Chicken and Rice Soup

This easy Chicken and Rice Soup is comfort in a bowl. Tender chicken, fluffy rice, and vegetables simmer in rich broth for a soothing meal that's perfect when you're feeling under the weather.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Total Time1 15

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chicken and Rice Soup

Servings:

Author: Jennifer Pallian BSc, RD

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion finely chopped
2 stalks celery halved lengthwise and chopped crosswise in 1/2-inch pieces
2 carrots peeled, halved lengthwise and chopped crosswise in 1/2-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic minced
4 bone-in chicken thighs skin removed (or 2 cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey)
8 cups chicken broth
1 cup rice white, brown, or wild rice blend
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley (or 4 tsp dried parsley)
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrots, plus 1 tsp kosher salt. Cook until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Add chicken thighs and broth, plus 1 tsp more kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
For the quick method, add rice now and cook until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through, at least 30 minutes (45 if you use brown rice).
For the longer cooking method and richer broth, simmer the chicken thighs on their own for 30 minutes, then add the rice and cook until tender, 30 to 45 minutes more.
For either method, cook uncovered to concentrate flavors unless the soup is boiling down more than you like.
Remove chicken using a slotted spoon and transfer to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, use two forks to shred it into bite-sized pieces. Discard bones.
Stir shredded chicken back into soup, along with chopped parsley. Season to taste with more salt and pepper.

Notes

Bone-in chicken: Using chicken with bones creates much richer, more flavorful broth than boneless chicken. The bones release gelatin and minerals during simmering. Remove the skin before cooking to avoid greasy broth.

Rotisserie shortcut: Skip steps 2 and 3 by using 2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken. Add it at the end when you stir in the parsley. This cuts cooking time significantly.

Rice varieties: White rice cooks in 20-30 minutes. Brown rice needs 45 minutes. Wild rice blend takes about 40 minutes. Never use instant rice as it will turn mushy during the long simmer.

Storage tip: Rice absorbs liquid as the soup sits. Keep extra broth on hand to thin it out when reheating leftovers. Or store the rice separately and add to bowls when serving.

Freezing: This soup freezes well, but rice doesn't. Freeze the broth, chicken, and vegetables together without the rice. Cook fresh rice when you reheat. Freeze up to 3 months.

Leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding extra broth as needed.

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