Slow-Cooker Lemon Chicken And Rice Soup

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 chicken breast, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 serrano chile peppers, seeded and minced
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1/4 cup green onion, thinly sliced
• 6 cup chicken stock, unsalted
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 stalk of lemongrass, smashed to release flavor
• 2 cup cooked rice
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped for garnish
• chile oil for garnish (optional)

1. In a sauté pan, heat the oil on medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the chicken and brown. After a minute, add the garlic. Keep the pan moving so that the garlic turns golden, but doesn’t burn. Deglaze the pan with the lemon juice, being sure to use a wooden spoon to scrap up any browned bits that stuck to the pan.
2. Transfer the chicken and garlic to your slow-cooker, and add the peppers, fish sauce, green onion, chicken stock, and season with salt and pepper. Place the lid on the slow-cooker and cook on low heat for 6 hours. In the last 30 minutes of cooking, add the lemongrass.
3. Just before serving, stir in the rice and cilantro. Ladle the soup into individual bowls and serve while still hot. Garnish with chile oil.