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.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: Classic and savory, this homemade soup is packed with fresh and flavorful goodness.
- Skill Level: Made in just one pot, it’s easy to prep, and cleanup is a breeze.
- Budget Tip: It’s budget-friendly; stretch it even further with extra veggies, rice, or broth.
- Swaps: It’s versatile, feel free to add in your favorite veggies or even leftovers.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve it with a salad and some crusty bread for a perfect meal.
What You’ll Need For Chicken and Rice Soup
- Chicken Broth: I prefer low-sodium chicken broth as the base of this soup, so it isn’t too salty. You can also make a homemade chicken broth. 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. Garnish with fresh parsley.
- 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. Bone-in or boneless chicken thighs can be used. Or add bacon for a chicken bacon soup!
- 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.
- Avoid standing at the stove and make this soup in the crockpot.
How to Make Chicken and Rice Soup
- In a pot or Dutch oven, sauté the vegetables in oil (full recipe below).
- Add broth, uncooked chicken breasts, and rice, then simmer until the rice is tender.
- Shred cooked chicken, stir it back into the pot, and finish with cream or evaporated milk.
Serve with dinner rolls or a chunk of crusty bread for dipping.
Storing Leftovers
- This chicken rice soup is 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 thaw quickly when you need it for dinner.
- 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
Did you enjoy this Chicken Rice Soup? Leave a comment and rating below!
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.
Video
Notes
Store soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Chicken breasts can be replaced with chicken thighs. Add it to the soup 10 minutes later.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 332 | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 607mg | Potassium: 803mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 5250IU | Vitamin C: 5.2mg | Calcium: 150mg | Iron: 1.6mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Chicken, Lunch, Soup
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
This is my second time making this soup in as many weeks. I used basmati rice. It is so delicious and filling, thank you!
This is the best chicken and rice soup that we have ever made! Thank you for posting it!
I have made this so many times. I have use brown rice and white rice. I usually cook them separately but last time I cooked the brown rice in it and we decided we like more rice. so I’m making it again with 1.5 cups of rice cooked in it and see how it goes. I have cooked it in a slow cooker and instant pot. I usually use the instant pot. I have switched out the thyme for Italian seasoning because that what I had on hand. Sometimes I put the milk in it and sometimes I don’t. I love how versatile this recipe is. Thanks for sharing!
wonderful meal !!
great meal !!
I loved this easy and delicious soup. I will definitely make it again.
This was tasty and came together quickly for a great dinner in a cold evening.
I made a variation of this by using leftover ground chicken sausage. I kept the base and veggies the same, but also added a small amount of spinach. It tasted like a a cross between chicken noodle and wedding soup, just with rice instead of noodles. I served it with a piece of crusty bread. So yummy!!
So good! I added pre-cooked chicken and rice, so it made it so easy to make. Very tasty and loved the added creaminess from the heavy whipping cream. Definitely a keeper!
I liked making this delicious & nutritious soup for my family. Thanks for this recipe. It got excellent reviews from my husband! It’s comfort food on a chilly winter day.
A nice change from chicken noodle soup, and healthy and easy too! It was very warm and comforting on these recent cold winter days.
Such great flavour for such a straight-forward recipe. I ended up adding a bit more broth as I simmered for a bit longer and the rice did absorb the liquid. the very definition of comfort food and it is going into the keeper file!
What a delicious and easy soup to make. I had some leftover cauliflower rice that worked perfectly. Definitely one to keep in the rotation!
Such a quick and easy recipe with ingredients we mostly have on hand! We all loved it and it kept well in the fridge for lunch the next day as well. #mealprepmadeeasy
I made this soup using wide noodles instead of rice as my husband is not a fan of rice. Also per one of your tips i cooked the noodles before adding to the soup and they didn’t absorb the liquid. Great tip!
My family loved the soup and said it is a keeper! Thank you again for a great recipe.
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.