Chicken and Rice Soup

Chicken and rice soup is a comforting and delicious one-pot meal that the whole family will love! Makes the perfect soup recipe for chilly weather!

Whenever I’m sick or the weather is gloomy, I always crave a bowl of this soup. It’s such a comforting recipe that has the best flavor. Some of my other favorite comfort soups are chicken pot pie soup, creamy ham and potato soup and turkey noodle soup.

This chicken and rice soup recipe is a variation of my favorite chicken soup from my cookbook. It’s made in one pot and is so, so delicious! I crave it whenever I’m sick or there’s a rainy day. It’s so comforting and is a meal the whole family loves!

We love to serve this soup with homemade rolls or a warm piece of french bread or garlic bread. The bread tastes delicious dipped in the soup and really takes the meal over the top. YUM!

Rice for soup

What type of rice? I like to use long grain rice, however you could also use brown or wild rice as well. Sometimes I even use leftover cooked rice and just add it into the soup during the last minute or two of cooking.

Do you cook it before adding to the soup? No, the beauty of this recipe is that everything cooks together in one pot! Once your pot of soup begins to boil, you’ll simply add in the rice and cover with a lid. It will simmer for awhile and cook all the way through. Not only is this method super easy, but it helps infuse the rice with all the delicious spices from the soup.

How long does it take to cook in a soup? The cook time will depend on the type you are using. Just use the cook time that’s listed on the packaging and adjust accordingly (keep an eye on it so that you don’t overcook!). I’ve found that long grain rice takes about 15 to 20 minutes to cook through, while brown or wild rice takes about 35 to 45 minutes.

How to make chicken rice soup

I love that this recipe can be whipped up in just one pot. I like to cook it in a dutch oven on the stove, but you can cook it in the crockpot as well (directions below). Scroll down for the printable recipe.

1. Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add in onions, carrots and celery and cook 3 minutes. Then stir in garlic and cook until onions are translucent.
2. Next add in broth, water, thyme and salt and pepper.
3. Bring soup to a boil and then turn heat to medium-low. Add rice and cover with lid. Simmer until rice is almost cooked through, about 10-20 minutes.
4. Then add chicken, lemon juice and more thyme and S&P to taste. Cook just until rice is tender.
5. Remove soup from heat. Ladle into bowls and serve while hot.

Crockpot method

You can also make this soup in the slow cooker as well! You’ll want to add the rice the last hour of cooking. You can also precook the rice and then dump it in the soup right before serving. You just don’t want to add it in at the beginning as it will absorb all the liquid and become mushy.

Quick tips

• Check the rice packaging that you are using for cook time and adjust cooking time accordingly – you do not want to overcook it. If using brown or wild rice, it will take about 35-45 minutes to cook. I would check on it frequently though to make sure you don’t overcook it.
• If using leftover white rice, add in the last minute of cooking and use 1 cup less broth.
• If you overcook the rice or it sits overnight, it will absorb more liquid. Add another can of broth if needed.
• If you want to cook the chicken in the soup, you can add in raw chicken that is cut into bite sized cubes when you add the rice.

Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken and rice soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 5

Calories: 277

Author: Jamielyn Nye

Chicken and rice soup is a comforting and delicious one-pot meal that the whole family will love! Makes the perfect soup recipe for chilly weather!

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Ingredients

• 1-2 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 6 cups chicken broth or stock (3 cans, use more if needed)
• 1 cup water
• 2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme (or 3/4 teaspoon ground thyme, more to taste)
• 3/4 cup long grain rice
• 2 1/2 cups cooked chicken breast
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice , more to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook about 3 minutes and then stir in the garlic. Cook until the onions are translucent. 
• Add the chicken broth, 1 cup water, thyme, S&P. I usually start with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and taste at the end. 
• Bring the soup to a boil and then turn the heat to medium-low. Add the rice and cover with a lid. Let simmer for about 10-20 minutes, or until the the rice is almost cooked through. Then add the chicken. Add more lemon juice, thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Cook just until the rice is tender. 
• Remove soup from heat. Serve soup while hot. 

Notes

Notes:

• Check the rice packaging that you are using for cook time and adjust cooking time accordingly, you do not want to overcook it. If using brown rice, it will take about 35-45 minutes to cook.
• If using leftover rice, add in the last minute of cooking and use 1 cup less broth. 
• If you overcook the rice or it sits overnight, it will absorb more liquid. Add another can of broth if needed.

Nutrition

Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 1120mg | Potassium: 594mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 4380IU | Vitamin C: 24.4mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 1.8mg

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Enjoy!