Homemade Chicken and Rice Soup - a delicious, cozy meal for a cold day. This easy soup recipe is loaded with tender chicken, rice and vegetables in a flavorful broth. One of our favorite healthy soup recipes!
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time40 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr
Servings: 6servings
Calories: 272kcal
Ingredients
1tablespoonolive oil
1onionchopped
3carrotscut into ¼-inch pieces
3ribscelerycut into ¼-inch pieces
3clovesgarlicminced
1teaspoondried thyme
½teaspoonsaltplus more to taste
¼teaspoonblack pepperor to taste
1cuplong grain brown ricerinsed and drained
6cupslow sodium chicken broth*
1poundboneless skinless chicken breasts
fresh chopped parsley or thymefor serving, if desired
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
Add the dried thyme, salt, pepper, brown rice 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 35-45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and rice is tender. (Depending on the type and brand of rice you use, the cook time will vary. Check the package directions on your rice for the stove top cook time.)
Remove the chicken and follow my tips for how to shred chicken to shred it into bite size pieces. Stir the chicken back into the soup. Serve soup with fresh chopped parsley or thyme, if desired.
Notes
*Make ahead: If you make the soup ahead or have leftover soup, the rice will soak up some of the broth. I recommend adding some extra broth to leftover soup before warming it up.