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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Ashley
Nothing is more comforting than a bowl of chicken and rice soup! Loved the veggies added to it for color and flavor. Great recipe!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Ashley! I am so glad that you enjoyed it!
Kerrigan
Flavorful and delicious chicken soup recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Beth Pierce
My pleasure!
Melissa
This was total comfort food in a bowl. Very easy to make and has the perfect flavor that reminds me of my childhood.
Beth Pierce
That is awesome, Melissa! So glad that you liked it!
Lubna
This is must try soup recipe. We loved it! Tasty and nutritious…
Moni
This is one of my comfort foods but my recipe is slightly different. I will try this too!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Moni! Enjoy!
Sienny
Ohh my….im totally In love with this recipe from you as I’m a rice soup fan. Saved this so I can cook this and enjoy it this weekend 😋 cheers
Laura
This sounds like such a nourishing soup!! Perfect for winter to build immunity!
Claudia
We loved this chicken and rice soup. It was easy to make, delicious, and even the young picky eaters liked it. Thanks for sharing the recipe, Beth!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Claudia!
Tanya
Absolutely love the idea of a comforting bowl of Chicken and Rice Soup, especially on those busy weeknights when you need a quick and hearty meal. The fact that it’s made with everyday ingredients makes it even more appealing. Thanks for sharing this delicious and time-saving recipe!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Tanya!
Ella
What a hearty, delicious soup! I love chicken soups, so this will be on our regular rotation. Thanks for the recipe, Beth!
Kay
Great chicken and rice soup. I used rotisserie chicken and it was ready in now time at all. My family loved this and I will be making it often.
Dannii
This is a great way to use up leftover chicken and it’s so easy to adapt too.
Nathan
I love how simple and classic this soup is. Familiar flavors and so comforting. I have a feeling I’ll be making this one quite a bit through the fall and winter!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Nathan! Enjoy!
Kushi
SImple and flavorful soup recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Jayne
I love to have great soup on hand for a cold winter day. This chicken soup is perfect!
Anjali
This was the most comforting bowl of soup ever!! Great for the cooler weather we’ve been having!