Chicken and Rice Soup

How To Make Chicken And Rice Soup?

This is just the nutshell version of the recipe. See the recipe card below for ingredients and full directions.

  1. Cook the vegetables over medium heat on the stovetop.
  2. Reduce the heat to low, and cook the garlic, herbs, and spices for 1 minute.
  3. Add the bay leaves and chicken broth. Bring it to a boil.
  4. Add the rice, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.
  5. Stir in the chicken and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh herbs.

Preparation Tips

  • I love to use already-cooked rotisserie chicken. They are delicious and available at almost all grocery retailers and warehouse stores like Sam’s and Costco. Or you can poach boneless skinless chicken breasts.
  • If you want to kick the seasonings up a notch, consider adding 1/8 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper or 1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning. You can also try adding dried herbs like oregano and bail.
  • Remove your bay leaves before serving; they are stiff and have sharp edges.
  • Keep in mind that rice absorbs liquid. If you know you will save some soup for leftovers, remove that amount before adding the rice. Reheat on the stovetop, adding the uncooked minute rice.

Easy Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe

This easy flavor-packed Chicken and Rice soup is made with simple ingredients in about thirty minutes.  It is a full meal in and of itself or enjoy it with fresh bread or a garden salad.
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10minutes 
Cook Time: 20minutes 
Total Time: 30minutes 
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 274kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 2 ribs celery chopped
  • 3 medium carrots peeled and sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice such as jamine or basmati
  • 2 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken
  • fresh parsley or thyme garnish

Instructions

  • Melt butter in a Dutch oven or heavy stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the onion and the celery are soft. Stir several times.
  • Reduce the heat to low.  Add garlic, parsley, thyme, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  • Add chicken broth and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add the rice, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.
  • Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the cooked chicken. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste, and garnish with fresh parsley or thyme.

Notes

  • I love to use already-cooked rotisserie chicken. They are delicious and available at almost all grocery retailers and warehouse stores like Sam’s and Costco. Or you can poach boneless skinless chicken breasts.
  • If you want to kick the seasonings up a notch, consider adding 1/8 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper or 1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning. You can also try adding dried herbs like oregano and bail.
  • Remove your bay leaves before serving; they are stiff and have sharp edges.
  • Keep in mind that rice absorbs liquid. If you know you will save some soup for leftovers, remove that amount before adding the rice. Reheat on the stovetop, adding the uncooked minute rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 179mg | Potassium: 508mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 5308IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 3mg

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