Chicken and Rice Soup

This easy chicken and rice soup is a nourishing soup recipe made with chicken, tender vegetables, rice and a flavorful broth. It’s perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner plus can be made on the stove top or slow cooker!

Easy Chicken Rice Soup

This dish has all the same flavors as my chicken and rice, but in soup form! It’s the first soup recipe that I crave on a cold day and just like homemade chicken pot pie it’s a favorite comfort food meal!

This easy chicken and rice soup recipe is a variation of my favorite chicken soup from The I Heart Naptime Cookbook. It’s made in one pot, fresh and flavorful and honestly my family could eat it on repeat!

Ingredient Notes

This hearty and comforting soup is not only incredibly cozy it’s gluten-free and dairy-free, too!

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

• Chicken: This soup comes together in a flash, thanks to the pre-cooked leftover cooked chicken breast.
• Onion, carrots, celery, garlic: Is it possible to make a chicken soup without these key ingredients? I don’t think I want to find out because they add so much flavor and depth to the broth.
• Lemon juice: Just a little acid to lighten and highlight the other ingredients.
• Thyme: This fresh herb adds such a nice brightness to the soup and helps balance out the veggies.
• Broth: I use chicken broth or stock and a little water as the base of this soup. You can even make it with homemade turkey stock, if you’d like.
• Rice: Long-grain white rice is what I typically use, but you can opt for a different kind like jasmine rice, brown rice or wild rice (just be aware the cook time will be different).

How to Make Chicken and Rice Soup

I love that this recipe can be whipped up in just one large soup pot. I like to cook it in a dutch oven on the stove, but you can cook make it in the slow cooker, too.

• Saute. Start by sautéing the veggies and garlic in a large pot until fragrant.
• Boil. Then pour in the broth, water, lemon juice and seasonings. I usually start with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and taste at the end. Bring the mixture to a boil and then turn the heat to medium-low.
• Simmer. Mix in the rice and then place the lid on the pot. Let the soup simmer until the rice is cooked through (usually about 10 to 20 minutes).  Then mix in the chicken, add more seasonings as needed and serve with a warm piece of French bread.

Tips and Variations

• Type of rice. I like to use long grain rice, however you could also use brown or wild rice. Just make sure to check the rice packaging and adjust the cooking time accordingly (you do not want to overcook it). Long grain rice usually takes about 15 to 20 minutes to cook, whereas brown rice takes about 35 to 45 minutes.
• Leftover rice. You can use leftover cooked rice instead of cooking it in the soup if preferred. Simply mix it in during the last minute of cooking and use 1 cup less broth than the recipe calls for.
• Chicken. I like to use rotisserie chicken for convenience. If you want to cook the chicken in the soup, you can add in raw chicken breast or chicken thighs that are cut into bite sized cubes when you add the rice. Just make sure it’s cooked through completely before serving.
• Creamy chicken rice soup: Add a splash of evaporated milk at the end before serving.
• Flavor boosters: Make this chicken rice soup recipe your own by adding some additional flavor enhancers. In addition to thyme try basil, parsley, oregano and dried mustard powder. A dash of hot sauce, soy sauce, lemon juice and some fresh parsley before serving can also add a boost!

Storage

• Soup: The soup will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator if stored in an airtight container. After sitting overnight, it will absorb more liquid and thicken up a bit. So feel free to add another can of broth if needed when reheating.
• Freeze: I only recommend freezing the soup if you have not added the rice. Frozen, thawed and then reheated rice doesn’t hold up well in the soup and it will be mushy.

More Soup Recipes

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