Tomato-Ginger Chicken and Rice Soup

By Ali Slagle

Tomato-Ginger Chicken and Rice Soup
Kerri Brewer for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
55 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
50 minutes
Rating
5(1,071)
Notes
Read community notes

Chicken and rice soup is meant to be gentle, and this one is. But it’s also subtly spicy from fried ginger, and a little sweet from tomatoes used twice: in paste form to build a caramelized base and in fresh, bright bursts. The final additions of fish sauce, lime and sesame or chile oil make the soup reminiscent of sizzling rice soup and tom yum, and allow you to adjust how robust you need the soup to be. Add less for a calming, mild soup and more if you need something powerful and pungent to clear your mind and congestion.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 2tablespoons unsalted butter, extra-virgin olive oil or virgin coconut oil
  • ¼cup tomato paste
  • 2tablespoons grated fresh ginger
  • Salt and pepper
  • 6cups (1 ½ quarts) chicken broth
  • 1 to 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • ¾cup long-grain white rice (unrinsed)
  • 1pint (about 10 ounces) cherry or other small tomatoes
  • 2tablespoons fish sauce or soy sauce, plus more to taste
  • 1lime, cut into wedges, for squeezing
  • Toasted sesame oil or chile oil, for serving (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

598 calories; 21 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 60 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 17 grams sugars; 42 grams protein; 1550 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the butter over medium. Add the tomato paste and ginger, season with salt and pepper and stir until the tomato paste is a shade darker and sticking to the bottom of the pot, 2 to 4 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Add the chicken broth, chicken thighs and rice. Season lightly with salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile, chop the tomatoes until they’re roughly quartered (use a serrated knife if you have it). After the soup has simmered for 15 minutes, add the tomatoes and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the rice starts to break down and lose its shape, a further 10 to 15 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Using tongs, remove the chicken from the pot and transfer to a medium bowl. Using two forks, shred the chicken into pieces, then stir it back into the soup. Stir in the fish sauce. Season to taste with fish sauce (if flat) and pepper (if it needs more heat). Serve with a squeeze of lime juice and a few drops of sesame or chile oil, if using.

Ratings

5 out of 5
1,071 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

Penny

This recipe was so simple and delicious! I made it exactly as written, though added juice from half a lime as a final step; it took it from a 10 to an 11! For broth I used Better Than Bullion (2 TBL).

Mel [Mary Ellen] Harte

you can make chicken stock as a by-product of roasting a chicken: I always roast my chicken with the seasoned [S&P, et al] breast side down in about 2-3 cups of water. I end up with crunchy skin on top, to-die-for succulent moist breast meat on the bottom -- and lots of seasoned chicken stock, stored in jars in the back of the fridge. Capped by a layer of chicken fat, they keep for months. When I need a stock, I reach for one of them, add water -- and voila, chicken stock!

FitGirl

Ty for using BTB. It is a pantry staple. I prefer homemade, but as a working lady, don’t always have time. Love that you added lime juice last. Yum!

Sue

I always sub in brown rice or quinoa. Brown rice takes twice as long to cook as white so, for this recipe, I’m starting with nearly fully cooked brown rice so as not to overcook the other ingredients. It likely won’t be as creamy as it doesn’t break down as white does but I’m okay with that.

niurka

Family and visitors loved this. I used sesame oil AND chili oil. Added chunks of avocado to the soup just before serving. Missed more lime (only had one on hand) and cilantro would have been a nice touch.

MC

Tasty and quick recipe, but I chose to cook and add the rice separately to each serving bowl. Mushy rice losing its shape just isn't appetizing to me. However, slightly crunchy rice served atop the soup was great, The juice of half a lime per bowl is a great addition.

Charles B.

I made this for dinner this evening. Followed the directions exactly and this is one of the most satisfying meals I have cooked from the recipes from The Times Cooking. I recommend finishing with both the fish sauce and sesame oil. Easy prep, timing in the direction is spot on. This will be a dish I will make for guests. Excellent!

Richard

Until it starts to smell bad.

Ann O’Connor

Made this with Arborio rice and added a can of Hatch green chiles. Really satisfying on a cool and rainy day.

Kayla

Don’t substitue soy sauce for fish sauce! But if you add a bit of soy sauce and reduce the amount of fish sauce by a wee bit, it’s lovely. Would be wonderful with some cilantro on top.

'ChelleB

Tasty- great for a January cold night! When ready to add the recommended Fish or Soy Sauce I suggest adding one tablespoon to start, allow flavors to marry and then alter according to preference. Went full in with 2 T and found it overwhelmed the dish ever so slightly. Always hear it said you can always add but tougher to take away..

Dee K

I have nothing new to add to this discussion so I'll join the chorus: this is delicious, craveable, and comforting as written. Fish sauce is still a somewhat new ingredient in my kitchen and I could not imagine what this soup would taste like but the reviews were so glowing I gave it a try, glad I did.

thenitcherkitchen

Big shoutout to this recipe. My husband was sick and I was trying to make something chicken-y without going to the store. I had some red pepper pesto on hand and used that instead of the tomato paste. Threw in frozen ginger cubes and frozen rotisserie chicken. I only had quinoa which still cooked well with 6 cups of broth and 2 cups of water. And a can of diced tomatoes! Not close to the recipe but did the job in a pinch.

C

Delicious, comforting, and nutritious. Much of the work comes from grating the ginger imo. My version (which added more work)- used shredded white chicken meat from rotisserie chicken, made bone broth using rotisserie chicken carcass, used wild rice grains (which would need more cooking time to soften), pressure cooked the soup after adding the tomatoes (high pressure, 12 mins) Agree with topping with sesame oil- added a whole new dimension!

S

Has anyone tried freezing this? Does it freeze and thaw well? It would be great to have this in the freezer ready to be heated up as comfort food!

katti

Delicious! Add plenty of lime and cilantro as you like!

Isabella

Yummy

Angela K.

Double the ginger!!

Galen

I have made this several times and it is delicious. Do you cook it with a cover when simmering or not?

Roni

along with the ginger, sauteed 4-5 garlic cloves &2 shallots, s&p. 2 tsps of cumin &1 tsp of turmeric. 7 c water, covered the pot. added 2 carrots,1/2 a potato, both small diced. once it came to a boil, more s&p, 1/4 scotch bonnet pep, bay leaf, 1 tbsp fish sauce, &1 tbsp better than buillon. reduce to a brisk simmer, partially covered. added shredded kale. after adding back the shredded chicken, also added frozen peas. finished with fresh lime juice & cilantro. to serve, sesame oil &lime!

Lucia

Easy, breezy, beautiful. Used leftover roast chicken. Would reduce amount of rice by 1/3 or so next time. Like truly elevates, didn't have sesame or chili oil.

laura

Easy, simple, win

vidula

This was an amazing recipe! Used Basmati rice. So much flavor from the ginger and tomatoes. I think adding the soy sauce, fish sauce and the sesame oil takes away from the delicate flavors of the ginger. There is almost no need for them.

Katherine

I used a pound of ground turkey in place of the chicken - cooked it off then removed it and started the recipe at step 1. I added the ground turkey back in with the cherry tomatoes. Cilantro and lime at the end made for a wonderful, easy to digest soup.

BambooHeart

While the flavors were good, the soup turned out quite salty and we believe it was due to the chicken broth. We added some water to dilute. Taste test as you go to adjust if needed!

Audrey

It’s like if Spaghetti-O’s grew up to be sophisticated and it was always meant to be.

Marie

great recipe!! used a whole chicken for the broth- cut off the leg & thigh.cooked the leg and thigh bone-in after removing the skins. was juicy and delicious! Added a little crushed red pepper for more heat & like others added soy along with fish sauce instead of adding more salt.Gave it richer flavor.Used one whole lime in soup before serving, added a few cups of baby spinach for green component & drizzed with sesame oil and little oil from a jar of chili crisp. Topped with avocado & lime juice

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