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:
Zest and squeeze of fresh lemon is a beautiful touch of freshness
More veggies (chopped zucchini, stir in chopped kale or spinach, bell peppers)
Sub chicken with other cooked protein (500g/1lb cooked weight)
Add 1/2 tsp dried thyme or 2 sprigs, or a touch of other dried herbs
Try adding a can or two of crushed tomato for a light tomato based soup
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
Quick and easy Chicken Noodle Soup
Made from scratch Chicken Noodle Soup (whole chicken)
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. 🙄
Thank you Nagi !
This chicken soup is lovely and I added silver beet,kale and herbs from my own garden.
🤗
Sounds amazing Donna!
I used your roast chicken recipe yesterday. Today I followed your notes to make broth with the carcass. Which I just used to make your chicken and rice soup and it’s absolutely scrumptious! Will definitely be a regular in my kitchen from now on! Thanks so much!!
This soup is incredibly easy and taste better than any I’ve had. There was about half a leftover rotisserie chicken in the fridge and we needed dinner in a hurry. My husband and small grandchildren are PICKY eaters so I took a chance with this recipe. There were no complaints and seconds were requested…very surprising indeed! I refrigerated the soup that was left over without separating the broth from the rice. In two days the rice had completely absorbed the broth. I added more chicken stock, stirred and reheated on low. That turned into two more meals and enough left over for our daughter to take home! This recipe was altered in only one way. I love tarragon on chicken salad so I added about ½ tsp. with the other herbs. Thank you for sharing your genius. -v
it was the best chicken soup I’ve had, lots of flavour
Thanks so much Claire!
This was delicious! So easy to make and warmed my cold bones – will absolutely be one of my winter go-tos! I added the juice and rind of two lemons and it made it tangy and the flavours pop 🤤
Sounds divine Natalie!
Excellent recipe! Very flavorful! I only had boneless, skinless thighs and it was still terrific! I have used tarragon for quite some time in my chix noodle soup but after this I’m going back to thyme. I didn’t have vegeta so I used a brand called “Better than Bouillon” which comes in a jar. Thanks Nagi. I’m so glad I recently found your site. You’re so generous with your time and recipes. You must be Australia’s Wonder Woman!
All the best!
Patricia
Thanks so much Patricia, that really means a lot ❤️
I used the same bouillon, I’ve made quite a few of your recipes (wings, tikka masala). I’ve been so impressed. They always turns out great. The masala was insane. It made my husband so happy.
Made this for the first time last week since then icebox made it three more times. It comes out perfectly with no added salt required. My 6 year old has asked for it daily.
Wahoo! That’s amazing Melissa!
Hi Nagi,
This is Marlyzen, your french fan!
Thanks a lot for this sharing, your comfort soup is amazing… https://www.marlyzen.com/2019/03/soupe-de-poulet-au-riz.html
I’m so glad you love it Marlyzen!!
Hi Nagi! Been really sick with a cold for a week now. Need. Chicken. Soup. Stat.
Your recipe looks great and I want to make it today. I only have chicken legs on hand so I’ll use those. But they’re frozen. Question: Can I add FROZEN chicken legs to the broth instead of defrosted? Would I just cook it longer and add more broth?? Thx!
Hi Cynthia, I always defrost my meat before using ❤️
Oh gosh, when I am sick a bowl of chicken soup is pretty much all I crave. I’ll have to try this method, love the idea of removing the meat before it turns dry and mushy.
I grew up with my mom’s (Jewish) chicken soup, which has parsley and lots of dill as the herbs, plus parsnip. It’s the ultimate comfort food for me – especially with matzah balls. Yum!
Sounds divine Arpita! I hope this recipe stacks up ❤️
I can’t download your E-Books on my phone so tried to subscribe again on laptop..but it won’t let me How can i get the e-Books on my laptop noe if I cant resubscribe Thank you
Hi Helen, I’ve just sent you an email! – N x
Hi Nagi!
Not sure if you’ll read this before I plan to make it tonight. But I love the sounds of this one, but one of my picky eaters might not eat rice. So, I didn’t know if noodles could be used instead? If so, something like a wide, egg noodle is what I’m thinking, when would I add them in? Thanks! Looking forward to trying this one! I like the idea of using thighs because chicken breast is my kitchen nemesis!!
Rachael
I use many of the same ingredients except we prefer breast meat. When using noodles of any kind, (or rice) I believe cooking them separately leaves the starch residue out of my soup. As with the rice undercooking is best to keep noodles from being too mushy. Enjoy!
Amazing!!! I used low sodium chicken bone broth. SOOOO good!
Love hearing that Lisa! Thanks for letting me know! N x
I don’t use bullion, and don’t know why anyone would when cooking from scratch. I put up glass jars in the freezer for making soup broth quickly. The jars include a couple of drumsticks, celery, a quarter onion and carrot. I just fill the jar with water when it is time to use and in about 5 minutes I can get everything loose to dump in my dutch oven with water. It is ready and the chicken falling off the bone in about 45 minutes. I like to add a couple of shakes of turmeric and a teaspoon and a half of salt. Then I take out the drumsticks to cool and start making whatever soup is on the menu.
My son and I have a little cold, so we looked up chicken and rice soup. Found this one and LOVE IT! Had some leftover cooked rice and just added it to the hot soup to help cool it down a bit. Good stuff Nagi, keep cookin n postin.
My husband woke up this morning with man-flu, craving chicken soup. I found your recipe and told him I’d have it for him in an hour – he was very skeptical. But, wow! My house smells amazing and hubby even crawled out of bed to eat it at the table. Thank you so much, I’ll certainly be keeping this recipe up my sleeve for the future!
OMG I hope he survived it!!! Is he ok?? Did you have to call in the doctor or take a trip to emergency??! 😂
Hi Nagi. I made this soup last night and we loved!!! I made this especially for my son who has a cold. He usually doesn’t eat any vegetables so I expected him says I don’t like this. HOWEVER, he said I LIKE THIS SOUP!!! and finished his soup. Thank you so much!!!
I am so glad I found your website! You’ll make my dinners so much yummier and more interesting! And I LOVE the Dozer stories!! 🙂
Aww thanks Nicola! I’m glad you found me too! 🙂 N x
I had been so sick and wanted something soothing. I saw this recipe after just combining chicken bouillon and rice. The next day I went to get all the ingredients. My house smells wonderful and I can’t wait to just feast on this! Thank you for posting!!
Could you do this in the slow cooker?
Thankyou
Hi Leonie – I haven’t tried sorry 🙂 I am not sure about the cook times!
You nailed it with this description, “Slurp worthy deliciousness”.
I’ve made this three times now. My grand daughter announced ,”Papa’s chicken soup is the best”. Now that’s serious criticism coming from a 14 year old.
That’s so great to hear John! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this! N x