This Chicken and Rice Soup recipe is the perfect recipe for a chilly day!
Chicken, vegetables and brown rice are simmered in a flavorful broth and finished with a touch of creaminess.
Serve it with a salad and some crusty bread for a perfect meal.
Why You’ll Make Chicken Rice Soup On Repeat
- This soup is packed with fresh and flavorful goodness.
- Made in just one pot, it’s easy to prep and cleanup is a breeze.
- It’s versatile, feel free to add in your favorite veggies or even leftovers.
- It’s budget-friendly, feel free to stretch it even further with extra veggies, rice, or broth.
What You’ll Need For Chicken and Rice Soup
The ingredients for this chicken and rice soup recipe are staples I always have on hand.
Chicken Broth: I prefer low-sodium chicken broth as the base of this soup, so it isn’t too salty. While it’s optional, heavy cream or evaporated milk adds a touch of creaminess.
Seasoning: The seasonings are simple with parsley and thyme but feel free to add other dried or fresh herbs or bay leaves
Vegetables: Celery, onion, and carrot add both flavor and nutrition to this soup.
Chicken: Use raw boneless skinless chicken breasts—simmering them in the soup adds flavor to the broth and is easy. Bone-in or boneless chicken thighs can be used.
Rice: Brown rice is a hearty boost of fiber and holds its texture well. You can replace it with long-grain white rice, wild rice, or basmati. Adjust the cooking time as needed.
Shortcuts
- Use leftover cooked rice; it can be added about 5 minutes before serving.
- Use rotisserie chicken, leftovers, or cooked chicken in place of chicken breasts—add it once the rice is cooked.
How to Make Chicken and Rice Soup
This chicken and rice soup is so easy to make – no need to pre-cook the chicken.
- In a pot or Dutch oven, soften the vegetables (full recipe below).
- Add broth, uncooked chicken breasts, and rice, then simmer until the rice is tender.
- Shred cooked chicken, stir back into the pot, and finish with cream or evaporated milk if desired.
Serve with dinner rolls or a chunk of crusty bread for dipping.
Storing Leftovers
Chicken Rice Soup recipe is the ultimate comfort food, and it’s perfect for meal prep because it freezes well. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To freeze leftovers, cool the soup to room temperature, then place it in freezer bags. Seal completely and lay flat to freeze in a thin layer. This will help the soup to thaw quickly when you need it for dinner.
Quick Tip
The rice can absorb liquid as the soup sits; if needed, add additional broth or water to reach the desired consistency.
More Cozy Chicken Soup Recipes
- Chicken Bacon Rice Soup – quick and easy
- Chicken Gnocchi Soup – quick and creamy
- Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup – reader favorite
- Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup – restaurant quality at home
Did you enjoy this Chicken Rice Soup? Leave a comment and rating below!
Chicken Rice Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 3 large carrots peeled and diced
- 1 rib celery diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 5 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts uncooked
- 1 cup brown rice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup evaporated milk or cream, optional
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 3-4 minutes, until onion is translucent.
- Add garlic, parsley and thyme and cook 1 minute.
- Add broth, chicken, rice, salt, and pepper. Stir and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables and rice are tender and chicken has reached 165℉.
- Remove chicken from pot and shred. Add back to the pot with evaporated milk or cream if using.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Chicken, Lunch, Soup
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So Yummy!
What a great recipe for an easy dinner & tastes amazing.
Thanks for sharing!
I was able to put this soup together with items I had in my fridge and pantry. The little bit of cream added a special touch of flavor. I halved the salt because I was using better than boullion base.
Delicious soup! I added some extra carrots and celery and a little extra broth. Perfect for the subzero weather we are having!
brilliant
This soup was perfect for a cold winter day. I used fresh chopped parsley as I had it on hand. I didn’t add any dairy. Delicious!
Hi Holly!
Love your recipes and love a great chicken soup. This sounds delicious. A couple comments mention that they left out the cream or the evaporated milk. By leaving that out, how does that change the consistency and taste? Is it OK to leave it out? I too like a brothy chicken soup.
Thx Holly!
Thanks, Moonie! I am glad you are enjoying them. It does change consistency making it more brothy than creamy but it is fine to leave out if you prefer.