Portuguese Chicken Soup Recipe (Canja De Galinha Sopa)

This traditional Portuguese chicken soup recipe also referred to as Canja de galinha sopa, Portuguese Lemon Chicken Soup, and Portuguese Chicken and Rice soup is a popular dish from Portugal, Azores, and Brazil. This Portuguese chicken soup recipe (Canja de galinha sopa), is super easy to prepare and make, and believe it or not, only requires 5 ingredients, water, chicken, onion, salt, and rice.

I love, love, love this Portuguese canja chicken soup, it’s delicious and cozy, warm and simple, and gluten-free since it’s made with rice instead of pasta. We always eat it with a splash of lemon juice from freshly squeezed lemon.

Canja de galinha Portuguesa is probably one of the most eaten soups amongst the Portuguese, Azorean, and Brazilian people, not only is it an everyday soup, this Portuguese soup is served during celebrations and weddings. I would say it’s just as famous as their green soup Calde Verde which is made with chorizo, collards, or kale.

I’ve been making this gluten-free Portuguese chicken soup with rice for years for my family and recently learned an interesting fact about it. For decades and generations, the Portuguese canja recipe has been used as a home remedy to treat cold and flu symptoms, and apparently, it works. If you talk to any Portuguese including my husband, they will tell you just that.

Ready to make this classic Portuguese Chicken Soup Recipe (Canja De Galinha Sopa)? Let’s do it!

2. Cook on medium-high for about 50 minutes.

3. Pour the rice into the chicken broth and stir.

4. Cook for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender. If you notice the chicken soup is too thick, add another cup or two of water, stir, and cook just until hot. I added 1 extra cup of water.

5. Serve with a squeeze of lemon. Enjoy!

Wow, amazing recipe!

This soup is one of my favorites, and this recipe was just perfect. Thank you for sharing!

I love how simple this soup was to make and more so how delicious it taste.

Loved this soup!

This canja was so good and reminded me so much of how my mom used to make it. Thanks a lot for sharing!!!

Hey there, welcome to my kitchen corner! I'm Gina, the face behind Gimme Yummy. Join me in my Toronto kitchen where I whip up delicious recipes with a twist of Ecuadorian charm and a dash of Canadian flair. As a mom, baker, and educator, I love creating heartwarming meals and sharing stories that bring us all a bit closer. Dive into my world of yummy eats and sweet treats, where every recipe is a celebration of family, love, and life's simple joys!