovers.

Fish sauce: If you don’t have fish sauce, you can substitute with a little extra soy sauce. It won’t have quite the same depth, but it’ll still be delicious.

Chili oil: Chili crisp, chili oil, or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes will all work here. You can also skip the heat altogether if you prefer.

Make it Gluten-Free: Use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.

This recipe is naturally dairy-free.

Storage & Reheating

Fridge: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep in mind that the rice will continue to absorb the broth as it sits, so the soup will thicken quite a bit. If you’re making this ahead of time, I recommend cooking the rice separately and storing it in its own container.

Freezer: For best results, freeze the soup without the rice in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving, and serve with fresh rice.

Reheating: Reheat gently in a pot over medium-low heat, adding a splash of chicken broth or water to loosen it up as needed. If you’ve stored the rice separately, add it to the soup just before serving. Finish with fresh lime juice and your toppings.

Crispy chicken skin: Store separately in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer until crispy again, rather than adding it directly to the soup while reheating.

ginger lime chicken and rice soup in a white bowl

This one is pure comfort food that I could eat literally every day of the week!

If you make it, tag me (@britacooks)on Instagram or TikTok, I’d love to see your recreations. It also means so much when you leave a review in the comments below!

You can save this recipe for later on Pinterest, or head over to my YouTube channel to cook along with me while I walk through the whole recipe. And while you’re there, you’ll find plenty more recipes to try next!

@britacooks

Soups