The Best Chicken And Rice Soup Recipe
There can never be too much soup in my life! Simmering all these incredible ingredients together, creating such a beautiful marriage of flavors. Not just that, but it’s my favorite way to clean out my fridge of all its odds and ends. Soup never goes unappreciated in my home. I’m all about creating soups that leave you feeling satisfied. This recipe features everything you need in a well-rounded meal! When you have hungry mouths to feed but you’re crunched for time, this type of recipe is my go-to. With just one pot to clean and dinner ready in under an hour, homemade is always an option.
Olive oil – You can use avocado, sunflower, safflower, or vegetable oils instead. Veggies – Onion, carrot, and celery. Garlic – Use as much or little as you like. Chicken breasts – Boneless or skinless. Thighs will also work. Bay leaves – Fresh or dried. Fresh Thyme – Or any other herbs you like such as oregano, thyme, or a combination such as Italian seasoning, etc.. Salt & pepper – Season to taste. Rice – Any type works. I used white long grain. Chicken broth – I like to use low sodium to have full control over the salt. Parsley – Freshly chopped, for garnish.
This recipe is not complicated at all! Everything cooks in one pot with no need to precook the rice. All you have to do is sauté a few ingredients, add some broth along with some rice, and you’ll have yummy ready to eat soup in just about an hour. Easy as can be!
Sauté The Veggies
To start, heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Then add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and sauté for about 5 minutes or until soft and the onion is translucent. Next, toss in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until it’s aromatic. But take care not to overcook the garlic by letting it brown.
Sauté The Chicken With The Veggies
Once your veggies are soft, stir in the cut-up chicken cubes and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes or until the chicken is done and no longer pink. The juices of fully cooked chicken should run clear.
Add The Rice, Spices, Broth And Cook
Now it’s time to really get the soup going. Add the bay leaves, thyme sprigs, salt, pepper, rice, and chicken broth to the pot. Next, stir the mixture and bring it to a boil over medium-high. Then turn the heat down to medium-low and let it simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes with the lid on. Chicken with rice soup is considered done when the rice is fully cooked.
Finish The Soup And Season
When the soup is finished cooking, first remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Then taste your soup for seasonings and adjust as needed with salt and pepper. This is a personal preference. I also added a bit of vegeta, which is a European seasoning. But chicken bouillon works as well.
What Is The Best Rice To Use For Soup?
I find that the best rice to use in soups are long grain white rice such as basmati or jasmine rice. You can also use brown rice or wild rice, but just keep in mind that they take longer to cook and may require more liquid.
What Else Can I Add To My Soup?
Maybe you like your soup even more loaded up, or maybe you have some ingredients nearing their end of life. Here are a few fillings that would taste fantastic in your soup:
Corn Peas Green beans Broccoli/cauliflower Kale/ spinach Chopped chilies Freshly grated Parmesan to serve
Storage
Make sure your chicken and rice soup has cooled down to room temperature before storing it. You can leave it right in the pot with the lid, or transfer it to an airtight container. Leftovers will last 3-4 days in the fridge. To reheat, microwave your soup for 30 seconds at a time until heated through. You can also reheat in a pot on the stovetop over medium heat. If you’ve found that the rice has absorbed too much of the liquid and the soup consistency is too thick, add some more chicken broth or water.
How To Freeze
Whether you have leftovers or you’d like to have some dinners made in advance, this recipe is a great option. You can freeze this soup right in the pot you made it in, or transfer it to an airtight container. Make sure your soup has cooled down fully before putting it in the freezer. If you’re making a batch ahead of time, I suggest leaving the rice out until you reheat and cook it fresh in the soup. This way the texture of the rice won’t be compromised and fall apart after reheating. Reheat your soup either in the microwave, stirring often, or straight into a pot on the stovetop.
Other Delicious Soup Recipes To Try
Lentil Soup Minestrone Soup Lemon Rice and Chicken Soup (Avgolemono) Italian Wedding Soup Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup Chicken Gnocchi Soup Philly Cheesesteak Soup Italian Meatball Soup Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup Hamburger Soup
title: “Chicken And Rice Soup” ShowToc: true date: “2024-11-06” author: “Iva Willingham”
Be sure to try my Chicken Tortellini Soup next!
Chicken and Rice Soup
This is probably one of the coziest soup recipes that you can possibly make. It’s so simple, comes together really quickly, and the flavor is just perfect. There are a few flavor enhancers here that may surprise you, but trust me on this- they make all the difference.
Can You Cook the Rice in the Soup?
A lot of recipes call for cooking the rice right in the soup- but I beg you not to do it. I like to cook it on the side in some chicken broth instead, this way the rice and the soup can be stored separately in the fridge or in the freezer. (Rice loves to absorb broth when it cooks and during storage.) -I’ve seen my friends use a slotted spoon to try to remove rice from the soup pot before storing leftovers. And I know you don’t have time for that.
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions. Soften vegetables and garlic in butter in a large pot. Add seasonings, soy sauce, hot sauce, chicken, and chicken broth. Bring to a gentle boil and let the chicken slowly cook through. (Boiling rapidly will make the chicken tough.)
Meanwhile, cook the rice in chicken broth in a separate pot and set aside. Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the soup and use 2 forks to shred it.
Add the chicken back to the soup. Spoon the rice into serving bowls and ladle soup on top. If you don’t anticipate leftovers, you can add the rice right to the soup pot. Garnish with parsley and serve!
Crock Pot Method
Melt the butter in the Crock Pot. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic and toss to coat. Add the the basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, mustard powder, pepper, soy sauce, hot sauce, chicken, and chicken broth. Cook on low for 6 hours. (I recommend low heat to keep the chicken juicy and tender. Cooking it over higher heat makes it tougher. If necessary, it can be cooked for 4 hours on high.) Shred at the end of cooking and return it to the soup. Cook rice separately as outlined in stovetop procedure. Add rice to serving bowls and ladle soup on top. Store any leftover rice and soup in separate containers and refrigerate or freeze.
Storage
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Be sure to freeze the rice in a separate container from the soup. They both freeze well.
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Tried This Recipe?
Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
3.5 quart Dutch Oven. -This is the one I use and love, excellent quality. Spice Rack– This is the one I have, it’s a snap to measure out your seasonings quickly and easily. (Big time saver.) Measuring Spoons– I have these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized in my utensil drawer. Pinch Bowls– for measuring out seasonings ahead of time. 16 oz. storage containers – I use these to store/freeze my soups. They have 8 oz. sizes as well. They’re stackable, leak proof, and dishwasher/microwave safe.
title: “Chicken And Rice Soup” ShowToc: true date: “2024-10-21” author: “John Ruddock”
Chicken and rice soup is quite similar to chicken noodle soup, only this bowl of comfort food is naturally gluten-free. Because it contains both protein and carbs, it feels like a complete meal and is ready to eat in just about 30 minutes. If you don’t have rice on hand, be sure to check out my Chicken Vegetable Soup, which includes even more veggies!
Ingredients You’ll Need
You can use any veggies you have for this recipe, but a good base almost always includes onion, carrots, and celery. If you have frozen vegetables on hand, you can add those in, too! Chicken thighs will turn out more tender when compared to chicken breasts, in this case, but you can use whichever option you prefer. If you would like to use leftover rotisserie chicken in this soup recipe, wait to add it in until the soup has finished simmering. It will heat up quickly! Instead of using chicken broth as the base, this recipe calls for water to keep things affordable, and the flavor in your control. Try the recipe as written and see how it tastes! When you simmer the aromatic veggies, herbs, and chicken together, the water transforms into the most delicious broth, without relying on store-bought cartons. Note: You can also add a bay leaf to this soup recipe for extra flavor. If you add this, you MUST remember to remove it before serving the soup, because it’s a choking hazard. I’m always scared I’ll forget to remove it, so I tend to leave it out of my soup recipes.
How to Make the Best Chicken and Rice Soup
Add olive oil to a large pot over medium-high heat, and saute the onions, celery, and carrots until they start to soften. This should take about 5 minutes. Next, add in the minced garlic cloves, thyme, and oregano and stir briefly, just until they smell fragrant. Immediately add in the water, so the garlic won’t burn, and use your spatula to scrape the bottom of the pot. This will ensure that nothing is stuck to the bottom. Add in the white rice, chicken thighs, salt, and black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil on the stovetop, then cover the pot and lower the heat to a simmer. This chicken will take 15 to 20 minutes to cook through, depending on the size of the meat, and cooking it over low heat will prevent the chicken from becoming tough. Use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the center of the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF, then use tongs to carefully transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board. Shred the chicken with two forks, or alternatively, you can quickly shred chicken with an electric mixer in a large bowl, or chop it up with a sharp knife. Return the shredded chicken to the soup pot and adjust any seasoning to taste. If the soup tastes bland, you’ll need to add extra salt, and you can also brighten the flavor with a squeeze of lemon juice. Garnish with fresh parsley or thyme, and serve warm. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, and are easy to reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave for a meal prep lunch or dinner. If you try this chicken and rice soup recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it.
