Easy Chicken and Rice Soup is a quick and simple soup recipe that the entire family will love. This brothy and nourishing soup recipe is perfect for a quick weeknight supper, or feeding someone under the weather.
“This is a new staple in my house. I’m not sure how the small amount of ingredients end up so flavorful but it’s pretty amazing. Great weeknight meal!”
Soup season is 12 months a year at my house, and the recipe that makes the most appearances – even during the dog days of summer – is my Chicken and Rice Soup recipe.
This brothy and nourishing soup features everyday ingredients like vegetables, chicken, rice, and chicken stock, but I’m not exaggerating when I tell you my children lick their bowls clean of it.
Whether you’re craving something ultra-comforting, feeding a sick friend or family member, or simply only have 30 minutes to get dinner on the table — Chicken and Rice Soup is the answer!
Watch How to Make It
Main Ingredients Needed
Browse 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:
- Aromatics: onions, carrots, and garlic build the base of this cozy soup.
- Homemade Seasoned Salt: adds tons of flavor to each bowl.
- Chicken breasts: this recipe calls for diced raw chicken breast, though you could stir in pre-cooked shredded or diced chicken from a roast chicken at the end to warm through. If I have time, I’ll occasionally use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs cooked using this method.
- Long grain white rice: like jasmine rice or basmati rice, vs a short grain rice like arborio rice or sushi rice. Lundberg Jasmine Rice is my go-to. Whatever brand you go with, be sure it’s high quality to avoid mushy rice.
- Chicken stock: I like to use chicken stock (homemade is great) for max flavor, though chicken broth is fine too. Feel free to use low-sodium chicken broth or stock if needed.
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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 onion, 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.
Can I Make this in the Crock Pot?
I don’t advise cooking white rice in the crock pot, as it’s very tricky to control the texture and timing with the chicken and vegetables.
Step 2: Add chicken stock, rice, and chicken.
Add chicken stock or broth to the pot then turn the heat up to bring to a boil. Add long grain white rice then stir to combine. Next add diced chicken breasts that have been seasoned with more seasoned salt and pepper then stir to combine.
Do I Cook the Rice Before Adding it to the Soup?
No, the rice will cook in the soup. If you have cold, leftover rice you’d like to use instead, stir that in at the end to warm through. Note: you will need less broth since the pre-cooked rice will not soak up much of the broth.
How do You Keep the Rice from Getting Mushy?
Be sure to use high quality rice in this soup recipe. If you use minute rice, or any other type of par-boiled rice, it will turn out mushy.
I’m brand loyal to Lundberg rice and like their White Jasmine Rice in this recipe. Trust me, rice quality makes a huge difference!
Do I Cook the Chicken Before Adding it Into the Soup?
No. Diced raw chicken breasts are seasoned with seasoned salt and pepper then added to the soup raw, where they poach in the hot broth.
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.
Serve with Gluten Free Focaccia, Gluten Free Flatbread, or Gluten Free Biscuits and you’re set!
How to Store
Scoop leftover chicken and rice soup into individual-sized storage containers then store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave with an extra splash of chicken stock or broth until hot.
Can I Freeze this Soup?
I find even high quality white rice can become mushy once frozen then thawed, so I don’t recommend freezing this soup.
More Easy Soup Recipes
- Gluten Free Lasagna Soup
- Pastina Soup
- Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup
- 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
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or butter
- 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped, ~1/2 cup
- 1 large carrot, finely chopped, ~1/2 cup
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- homemade seasoned salt and pepper
- 2 chicken breasts, ~1lb, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 8 cups chicken stock or broth
- 1 cup long grain white rice, Lundberg Jasmine Rice recommended
Directions
- Add the extra virgin olive oil to a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add he onions and carrots, season with seasoned salt and pepper, then stir to combine. Cover the pot with a lid then saute until the vegetables are very tender, 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic then saute without the lid on for 30 seconds.
- Turn the heat up to high then add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the rice then stir to combine. Season the chicken with seasoning salt and pepper then add to the broth and stir to combine. Turn the heat down to medium then simmer, uncovered, until the rice is tender, 15-20 minutes. Taste then add more seasoned salt and/or pepper to taste, then ladle into bowls and serve.
Notes
- The rice will continue to soak up the broth as it cools so keep extra on hand for reheating leftovers.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
I made this and my whole family loved it but I guess my pot was not heavy enough since when I added the onion and carrots and turned down the heat and put the lid on, I burned some of the union and had to fish it all out, clean the pan and proceed. Nevertheless, the final result was marvelous. Question: Do you have nutrition information on this recipe?
This was seriously so good. My husband doesn’t love soup… this recipe he says was a keeper!!
Thanks for saving my soup life lol!
My pleasure!! So glad it was a hit, Crystal!!
Can I use stock cubes instead of chicken broth ???????
Sure! In the end you just need the amount of liquid specified in this recipe.
I’m making this soup today…
This was a wonderful jumping off point for me!! I am a trucker that cooks on her rig using a multi cooker. So I followed the basic outline of this recipe but had to make some substitutions because I am on a truck with limited time and a small fridge/ freezer (7 cu ft). I try to make as much ahead of time as possible and then use minimally processed foods to make my meals. My modifications were to use roasted chicken breasts I’d prepared and frozen, one cup of a packaged organic brown rice/quinoa mix, frozen California mix, 1/2 an onion, 32 ounces of a low sodium organic chicken bone broth, sea salt, fresh black pepper and garlic powder. I’d sautéed California mix in my multi cooker last night that had been seasoned with a no salt creole seasoning mix I make. So those went into my pot along with most of the carrots & cauliflower from the frozen California mix.
I tried to stay as close to the essence of your recipe as I could using the limited ingredients I keep on my truck.
I LOVED THIS!!! Next time I’m home I will stock the ingredients required for this. The next time I may add a small amount of ground thyme or thyme leaves. But since I have to get my veggies in at each meal I will probably continue with the Cali mix or other frozen veggie mix.
I know this wasn’t strictly your recipe but it is definitely an inspiration for a healthy meal that’s a much better option than truck stop food.
Oh! I served with cheese toast made in my air fryer using a slice of whole grain seeded bread.
I don’t eat gluten free or low carb but manage my carbs since I am prediabetic. It was very easy to modify your recipe and others on your website to meet my unique cooking situation and health needs.
Thanks so much for the work you put into your website.
I STILL RATE THIS A FIVE!!
Jo
Sounds delicious, Jo!! And I love how you’ve shown this recipe can truly be prepared anywhere!!
This is my favorite soup, I make it so frequently for meal prep! It’s so simple and delicious, plus I always have the ingredients on hand!
Also I noticed in the comments that several folks had asked how much of your seasoning did you add to your soup but no replies were given?
Thanks for your prompt response.
Katherine
Salt is added to taste, Katherine. :)
I made this delicious chicken and rice soup on Wednesday and made another pot today. Delicious! Easy! I’ll be using this many more times.
I’m so glad you loved it, Fran! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Can i use Mahatma Basmati rice and can it be cooked in the stock along with the chicken?
That should work, and yes you would cook it as per the recipe instructions.
Great soup! My husband really enjoyed it and I felt a lot better serving this over the salty can version.
Yes I can relate! So glad you guys enjoyed this recipe, Tracy!
(The reason for adding the spinach and celery was to amp up the nutrients. My son and his fiance just came down with covid and can’t taste or smell so I needed a tempting, healthy comfort food. It worked!! Thank you because there has been so little I can do for them except drop off food on the porch! Black Bean Soup is next, then Phad Thai. So excited! BTW my other son lives in Iowa so am turning him on to your website as well. Way too much info? Yes I’ll stop but thanks for helping me help my kids?)
Added 5oz bag of baby spinach and 2 stalks of minced celery. The response by all who tried it,
“best soup I’ve ever had!” This will be made over and over at our house. Thanks for a great recipe!
So thrilled to hear it, Sarah!! I’ll have to try those additions!
I love this recipe so much I have made it 3 weeks in a row. It also helped my parents while they were recovering from COVID, so thank you! I’m curious how much is in 1 serving?
I’m so glad to hear the soup is helping your parents, Marie, and I hope they recover quickly and completely! ❤️ I don’t calculate nutritional information for my recipes so the serving sizes are my recommendation for how much each recipe will serve. That said, for this recipe I estimate 1-1/2 – 2 cups to be considered a serving. :)
This was so easy to make and is delish! It will be my go to chicken and rice soup forever! Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.