A Chicken and Rice Soup that will nourish your soul… A recipe with high returns for minimal effort!
This Chicken Rice Soup is made by cooking chicken pieces in the broth which yields a beautiful savoury, golden, flavour infused broth without having to man handle a whole chicken. Skip the rotisserie chicken – this is better!
Chicken and Rice Soup
I know there are plenty of quick and easy Chicken soups “out there” that will have you using pre cooked chicken or poaching chicken breast quickly then stirring it into the soup. And if that’s what your time constraints require, please see Note 1 in the recipe because I’ve given the shortcut steps for this, and you’ll have this soup on the table in 30 minutes. (And it will still be totally slurp worthy).
But for a smidge of extra effort and 30 minutes of hands off cook time simmering chicken pieces, you can have this Chicken and Rice soup with an incredible savoury, golden soup broth with flavour that money can’t buy.
Best rice for soup
Most types of rice is great for soup. White, brown, wild rice, black rice, sushi rice, basmati and jasmine rice are all great. Even risotto rice and paella rice work!
For brown and wild rice, these take longer to cook than the simmer time for the soup. So they will need to be cooked separately before adding into the soup.
Can you put uncooked rice in soup?
Yes – uncooked rice is best to add into soup because it soaks up the flavour of the broth, making it extra tasty!
How to store Leftover Chicken and Rice Soup
Leave the rice in the soup, and you’ll be horrified by the block of jelly-like sludge that you’re faced with the next morning, caused by the rice absorbing all the liquid.
To avoid this, there’s no option other than to use a slotted spoon or colander to separate the broth from the rice, chicken and vegetables and to refrigerate or freeze them separately.
If you’re making the Chicken and Rice Soup to take elsewhere, please see the recipe notes for the best way to do this (it involves using some of the broth + water to cook the rice separately, after which it’s added into the soup when ready to serve 🙂 ).
Add a soup dunker!
Adaptable recipe – make it your own!
This Chicken and Rice Soup recipe is a terrific base for adding your own touch. It’s slurp-worthy delicious as it is, but can take more veggies, more herbs, a squeeze of fresh lemon, or even other cooked proteins. Here are some ideas:
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Zest and squeeze of fresh lemon is a beautiful touch of freshness
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More veggies (chopped zucchini, stir in chopped kale or spinach, bell peppers)
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Sub chicken with other cooked protein (500g/1lb cooked weight)
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Add 1/2 tsp dried thyme or 2 sprigs, or a touch of other dried herbs
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Try adding a can or two of crushed tomato for a light tomato based soup
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For low carb, skip the rice and load up on more veggies. I like to fill it out with meaty veggies like broccoli and cauliflower.
If you’ve made this recipe your own, share what you did in the comments below. Tell us, tell us! We wanna know! 🙂 – Nagi x
Chicken and Rice Soup recipe
Watch how to make it
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Chicken and Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter (or more oil)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 onion , chopped
- 3 carrots , halved then cut into 1cm / 2/5" slices (quarter if really thick)
- 3 celery ribs , cut into 1 cm / 2/5" slices
- 3 tsp Vegeta stock powder , or 2 x vegetable or chicken bouillon cube, or 2 tsp powder (Note 2)
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme, optional
- 1/4 tsp black pepper , finely ground
- 4 cups (1 litre) chicken broth , low sodium
- 4 cups (1 litre) water
- 600 g (1.2 lb) bone in , skinless chicken thighs, 4 x 150g/5oz (Note 1)
- 1 cup (180g) long grain white rice , uncooked (Note 3)
- Salt, adjust to taste
- 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Place oil and butter in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, cook for 5 minutes until onion is translucent.
- Add carrots and celery, stir for 1 minute.
- Add stock powder, dried parsley, thyme (if using), pepper, chicken broth, water. Stir, then add chicken.
- Cover with lid, simmer on medium low for 30 minutes. Adjust heat so it's bubbling a nice amount, but not crazy energetically or super slowly. Skim off excess foam build up once or twice (not critical, just makes broth clearer).
- Remove lid, add rice. Stir, cover, simmer 15 minutes.
- Remove soup from stove.
- Remove chicken into large bowl. Shred with 2 forks, discard bones then stir into soup.
- Stir in half the parsley, taste for salt and add if required. Serve, then garnish with extra parsley.
Recipe Notes:
This is just a type of stock powder / bouillon cube in powder form. It's my favourite for clear soups like this for both flavour and also because it gives it that yellowish tinge that I associate with this soup. It's sold at supermarkets here in Australia alongside other stock powders & liquid broth, and here it is on Amazon. It's quite popular in European recipes, from what I've seen. However, any vegetable or chicken bouillon cube (crumbled) or powder is perfectly fine to substitute. 3. RICE: Any ordinary white rice is ideal here - long grain, medium, short grain, sushi rice, jasmine and basmati. Quinoa could also be used. Paella and risotto rice are not suitable. Brown and wild rice needs to be added 5 minutes after the chicken is added (it needs 40 minutes to cook). 4. STORAGE: Use a slotted spoon to separate the rice and all soup contents from the broth. Store in separate containers, otherwise you'll end up with a stodgy mushy rice block! Refrigerate then reheat soup first, then add the rice and stuff. Taking it somewhere? Here is what I do: Cook it all the way to the end but do not add rice. Cook the rice separately as follows: Place 1 cup rice in a saucepan with 1 cup of finished soup liquid plus 1/2 cup of water. Cover with lid then bring to simmer on medium, then cook for 12 - 15 minutes until water is all absorbed (tilt to check). Remove from stove, leave covered and stand for 10 minutes. Remove lid, fluff rice, then put rice in a separate container to the rest of the soup. To assemble, heat the soup, then add the rice. 5. Add Ins: See in post for ideas. 6. Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings (it's a generous bowl). Reduces to 380 calories if made using 500g/1lb breast.
Nutrition Information:
More soul warming clear broth soups
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Quick and easy Chicken Noodle Soup
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Made from scratch Chicken Noodle Soup (whole chicken)
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Hot and Sour Soup – best Chinese soup for colds!
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Life of Dozer
Nowhere in sight while I was chopping carrots and sautéing onion, then he thunders inside the minute chicken makes an appearance.
Thunders. Not loping or trotting. Thunders. 🙄
Best soup ever! I use this recipe all the time and everyone who has tried it say it’s one of their favourites!
Thanks Nagi, amazing soup! How long can I keep it in the fridge before it needs freezing!
Rice lasts about 2-3 days max in the fridge Donna so I would freeze it before that! N x
thanks Nagi x
Your wonderful. The soup was amazing. Thank you. All the added steps are lovely!!
I am glad you enjoyed it Audrey! N x
Felt like soup tonight and so glad we chose your Chicken and Rice recipe Nagi. Delicious. Whole family loved it with the teenagers going back for seconds.
OMG this is awesome soup! I’m in Canada so I didn’t have Vegeta stock powder. Instead I used something I buy at Costco called Better Than Bouillon (sort of a paste). I replaced the stock powder and water, and the 4 cups of chicken broth with it. My kitchen smells like heaven. What a wonderful recipe – I am sharing like mad. Thank you for sharing.
Used homemade chicken stock, sooo full of flavor! Toasted wild rice blend on the stove first (think Rice-a-Roni) added my own sauteed mushrooms, ginger, red pepper flakes. Soo darn good, especially if you have a cold.
I’m not much of a cook but I absolutely love this recipe, my kids love it too. So simply to make, thank you!
Hands down delicious. I can’t believe I made something that tastes so good in an hour.
Easy and quick meals can still have bags of flavour!! N x
This soup is wonderful with so much flavor! I added 32 oz of extra chicken broth just because we like broth, so I reduced the bouillon to 1 1/2 tsp, and it’s absolutely delicious. For leftovers, I did as recipe stated and strained the soup keeping the broth in a bowl separate from the rice/chicken. Leftovers the next day were divine. You’re an excellent cook, and my husband is so happy with everything I’ve cooked from your website! I appreciate you and love the pics of your Golden!
Thanks Kara!! N x
Family loved this recipe. I had peas and carrots in the fridge so I added it in. I love a hearty soup.
So delicious!! I added kale and one lemon and my entire family just loved it.
Delicious!! I used “Better Than Bouillon” Seasoned Vegetable Base.
Hi Nagi! Is there anything I could sub the powder with or can I leave it out? Unfortunately I don’t have that one ingredient and I’m home sick!
Hi Nagi,
This is a go to in my household. So delicious and easy to make! I love your recipes!
Forgot to rate
Just outstanding! Only change I made was to add mushrooms. Everything else was your recipe and it is now first in the soup list.
Can you use noodles instead of rice?
Thank you so much for this recipe – my elderly aunt loves this (and its hard to find food she even likes anymore).
Hi Nagi, Love the idea of using rice in this soup, I’ve only used barley as a thickening or just left it as a “Chicken and Veggie” soup, but always add in 2 jars either Doritos mild salsa or Mission mild salsa for that added little bite. I’ve usually used 6-8 chicken legs, but always stripped the skin off before as it’s easier then than after, not as messy. Just my little added suggestion for you and others to try.
How do you keep the chicken from going dry?
Hi Zhi, overcooking chicken will make it dry – but if you follow the recipe you will be fine 🙂 N x
Needed an easy warming healthy meal during Melbourne’s winter lockdown and this hit the mark. Better yet was the leftovers for next day’s breakfast, as I didn’t bother to strain the broth from the solids. Made the most delicious congee! Xxx
I made it for my 10yo that was not feeling well. I added chopped lacinato kale and leeks. It was absolutely delish! This might even replace chicken noodle soup in our family. Thank you!