Cheesy Chicken and Rice Soup is thick, hearty, creamy, and delicious. This veggie-packed soup recipe is the ultimate comfort food!
I’ve temporarily resurfaced from the depths of my soup pot to share a must-try recipe for Cheesy Chicken and Rice Soup with you!
On a cold evening a few weeks ago I started cooking with every intention of making a big pot of my Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup to have on hand for lunches all week, but started craving something a bit creamier…and made with rice instead of noodles…and cheese.
There had to be cheese!
Cheesy Chicken and Rice Soup was the result and it is so hearty, creamy, and delicious that I had to manually override my right hand holding a spoon, with my left hand, in order to stop eating it.
That’s how good this soup is!
I’m not sure what I like best – the creamy rice, tender vegetables, flavor-packed broth, or the cheese. Probably the cheese.
How to Make Cheesy Chicken and Rice Soup:
Start by prepping the vegetable base. I typially use 1 stalk celery, 1 large carrot, and 1/4 onion as the base for all of my soups, and this one is no different.
Add the vegetables to a large soup pot over medium heat with 1 Tablespoon each butter and extra virgin olive oil then saute until tender, about 10 minutes. Add 2 minced garlic cloves then cook for 1 more minute, stirring constantly.
After the vegetables are soft, add 3/4lbs cooked diced or shredded chicken.
To the chicken and vegetables add 6 cups chicken broth, and 1/3-4 cups milk.
Followed by 1 bay leaf and a 2×2″ parmesan cheese rind. The cheese rind is optional, but it adds so much flavor!
I get a package of them from Whole Foods for super cheap and keep on hand in the freezer to pull out when I’m making soups.
Bring the soup to a boil then stir in 1 cup long grain white rice, place a lid on the pot, then cook for 15 minutes or until the rice is just barely tender.
Finally, whisk together 1/4 cup milk with 1/4 cup gluten-free or all-purpose flour in a small bowl, then stream into the soup and cook for 5 more minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste.
The addition of this milk/flour slurry makes the soup wonderfully thick and creamy without having to add any heavy cream.
Right now the soup is absolutely delicious on its own. You could serve as-is and have one of the best bowls of soup ever – BUT – the addition of 8oz shredded cheddar cheese takes this soup straight over the top.
See how thick and creamy this soup is?! All from a little milk and flour, and a modest amount of cheese – especially when you consider how many servings a big pot of Cheesy Chicken and Rice Soup makes. Such a winner, this one. I hope you love it!
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 onion, minced
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 rib celery, chopped
- salt and pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- 3/4 lb cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
- 6 cups chicken stock or broth
- 2 cups milk, divided, any kind
- 1 bay leaf
- 2×2" parmesan cheese rind, optional
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1/4 cup gluten free flour, or AP flour if not GF
- 8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Directions
- Melt butter and oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery, season with salt and pepper, then saute for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add garlic cloves then cook for 1 more minute, stirring constantly. Add chicken, season with more salt and pepper if chicken is unseasoned then stir to combine.
- Add chicken broth, 1-3/4 cups milk, bay leaf, and parmesan cheese rind, if using, to the pot then turn the heat up to high to bring the soup a simmer. Add the rice then stir to combine. Place a lid on top then turn heat down to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender.
- In a small bowl whisk together remaining 1/4 cup milk with flour. Stream into the soup then stir to combine and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes. Turn off heat and remove pot from burner then add cheese and stir until smooth. Let soup sit and thicken for 10 minutes then serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Made this soup the other day. DELICIOUS!! Thanks for the great recipe.
This was so amazing, thank you so much! My family all loves your recipes and I get to cook! My husband has always been the cook so I think he is enjoying me cooking :). Also, I believe when you print out the recipe, it says use chicken broth and flour and in your blog, it says to use flour and milk. I did the flour and milk and it was awesome! Thanks again!
This soup is fantastic! The only thing I did differently was use brown rice instead of white and I used 3 large frozen chicken breasts that I had cooked before and just shredded. Definitely my new favorite comfort food! I have tried so many chicken soup recipes in search of the perfect one and this is it!
I made this tonight with leftover turkey tonight and it was SO GOOD!! My husband said it was the best soup he ever ate!! Loved it! Thank you!
I made this with leftover turkey tonight…delicious! My boys ate it up and my husband wants more to take for lunch on Monday!
Thank you for sharing!
The last picture you posted is my favorite – very artsy.
I love how deceivingly creamy this looks! I love adding a parm rind. I prefer rice to noodles when it comes to soup…this sounds PERFECT!
Question: do you take the parm rind out? I love the flavor it gives but it’s so yucky by the time it melts down, haha. So I usually take it out after a bit.
Haha I agree it is very limp and weird by the end, but I leave it in the whole time!
I am thinking Thanksgiving turkey leftover: Cheesy Turkey & Rice Soup!
You’re my hero. And this is going to be my dinner on Sunday night. Thanks!
YUMMY! Any ideas of how to make this vegetarian friendly? I was thinking of adding broccoli and taking out the chicken??
You could definitely do that, or just leave the chicken out all together!
I love that it is so thick a spoon can stand in it! This looks creamy and delicious and it will definately be added my list of comfort foods – yum!
AWESOME!!!
I would TOTALLY trade you DVDs for a sheet cake! Let me know! And I can’t wait to make this soup – it looks amazing.