The apple didn’t fall far from the tree in many ways when it comes to my darling children — including the fact that they all love soup as much as their Mama.
I don’t make the rules, I just cook the soup!
One of our all time favorite chicken soup recipes is Chicken and Rice Soup. This brothy, nourishing soup features fresh vegetables, tender chicken, long grain white rice, and chicken stock—and I am not exaggerating when I tell you that my children lick their bowls clean of it. It’s SO simple, yet has the most soul-satisfying taste.
The best part? Chicken and Rice Soup takes one pot, 30 minutes, and a handful of everyday ingredients to make. Cancel your current dinner plans – you’re having soup for dinner tonight!
Watch How to Make It!
What is Chicken Rice Soup Made Of?
Take a look at the comments section of this post, and you’ll see that readers have added everything from celery to spinach, dried and fresh herbs, plus peas to this soup over the years. It’s a fabulous recipe to customize with extra veggies in particular, though here’s what you’ll need for the base recipe:
- Extra virgin olive oil: To saute the vegetables. Feel free to use butter instead (or add it in anyway!)
- Onion: Finely chop a yellow onion, or use a shallot if you prefer.
- Carrot: A vegetable my kids love in soups, so it had to be included in here. I often use shredded carrots as a quick and easy swap.
- Garlic: Gives this soup a craveable scent and flavor.
- Pepper and Homemade Seasoned Salt: My homemade seasoned salt is made from just 4 ingredients and adds so much flavor with nearly zero effort.
- Chicken: Diced chicken breast gives this soup protein and staying power.
- Long grain white rice: Be sure to use long grain white rice like jasmine rice or basmati rice, vs a short grain rice like arborio rice or sushi rice. You CAN use brown rice, but you’ll need to simmer it for much longer, and use more broth.
- Chicken stock: Since there are so few ingredients in this soup, I like to use chicken stock (homemade is great!) for max flavor, though chicken broth is just fine too. Feel free to use low sodium chicken broth or stock if needed.
Do You Cook the Chicken Before Adding it Into the Soup?
Nope! Simply dice up chicken breasts, season them with seasoned salt and pepper, then stir the pieces into the hot, boiling broth. The chicken will poach as the soup cooks. Diced, boneless/skinless chicken thighs could be used as well.
Alternatively, you could use pre-cooked shredded or diced chicken from a rotisserie chicken or slow cooker chicken. Stir it in at the end to warm through.
Should You Cook the Rice Before Adding it to the Soup?
The rice will cook in the hot chicken stock, soaking up all the tasty flavors as it softens. That said, if you have leftover cooked rice you want to use instead, you may do that, but know that you won’t need as much stock or broth since the cooked rice won’t soak as much of it up.
How do You Keep the Rice from Getting Mushy?
My #1 tip for ensuring your rice doesn’t get mushy in this soup is to use high quality rice. If you use minute rice, or any other type of par-boiled rice, it will turn out mushy!
I am brand loyal to Lundberg Family Farms rice products, and find their California White Jasmine Rice is the best rice for this recipe. Trust me, rice quality makes a huge difference!
How to Make Chicken and Rice Soup
Step 1: Saute the vegetables. Start by heating a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a large soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped carrots and onions, season with homemade seasoned salt and pepper, then place a lid on top and cook until the vegetables are very tender, 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 2: Add chicken stock, rice, and chicken. Next add chicken stock or broth then turn the heat up to bring to a boil. Pour in long grain white rice then stir to combine, and then add chopped chicken breasts that have been seasoned with more seasoned salt and pepper then stir to combine.
Step 3: Simmer the soup. Turn the heat down to medium then simmer the soup for 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is tender, stirring every so often. At the end, I like take the pot off the heat then place a lid on top for 5 minutes or so to let the rice soften completely. Serve with Gluten Free Focaccia, and you’re set!
How to Store
This soup re-heats fabulously. Cool the soup down until it’s nearly room temperature then scoop into airtight containers and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop. You might need to add an extra splash of chicken stock or broth when reheating.
I find that cooked > frozen > thawed > reheated white rice doesn’t hold up so I don’t recommend freezing this soup recipe!
More Easy Soup Recipes
- One Pot Chicken and Rice
- Gluten Free Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
- Crock Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Creamy Wild Rice Mushroom Soup
- Hamburger Soup
- Ham and Bean Soup
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Easy Chicken and Rice Soup
Description
Easy Chicken and Rice Soup is a quick and simple soup recipe that the entire family will love. Nourishing, satisfying comfort food in a bowl!
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 2-3 medium-sized carrots, peeled then thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- homemade seasoned salt and pepper
- 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 64oz (8 cups) chicken stock or broth
- 1 cup long grain white rice
Directions
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrots, season with seasoned salt and pepper, then stir to combine. Cover the pot with a lid then saute until vegetables are very tender, 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic then saute without the lid on for 30 seconds.
- Turn heat up to high then add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add rice then stir to combine. Season chicken with seasoning salt and pepper then add to the broth and stir to combine. Turn heat down to medium then simmer, uncovered, until rice is tender, 15-20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat then place a lid on top and let sit for 5 minutes. Taste then add more seasoned salt and/or pepper to taste, then ladle into bowls and serve.
- Leave a comment and star rating if you loved the recipe! Thank you for considering!
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Rachel 03.08.2024
had a sick coworker who always gets a chicken and rice soup from a local diner. thought i would surprise her with some soup, tried this recipe and immediately wish I had doubled the recipe!!! very quick delicious soup.
Kristin 03.15.2024
Oh that is so sweet, Rachel! I’m sure she really, really appreciated that! I hope you can make it again for yourself!
Lindsay 02.28.2024
I made this for my child whose mouth was too sore after getting his first braces to eat hard foods. I shredded the carrots, but other than that kept the recipe the same and it turned out so delicious! My husband and I ate a ton of it too. Comforting and easy.
Kristin 02.29.2024
Aww, poor buddy! Glad this soup recipe worked out for him, and you guys too. Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Nancy Lester 02.15.2024
I am looking forward to trying your gf recipes
Kristin 02.16.2024
I hope you enjoy, Nancy!
Kimberly 02.08.2024
Quite honestly? This tastes like my childhood! Deliciously comforting.
Kristin 02.08.2024
Awww, I’m so happy to hear that, Kimberly!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
April 02.05.2024
Easy, delicious soup. I have made it several times now. My family loves it.
Kristin 02.08.2024
I’m thrilled to hear that, April! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Patty 02.05.2024
Chicken soup was delicious. I will make again and made your seasoning. I think the seasoning made the soup!!
Kristin 02.05.2024
I totally agree, and am so happy you loved the soup, Patty! Thank you so much for your feedback!
Joanne 01.20.2024
Love the recipe, but couldn’t find the actually amounts until AFTER I looked back and scrolled all the way to the end. I ended up with “0” broth because I had 2 cups of rice, 5 carrots, 4 stalks celery, and a whole onion. The rest I guessed right. I also added Turmeric, Ginger, Rosemary and Thyme. Now that I’ve printed the recipe, I am looking forward to making it again the correct way!! Thank you! Your humor is appreciated, as well! :)
Kristin 01.21.2024
I’m so glad you were able to give this recipe a go, Joanne, and hope round 2 is even better! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Jennifer 01.12.2024
Sometimes the simplest recipes turn out to be the best. So easy and delicious! Will make again for sure.
Kristin 01.13.2024
I *totally* agree, Jennifer! So glad this recipe was a hit for you!
karen 01.11.2024
Can I make this as a freezer meal (don’t cook anything just bag it, freeze it and then put in a crockpot the day I want to make it?)
Kristin 01.13.2024
Hi Karen! Did you maybe mean to leave this comment on my Crock Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup? If so, then yes you can bag it all together uncooked and freeze it!
Allison 01.08.2024
Just made this soup. It was really easy to make and very delicious on this cold winter evening.
Kristin 01.09.2024
I’m so glad to hear it, Allison! Thank you so much for your feedback!
Patricia. Smith 01.05.2024
This soup was easy to prepare, and equally easy to put together. Very flavorful and full of my favorite vegetables.
Kristin 01.06.2024
I’m so happy to hear that, Patricia. :) Thrilled this was a hit for you. :)
Joanne Paquette 01.01.2024
I made this soup over a year ago for an elderly neighbor friend. She loved it! I kept the recipe and will be making it today for my daughter’s mother in law who is sick with pneumonia.
Thank you for this delicious easy recipe!!
Kristin 01.02.2024
I’m so glad you’ve found this to be a good recipe to take to sick friends and relatives — wishing a speedy recovery to your daughter’s MIL!
Barbara Gould 12.30.2023
I used chicken stock and added frozen peas at the end.
Perfect dinner after all the heavy holiday traditional meals
Kristin 12.31.2023
I totally get that! Sounds lovely, Barbara!
Darlene Freeman 12.13.2023
Best and easiest chicken and rice soup ever. I did add half cup of celery. Couldn’t believe how delicious it turned as I’m not a great cook.
Kristin 12.14.2023
Oh I’m so glad to hear that, Darlene!!
Sandy Calica 12.04.2023
OMG this soup was so yummy!!I used Brown rice and Coconut milk, to add less calories. Plus used low sodium broth!! HAPPY TO SAY IT IS NOW IN MY FAVORITES and will be made all soup season
Kristin 12.04.2023
I’m thrilled you were able to make this recipe your own, Sandy! It sounds delicious!!
Alma 12.02.2023
I just cooked this for my dinner and I’m very pleased with how it turned out. Sooo tasty and very filling. Perfect for almost snowy weather here in the UK. Love the seasoned salt! I’ve made a batch so will be using it again. Looking forward to trying your other recipes 🙏 Thank you so much for this one it’s made me very happy 😊
Kristin 12.04.2023
I’m thrilled this dish was such a hit, Alma! Thank you so much for your feedback!
Penny 11.16.2023
Any chance I could use brown rice?
Kristin 11.20.2023
Of course! Cooking time will be longer and I’d plan on having extra chicken broth on hand.