Ginger Chicken and Rice Soup With Zucchini

By Yossy Arefi

Published June 3, 2025

Ginger Chicken and Rice Soup With Zucchini
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi.
Total Time
50 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Rating
5(3,093)
Comments
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A simple base of aromatic garlic, ginger, bay leaf and turmeric flavors this cozy and nourishing chicken soup. Tender chicken, zucchini and chewy brown rice provide bite and substance, and simmer together at the same pace. The rice will swell and soften in the broth as the soup sits, and you can cook it longer than called for to give this soup more of a stewy or even porridge-like texture, depending on your preference. Add more water or stock to thin the broth as needed if reheating. Serve with a drizzle of chile crisp or a squeeze of lemon and sprinkle of fresh cilantro.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings 
  • 1pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 2tablespoons neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable)
  • 2tablespoons minced ginger (from a 2-inch piece)
  • 3garlic cloves, minced
  • 2teaspoons ground turmeric 
  • ½cup brown rice
  • 1large zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1fresh or dried bay leaf
  • Chile crisp, lemon wedges or chopped cilantro (or a combination), for serving (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

156 calories; 6 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 13 grams protein; 270 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

    Pat the chicken thighs dry and season generously with salt and pepper.

  2. Step 2

    Heat a medium Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium. Add the oil, ginger, garlic and turmeric and let the mixture sizzle and soften for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

  3. Step 3

    Add 6 cups water to the pot, along with the chicken, rice, zucchini, bay leaf and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer then turn the heat down to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    When ready to serve, remove the chicken and place it on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the thighs, then return the meat with all of its juices to the pot. Taste and season the soup with salt and pepper.

  5. Step 5

    To serve, divide the soup among bowls and top with any combination of chile crisp, lemon and cilantro.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
3,093 user ratings
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Comments

G James

Terrific meal prepared following the recipe. The leftovers were even better at breakfast after the rice soaked up the flavors all night. One pet peeve about these comments: it is one thing to make minor alterations in the preparation, e.g., quartering the zucchini and cutting it into slightly smaller pieces, or increasing the amount of water a little, and quite another to substitute half the ingredients, make something entirely different and then pretend you are making a comment on the recipe.

Barbara

@G James I love all the comments and reading about the different things people try in the recipe, either because of allergies or making due with what they have on hand or whatever. It gives me ideas of what I can substitute if I need to. I love to read what worked and what didn’t. For me my kitchen is a lab, testing and trying new flavors and new combinations. Reading the comments is like having a conversation with all my foodie friends. I never make a NYT recipe without reading a bunch of comments first.

Syd W

I was a little skeptical when looking at this recipe because of the few ingredients! It turned out to be fabulous just as written. I would however wait until about 15 minutes before adding the zucchini as it was pretty mushy! I'll make this again for sure

Elisabeth

Loved this soup, but made some changes after reading many comments. I used chicken stock instead of water. Zucchini is my least favorite veg so I substituted 2 carrots and a can of chickpeas (because I’ll put chickpeas in almost everything). I squeezed a whole lemon in before serving. Next time I will add more rice (at least a cup), more ginger and a touch more turmeric.

JM

So I made this and ate it immediately and thought it was so mediocre. BUT THE NEXT DAY, and the one after that… delightful! I would honestly say that it’s almost not worth eating fresh but brilliant for meal prep.

Pilar

No rice so substituted 1/2 cup quinoa. Next time will use 1 cup quinoa.

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