Portuguese Soup for When You're Sick (Canja)

Canja de galinha is a Portuguese chicken-and-rice soup made with tender chicken, a light homemade broth, and soft rice, often finished with parsley or lemon. Recipes vary by household; this version keeps the seasoning simple and serves the soup hot, with the rice cooked directly in the broth for a comforting, easy-to-eat meal.

Ingredients

1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (680 g), left whole
8 cups cold water (1.9 L)
1 medium yellow onion (about 150 g), peeled and left whole or halved
2 medium carrots (about 160 g), peeled and cut into small dice
3 garlic cloves (about 9 g), peeled and lightly crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml)
1 dried bay leaf (about 0.2 g)
¾ cup carolino rice or medium-grain rice (about 145 g); see the notes below for substitutes
1¼ teaspoons fine salt (about 7.5 g), plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (about 0.5 g)
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (about 15 g), for serving
1 lemon (about 100 g), cut into wedges, for serving

Instructions

Prepare the vegetables. Dice the carrots, crush the garlic, and peel the onion. Keep the chicken whole so it is easy to lift out and shred later. Measure the rice and water before you start cooking; this soup comes together smoothly when those are ready.
Start the broth. Put the water, chicken thighs, onion, carrots, garlic, olive oil, bay leaf, salt, and pepper in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Set it over medium-high heat and bring it just to a boil, which should take about 5 minutes. Skim away any gray foam that gathers on the surface, then lower the heat so the liquid simmers gently rather than bubbling hard.
Simmer the chicken. Cook uncovered for about 22 minutes, turning the thighs once if they are not submerged. Check the thickest part of each thigh with a food thermometer; poultry must reach the USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). If a thigh has not reached that temperature, keep simmering and check again after a few minutes. Transfer cooked chicken to a plate. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Lift out the onion if you prefer a clear, mild broth, or chop it and return it to the pot for more body.
Cook the rice in the broth. Stir the rice into the simmering liquid and cook for 17 minutes, stirring once or twice so grains do not settle on the bottom. Keep the pot at a gentle simmer. Meanwhile, use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-size pieces, discarding any tough connective tissue. If the broth drops below a simmer while you work, raise the heat briefly, then lower it again.
Finish and season. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir. Taste the broth and add salt or pepper a little at a time. If the rice has absorbed more liquid than you like, add hot water in ¼-cup (60 ml) increments. Let the soup stand off the heat for 2 minutes, then ladle into bowls and offer parsley and lemon wedges at the table. The lemon is optional; a squeeze brightens the broth without making it spicy.

Tips

Keep the simmer gentle. A rolling boil can break the chicken into ragged fibers and make the broth cloudy. Look for small bubbles around the edge of the pot, with only occasional bubbles in the center. A lid left slightly ajar can help maintain a steady simmer, but check that the liquid is not boiling vigorously.
Choose rice for the texture you want. Carolino, a Portuguese short- to medium-grain rice, is a good choice when available. Medium-grain rice is a practical substitute and gives the soup a soft, slightly creamy quality. Long-grain rice stays more separate and makes a looser soup; it may cook a little faster, so begin checking it after 14 minutes.
Season after the rice cooks. Rice absorbs salty broth as it simmers, so the flavor changes as the soup finishes. Start with the measured salt, then taste again at the end. If using store-bought broth instead of water, choose a low-sodium variety and reduce the added salt until you have tasted the finished soup.
Make the broth clearer if you like. Skim foam as it appears and avoid stirring while the chicken simmers. A few wisps of foam are harmless, and the soup does not need to be perfectly clear to taste good. Removing the onion at the end also gives a cleaner look and a gentler onion flavor.

Serving Suggestions

Serve canja in warmed bowls while the broth is hot, with a small handful of parsley and a lemon wedge on the side. Let each person adjust the lemon at the table: a little makes the savory broth taste brighter, while leaving it out keeps the soup mild. Crusty bread is useful for soaking up the last of the broth, though the rice and chicken make the soup substantial on their own.

For a fuller meal, set out a simple green salad or sliced fruit alongside it. Keep extra sides plain so they do not overwhelm the soup’s light flavor. If serving someone who prefers a very soft texture, let the soup stand for a few minutes before serving; the rice continues to absorb broth and becomes more tender. Add a splash of hot water if it thickens too much in the bowl.

Variations

Use bone-in chicken. Bone-in thighs or a small chicken leg portion can be simmered in place of boneless thighs. They may need additional time, so check every piece with a thermometer and remove pieces individually once they reach 165°F (74°C). Pick the meat from the bones before returning it to the soup. Bones contribute a fuller broth, but they take a little longer to handle.

Make it with shredded leftover chicken. Use 3 cups (about 420 g) cooked, shredded chicken and simmer the vegetables in water for about 20 minutes before adding the rice. Cook the rice until tender, then stir in the chicken just long enough to heat it through. This is a good way to use plain leftover roast chicken; heavily seasoned or smoked chicken will change the soup’s flavor.

Add a little more vegetable. For a heartier pot, include 1 chopped celery stalk (about 60 g) with the carrots. Celery is not essential to canja and gives the broth a more pronounced savory note. You can also add ½ cup (75 g) frozen peas in the final 3 minutes, though that makes the soup less traditional in character.

Adjust the rice style. If carolino is unavailable, medium-grain rice is the closest easy substitute. Arborio rice also works, but its starch makes the broth noticeably creamier and thicker, so add hot water as needed. Avoid rinsing the rice if you want a fuller broth; rinsing removes surface starch and produces a clearer, lighter result.

Storage and Reheating

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking in shallow, covered containers. The soup keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Rice continues to absorb liquid as it sits, so the next day the pot may look more like a stew than a brothy soup. That is normal; loosen individual portions with water or broth before reheating.

Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until steaming throughout. Add liquid gradually to restore the consistency you want. For food safety, leftovers should reach 165°F (74°C); check the center of the portion with a food thermometer. In a microwave, cover the bowl loosely, stir halfway through, and check the temperature in more than one spot. Avoid repeatedly cooling and reheating the whole pot.

For longer storage, freeze cooled portions in airtight, freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months for best quality. Leave a little room at the top because liquid expands as it freezes. Rice can become softer after thawing, and the broth may separate slightly; stir while reheating. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or reheat from frozen over low heat with a splash of water, bringing the portion to 165°F (74°C).

Frequently Asked Questions

What does canja de galinha mean?

Canja de galinha is commonly translated as chicken soup. It refers to a Portuguese style of chicken soup in which rice cooks in the broth. Recipes differ: some include carrot, some leave it out, and families vary the rice, chicken pieces, and finishing touches. This version is one practical home-style approach, not a claim that there is only one correct recipe.

Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?

Yes. Use about 1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast. Breast can dry out if simmered too long, so begin checking it after about 16 minutes and remove it as soon as the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C). Shred it while the rice cooks, then return it to the pot at the end. The broth will be a little less rich than with thighs.

Can I cook the rice separately?

Yes, especially if you expect leftovers or want the broth to remain thin. Simmer the soup without rice, cook rice separately according to its package directions, and spoon rice into bowls before ladling broth and chicken over it. Start with about ¾ cup (145 g) uncooked rice for six servings. Keep the cooked rice refrigerated separately and use it within 3 to 4 days.

Why did my soup become so thick?

Rice releases starch and continues to absorb liquid after cooking, particularly during refrigeration. Stir in hot water or low-sodium broth a little at a time until the soup reaches your preferred consistency. Next time, cook the rice separately or reduce it to ½ cup (about 95 g) if you plan to store most of the batch.

Can I make this soup without lemon or parsley?

Absolutely. Both are finishing options, not required ingredients in the pot. Parsley adds a fresh herbal note, while lemon adds acidity; leaving them out gives you a straightforward chicken-and-rice broth. You can also serve them at the table so each person can choose how much, if any, to add.

More recipes to cook

Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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Portuguese Soup for When You’re Sick (Canja)