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.
Mary Matos 01.05.2018
I made this soup last week and it was delicious. I did use thin egg noodles instead of rice though. I was not feeling well with a head cold and lots of coughing. All I wanted was chicken soup. I did add 2 squirts of Kitchen Accomplice, reduced sodium chicken broth concentrate to the broth. It is gluten free, non gmo, all natural and adds more flavor. Will definitely make again. Thanks for the recipe.
Paula 01.01.2018
I have made this with long grain rice and with a mixture of long grain and wild rice blend, both were excellent! I precooked the wild rice blend for 15 minutes and then finished it all together for another 20 minutes, the wild rice blend gave it a little more body.
Jonathan 11.23.2017
Awesome recipe!! I did how ever modify it a bit and added some celery to it. I’m a firefighter and weight lifter and eat very clean! Was excited when I came across this recipe!! I made a double batch and jarred the left overs. Works great for when you want a good soup but don’t have the time to make a full batch.!!!
Alicia 11.09.2017
Can this m
Be made in the crockpot?
Kristin 12.02.2017
Hi Alicia! White rice has a tendency to turn to much in the crock pot, so I’d keep this on the stovetop!
Jaquie 11.08.2017
Delicious, my teenagers and poch loved it.
MZ 11.06.2017
Does anyone have any info on what a serving size might be and what the calories, macros might come out to? Thanks in advance!
Kat 10.29.2017
How much of the seasoned salt do you use?
Kathleen 10.24.2017
This soup was perfect for our busy Monday ! I made it yesterday morning and we heated it up for dinner. Everybody had seconds, my 12 year old son did ask that I add more chicken next time !
Debi Blanton 07.18.2017
I have been having some health issues, and having to eat a fairly bland diet…I searched today for a go to chicken & rice recipe, and certainly found it here!!! Thanks so much, love the article, and the soup was fantastic, so easy, had everything in my pantry…absolutely ❤️ it, and so did the hubby❣️
Kristin 07.20.2017
I’m so sorry to hear about your healthy issues, Debi, and am thrilled the soup satisfied!!
Germaine 07.16.2017
Even though it’s the middle of summer for me soup season is year round in my house – I love soup and I prefer homemade soup when I have the time to make it – and your recipe is a quick one and my all time favourite soup…
TLP42217 07.10.2017
Can you tell me approximately how many cups of soup this makes? I need to make 5 gallons (80 cups) of soup for an event! ?
Kristin 07.18.2017
It probably makes 10-12 cups!
Rebecca B. 02.07.2017
I love this soup and have made it several times. I have found to cut the chicken in a small pieces like you show it your pictures, it helps to cut the chicken while it is still partially frozen. I had a hard time cutting the raw chicken in such small pieces.
Cheryl Sullivan 01.29.2017
Being from Iowa also we eat soup all year around! I’ve been looking for a recipe like this for a long time! So glad I found it on Pinterest ! Go Hawkeyes
Carly 01.21.2017
Can you use cooked chicken and rice in the recipie if so is the time still the same?
Greg 01.10.2017
Made a very close version of this recipe, except I cooked and shredded the chicken before adding it. Thank you this turned out great!!! Oh I added chopped kale as well.
KD 01.03.2017
I’m so glad you linked to this in your year-end “best of” round-up because I forgot that I had pinned it when you originally posted it! It turned out great! Simple comfort food that is not boring. I doubled the carrots, added about 1/4 c chopped celery, and used Lowry’s seasoned salt. Thanks for another good one!
Melissa 12.17.2016
Can I use brown rice instead?
Kristin 12.27.2016
Sure! You’ll probably need to add more broth to account for the longer cooking time.
Rachael 12.13.2016
Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! I added celery but, besides that, followed the recipe exactly. It was the perfect comfort food for a cold day.
Kristin 12.27.2016
So glad you loved it, Rachael!
The Easiest Soup Recipes Around - Princess Pinky Girl 11.26.2016
[…] easy chicken and rice soup recipe from Iowa Girl Eats looks pretty simple to throw together and is such a good choice if you need a gluten-free recipe […]
Janet Myer 11.05.2016
Thank you for this recipe. I needed a gluten free soup recipe for a friend whose husband is dying of cancer. I’m sure it will give them comfort as they eat it. It’s very soothing n so good.
Kristin 11.11.2016
I’m so sorry to hear about your friend and her husband, Janet – I hope this soup brings them some comfort.