Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe

Name: Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil (or avocado oil); 1 large onion (diced); 2 large carrots (diced); 1 stalk celery (diced); 1 lb chicken breast (3 small) (or chicken thighs); 1/3 cup long grain rice ((uncooked) such as basmati or jasmine); 8 cups chicken broth (or stock); 1 cup water; 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste); 1/2 tsp ground black pepper (adjust to taste); 2 bay leaves; 2 tbsp fresh herbs (dill, or parsley, or a combination)

This hearty Chicken and Rice Soup is loaded with healthy ingredients like vegetables, rice, and chicken in a flavorful Chicken Stock. It will be on your regular rotation in no time.

We love homemade chicken soups from classic Chicken Noodle Soup to Chicken Tortilla Soup. If you enjoy comforting chicken soups, this Chicken and Rice Soup recipe checks every box.

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What is Chicken and Rice Soup?

Chicken and rice soup is a healthy soup made with an aromatic vegetable base of onion, carrot, and celery. It’s very similar to chicken noodle soup but uses rice instead of pasta. The chicken breast is added to the broth and cooked until the chicken is tender and easy to shred (see the pro-tip below to ensure juicy chicken in your soup every time). This soup is ready in under an hour with 15 minutes of prep and just over 30 minutes of cook time.

Ingredients

As with most of our recipes, this chicken rice soup uses simple ingredients that are usually in your pantry and refrigerator. There’s no need to run to the store for an extra special ingredient with this recipe. Here’s what you’ll need (scroll down for exact measurements in the print-friendly recipe card below).

Veggies – Onion, carrot, and celery are the trifecta base ingredients in a good soup. Add any of your favorite vegetables to the soup, making sure to cut them into evenly sized pieces first.
Oil – Olive oil (or avocado oil) is used to saute the aromatics.
Chicken – Bone-in or boneless chicken breast or thighs work wonderfully in this recipe. Chicken thighs are actually often said to have more flavor.
Chicken broth – Use homemade chicken stock for best results, but store-bought chicken broth will work in a pinch. A good broth can make all the difference, so get a good quality one if using store-bought.
Rice – No need to cook the rice before adding it to the soup. Instead, use uncooked rice. Use brown rice for a more nutritious version, but be aware that brown rice does take longer to cook compared to white rice.
Spices – Add a few bay leaves, salt, and pepper to taste.
Herbs – Garnish with fresh dill, parsley, or any of your favorite soup herbs.

Pro Tip: Use up any leftover Roast Chicken or rotisserie chicken in this soup. Simply add the cooked shredded chicken to the broth after the rice is fully cooked.

Ingredients for making chicken rice soup with chicken and veggies

How to Make Chicken Rice Soup

Chicken rice soup is one of the easiest soups to make because it’s a one-pot meal. Follow these steps, adding the ingredients in the correct order for the best soup.

Saute the vegetables: Preheat a large soup pot with olive oil and add vegetables. Stir and saute over medium heat until lightly golden.
Add remaining ingredients: Add chicken breast (or chicken thighs), rice, spices, and chicken broth. Boil, then turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for 25-30 minutes.
Shred the chicken: Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and shred. Return back to the pot after fully shredded.
Season to taste: Add herbs and further season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy!

Pro Tip: The soup cooking time can vary depending on the thickness of your chicken breast. Cook until chicken is just cooked through (165˚F for chicken breast meat or chicken thigh meat). You can check this with an instant-read thermometer.

Step by step how to make chicken and rice soup in a pot

Tips for the Best Chicken Rice Soup

What is a recipe without a few good hacks from the kitchen? Follow these tips for a consistently tasty bowl of soup each time.

Add more broth as needed: Rice tends to absorb liquid as it sits, so add broth when needed.
Season with your favorite spices: Personalize this soup by adding any of your favorite herbs and spices. Bay leaves are a must for a good soup, but thyme, fresh parsley, and dill are also our favorites! Squeezing in a garlic clove at the end is also a great way to flavor soup as we do in our Borscht Recipe.
Chop veggies evenly: To ensure veggies are evenly cooked and have a great texture, chop them all into equal-sized pieces.
Use uncooked rice: By using uncooked rice, you allow the rice to absorb the delicious flavors of the broth. Cooked rice can be used instead and added after the chicken is cooked, but it won’t be nearly as tasty.

To Serve

Chicken rice soup is great on its own, but it’s perfect when served with warm Soft Dinner Rolls or for a twist, try Soft Cloverleaf Rolls. If you like crispy and soft bread, serve it with the Best Foccacia Bread.

Alternatively, make your meal a soup-and-salad combo by adding a side of Chickpea Salad or Caesar Salad. Fresh salad and a warm, filling soup? That sounds like the perfect lunch!

Chicken and rice soup served in a bowl garnished with herbs

Common Questions

What is the best rice to use in chicken rice soup?

Any type of rice you have is great to use for soup. White rice is the most common, but brown rice is more nutritious. Wild rice, basmati, and jasmine rice are all great options. Keep in mind that brown rice can take longer to cook than white rice.

Can I add more rice?

We have tested this with more rice and it gets very thick and mealy. Rice tends to absorb a lot of liquid so if you add more rice, you will have a thicker soup that won’t reheat as nicely.

How can I store chicken rice soup?

Once the soup has cooled, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days. Keep in mind that the rice does tend to absorb the broth the longer it sits.

Can I freeze Chicken Rice Soup?

This soup is freezer friendly. Transfer cooled soup to freezer-safe containers or freeze flat in zip bags. Freeze for up to 3 months then thaw and reheat.

How do I reheat chicken rice soup?

The best way to reheat chicken rice is slowly on the stovetop, mixing well to ensure even heating. When fully heated through, add more chicken broth if you prefer to have a thinner broth. Water can be used as well, although it may dilute the flavor of the soup.

Chicken and Rice soup served out of a soup pot with ladle

More Tasty Soup Recipes

Homemade soups are such an efficient way to meal prep. We know when the soup pot comes out that we’ll be enjoying the same meal for the next few days, but when this Chicken and Rice soup is being served, no one complains. Here are some more top-rated soup recipes:

Natalya Drozhzhin

Natalya is a food blogger who founded Momsdish.com to make cooking easier. Growing up on a farm in Ukraine, Natalya was inspired by the amazing dishes that were prepared using simple ingredients. Natalya is most notably known for making cooking approachable for any person.