Nothing says comfort food like a bowl of delicious Chicken and Rice Soup full of carrots, celery, sweet onion, roasted chicken, and tender white rice. This simple yet filling soup is full of wholesome ingredients that make you feel great about feeding your family.
Many of these ingredients are everyday household staples; you may already have them in your refrigerator or pantry. I love to serve this soup with Dutch oven bread or corn muffins.
Who Doesn’t Love Chicken and Rice Soup, Right?
This soup is quick and easy to make, using already-cooked rotisserie chicken and minute rice. It is ideal for busy families and weeknights. For a more slow-paced weekend soup, try my chicken and wild rice soup, lasagna alfredo soup, or lemon chicken orzo soup.
We are a soup-loving family. In fact, we eat it year-round. After all, isn’t that one of the main reasons they created air conditioning? Just kidding. For seasonal soup eaters, fall and winter will be here before you know it, and with it comes all things soup.
Ingredients Needed
- Butter: salted or unsalted
- Vegetables: sweet yellow onion, celery, carrots, and garlic
- Seasonings and herbs: dried parsley and thyme, bay leaves, black pepper, fresh thyme and parsley
- Chicken broth: Low sodium
- Rice: long grain rice like jasmine rice or basmati rice
- Chicken: any cooked chicken. I like to use rotisserie chicken.
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.
- Cook the vegetables over medium heat on the stovetop.
- Reduce the heat to low, and cook the garlic, herbs, and spices for 1 minute.
- Add the bay leaves and chicken broth. Bring it to a boil.
- Add the rice, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.
- 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.
More Chicken Soup Recipes
Easy Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe
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
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Anna Sabo
Very easy and simple to make
Family loved it!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Anna!
Ally
How much salt did everyone use? I’m terrible at “salt to taste”. Thanks in advance!!R
Beth Pierce
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon is a good start
Melinda
This is a lovely soup to make especially when you fancy something warm, light and comforting. It was easy to make and tasty. I served it with some homemade dinner rolls.
Beth Pierce
Souneds delicious!
Nikki Wayne
Chicken and rice soup is a great partner food especially today because in some areas the rain is nonstop. Soup is a food that can give you satisfaction in all the foods you want to eat.
Bryan C
I love anything with chicken! This was great comfort food and I loved the added carrots and other veggies, for a nutritional boost. I will make it again.
Lisa
OMGoodness, this chicken and rice soup was so delicious. My mother in-law use to make this all the time for us and man was it good! Your soup reminded me of hers. Thanks!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Lisa!
Catherine Kay
Chicken and rice soup is my go-to comfort food! The combination of tender chicken, hearty rice, and flavorful broth warms the soul, especially on a chilly day. This recipe is perfect for a cozy night in.
Beth Pierce
I agree 100%!
Edgar
Great Sunday meal. We included your Dutch oven bread and everyone loved it. Thanks for the great recipe.
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Edgar.
Peter N
My family and I loved this easy chicken and rice soup. So delicious. Thanks for sharing! This will be on repeat this fall and winter. So comforting.
Tyler
This recipe looks really simple and fun to make, and the final product looks really good. I love soup, too, and I thought about making it myself one day. I might try this recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Tyler! Enjoy!
Kristine
Another great recipe! I make my own chicken broth, and now here is another great recipe to use it up.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Kristine.
lavanda
Chicken and rice soup is the ultimate comfort food! Cozy, nutritious, and perfect with some Dutch oven bread or corn muffins.
AJ
This so delicious!! It’s actually giving me flashbacks to my childhood because chicken and rice soup was one of my favorite go-tos! This recipe is going in my “favorites” asap, thanks for sharing!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, AJ!