This chicken and rice soup recipe is one you’ll want to make over and over. Bone-in chicken simmers slowly to create a rich broth for the soup, and vegetables and rice are cooked until tender. The result is a meal in a bowl that’s comforting, nourishing and so delicious.
If you’re looking to get your soup on the table faster, see our tips for Instant Pot and slow-cooker variations.
Ingredients for Chicken and Rice Soup
- Chicken breasts: Bone-in chicken breasts will add the most flavor to your broth, but boneless can be used if that’s what you have.
- Poultry seasoning: This classic blend is designed to complement chicken. It typically has thyme and sage, and sometimes allspice and celery salt.
- Chicken bouillon: Since you’re making a quick broth here, it isn’t quite as flavorful as one simmered for hours. Chicken bouillon granules to the rescue! They amplify the chicken flavor for a more delicious broth.
- Carrots: Chopped carrots are a classic chicken soup vegetable, adding bright color and sweetness.
- Celery: Herbaceous celery brings almost licorice-like notes to the soup. Feel free to use leaves along with stalks.
- Onion: Completing the aromatic trifecta, onion infuses everything with a savory flavor.
- Rice: Cooking long-grain rice directly in the broth makes for delicious, chicken-flavored rice. The starch from the rice also adds a little body to the broth.
Directions
Step 1: Cook the chicken and make the broth
In a large Dutch oven, add the chicken, water, salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook the chicken until tender, 25 to 30 minutes. You’re making the broth for the soup too.
Step 2: Add the vegetables and rice
Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken from the broth, and set it aside. When it’s cool enough, remove the meat from the bones and cut or tear into bite-sized pieces, discarding the skin and bones. After skimming the fat from the broth, add the chicken back into the broth along with the bouillon, carrots, celery, onion and rice. Bring it back to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables and rice are tender.
Chicken and Rice Soup Variations
- Go wild with rice: You don’t have to use long-grain rice in this recipe; another variety like jasmine or basmati will work too. Or find a wild rice mix to add some different texture. Wild rice takes a bit longer to cook, so you’ll need to add about 10 minutes on to the final simmer.
- Add leafy greens: For a burst of color and nutrition, add chopped kale or spinach to the last few minutes of cooking. Spinach only needs one to two minutes to wilt, while kale takes a few minutes longer.
- Make it rich and creamy: Adding 1/2 cup of cream, half-and-half or evaporated milk during the last 10 minutes of cooking will thicken the broth and make it a bit more decadent.
How to Store Chicken and Rice Soup
This soup stores well, so feel free to make it ahead and store it in the refrigerator for three to four days. It makes a great gift for a friend who might be feeling under the weather.
Can I freeze chicken and rice soup?
Chicken soup freezes well, but the rice can get a little mushy after freezing and reheating. If this doesn’t bother you, freeze it in airtight containers (leave an inch of headroom to account for expansion) or in zipper-top, freezer-safe bags laid flat. Here are some additional tips for freezing soup perfectly.
How do you reheat chicken and rice soup?
Gently reheat this soup in a saucepan or in the microwave.
Chicken and Rice Soup Tips
Can you make chicken and rice soup in an Instant Pot or Crockpot?
Yes! We have the recipes to help you do that. Try our pressure-cooker chicken and rice soup or slow-cooker chicken and rice soup.
Can this soup be made with other types of chicken?
Chicken and rice soup is a flexible recipe. Do you prefer bone-in chicken thighs? Those would be flavorful and perfect. Only have boneless chicken breasts? These have a little less flavor and need a little less time to cook, but it will still turn out delicious. Already have leftover cooked chicken? Bonus, you will save 30 minutes of cooking time! But in this case consider using chicken broth instead of water so you don’t sacrifice any flavor.
Is it OK to use leftover rice in this soup?
Leftover rice will work well in this easy chicken and rice soup. You won’t need to add it until the last five minutes of cooking though, since you’re just heating it through.
