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 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 longer
Added more carrots
Waited 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!