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
free email bonus
Dinner Made EASY
5 days of simple yet flavorful recipes that take the stress out of dinnertime!
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.
This was delicious and so easy! I wasn’t feeling well and had all the ingredients on hand, it really delivered as promised!
I’m so glad you loved it, Susan!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
So good!! Made it so many times and every time it’s perfect .. I didn’t have onions today so I added 1 tsp of onion powder and stilll turned out great
That’s perfect, Nicole!! All about making use of what you have!
I made this last night for my daughter. She has celiac disease and I’m always looking for wheat-free meals. This was a simple and delicious recipe. Thank you!
I’m so glad this recipe was a hit, Candice! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Great recipe that put me on the right track…..I used part of a rotisserie chicken….add 1/2 c of celery & sm.can mushrooms. Ur recipe was on top. Thanks
Sounds fabulous, Charb! So glad you were able to make it your own!
Really yummy. Love your seasoning salt. Really easy too.I made a couple changes:Sautéed onions for longerAdded more carrotsWaited 10 min before adding bite sized chicken – it cooks in 5-10 minutes since it’s bite sized.
So glad you loved this recipe, Andrew!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
I enjoy making it. I love soups. I used almond milk. I also use brown rice. Very good!
Thank you so much for your feedback, Joan, I’m so glad you loved this recipe and were able to make it your own!
Made this tonight. Fairly quick and easy, yet yummy. Added celery and squeezed some lemon juice just before eating. Thanks for the delicious dinner.
Sounds super delicious, Leslie! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
I was looking for something to do with my leftover rice. this was great. I actually have a rosemary plant in my kitchen so i added a bit of that and a splash of lemon juice as well. It was perfect!!
Sounds delightful, Colleen!! So glad you were able to make this soup recipe using everything you had on hand!
This was a delicious recipe! I gave it 4.5 stars bc I feel that there’s not enough veggies. I added extra carrots and several stalks of celery (including leaves) and some parsley. I only had medium grain rice and it came out perfect! I also added 8 cups of water and then chicken bouillon to taste 👍😁👍 thanks for this and I will definitely use it again!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Jane! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
So glad you enjoyed, Jane! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Thx for the great recipe!
so simple, yet so delicious! Ive been looking for a recipe that I could just whip up without having to boil some bones first! Thank you :-)
So glad you loved it, Daisy! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Best soup recipe I’ve tried! I was looking for a good Chicken & Rice soup and this one is perfect! I used half broth and half water but everything else I did exactly as directed. My husband and I love it!
I’m so glad to hear it, Deborah!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
I will add more broth next time.
Thank you for your feedback, Nancy!
I love, love this soup. It’s so easy And fast so good.
I’m so glad you loved it, Wendy!
Delicious & so simple!! I had 3 sick sons at once so I wanted to make a simple chicken soup & this recipe was a winner. I just added 3 stalks of celery just because I had some in the fridge … Mmmm
I’m so glad to hear it was a winner – and hope everyone is on the mend!!
Made this today for sick husband and son. Added celery and used double chicken thighs. It was simple perfection.
Love that, Kate!! Hope everyone feels better in your house ASAP!