Best Chicken and Rice Soup

Chicken and rice soup in pot with a ladle.

4.60 from 5 ratings

from kristineskitchenblog.com

This chicken and rice soup is one of my favorite meals for a cold day! Cooking the rice separately and then stirring it into the finished soup ensures that the rice will be perfectly cooked every time. Serve this comforting soup with dinner rolls and a simple green salad on the side.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Servings: servings

Calories: 289kcal

Author: Kristine Rosenblatt

Ingredients

1 cup long grain brown rice, long grain white rice or wild rice rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion chopped
4 medium carrots sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds or half rounds if large
3 ribs celery chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt or to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
2 bay leaves
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
fresh chopped parsley for serving, if desired

Instructions

Cook the Rice

Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a 3 quart or larger saucepan or pot. (Make sure to use a pot that has a tight-fitting lid, since you'll need to cover the rice after cooking.) Once the water is boiling, stir in the rinsed rice and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil. If using white rice, boil for 15 minutes (uncovered). If using brown rice, boil for 30 minutes (uncovered). (See note below for wild rice cook time.)
Pour the rice into a strainer and drain it very well. Immediately return the rice to the hot empty pot and cover with the lid. Let the rice rest for 10 minutes, or until it is time to add it to the soup.

Make the Soup

Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-6 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
Add the dried thyme, dried oregano, salt, pepper, bay leaves and chicken broth. Stir to combine. Place the chicken in the pot and nestle it down into the broth.
Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low so that the soup is simmering but not boiling vigorously. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender. (The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165°F when measured with an instant read thermometer.)
Remove the chicken to a clean plate and let it rest for 5 minutes. Then shred it into bite-size pieces.
Stir the shredded chicken and cooked rice into the soup. Taste the soup and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Serve soup with fresh chopped parsley, if desired.

Video

Notes

Wild Rice: To make this soup with wild rice, follow the same rice cooking method and boil the rice for 40-45 minutes, until the rice is tender but still has a bit of a bite to it.
To use leftover chicken or turkey: To make this chicken rice soup with leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken, stir your cooked, shredded chicken into the soup after the rice is done cooking. Simmer for a few minutes to warm the chicken. This is also a great way to use leftover roast turkey after Thanksgiving!
Use leftover rice: To make this soup with leftover rice, stir the cooked rice into the finished soup. Simmer for a few minutes to warm the rice.
Make ahead: If you'd like to make this soup ahead, I recommend stirring the rice in when you reheat the soup right before serving. Reheat it in a covered pot on the stove until simmering. Leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. The rice will soak up some of the broth and become softer. You can stir in additional broth when you warm the soup on the stove.
Nutrition estimate is for soup made with brown rice.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is only an estimate.