December 13, 2018
updated
All the articles & recipes on this website have been created through real-life testing and experience (no ai) since 2010.This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
When you crave a delicious, warm bowl of goodness for dinner, this easy soup recipe is exactly what your body and soul need. And did I mention that it comes together in a single soup pot?
Classic Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe
Hot rice soup, whether enjoyed on a cold day or by someone feeling under the weather, is something everyone can appreciate.
And this chicken and rice soup takes nothing more than a few simple and fresh ingredients you probably have around in your pantry and fridge.
In 30 minutes; you can be hugging a warm bowl brimming with chicken, veggies, and rice!
Chicken and Rice Soup Ingredients
Unlike the chicken soup our moms and grandmothers made, which involved cooking the chicken and making your own stock, this recipe cuts out all those extra steps.
Here’s what you need:
- Shredded chicken: roasted chicken leftovers or rotisserie chicken from the store.
- Yellow onion: a great start for any soup!
- Garlic: makes everything taste and smell better.
- Carrots: chop them at home or save time using canned or frozen chopped carrots.
- Celery: chopped. A great shortcut is using fresh or frozen mirepoix to skip all the veggie chopping.
- Thyme: pairs great with chicken.
- Bay leaf: more flavor!
- Chicken stock: use store-bought chicken broth or stock, or make your own homemade chicken broth.
- Water: more liquid to cook the veggies and the rice.
- Rice: this recipe uses simple white rice. If you swap it for any brown rice, remember it takes longer to be done. You can also use cooked rice leftovers, just add it to the pot right before serving the soup.
- Salt & pepper: for seasoning.
You’ll find the measurements in the recipe card below.
Rotisserie chickens are one of my favorite purchases at the grocery store, they’re inexpensive and the meat is always tender. If I don’t feel like baking a big batch of chicken for dinner in my weekly meal plan, I usually grab one or two to use in salads and wraps for lunches or main dishes like Burrito Bowls, tacos, pasta, and soups.
Can I add more veggies to this Chicken and Rice Soup?
This recipe is versatile so that you can add or subtract veggies as you like. Great options for veggies include:
- green peas
- chopped spinach
- corn
- green beans
- extra herbs– thyme, rosemary, and oregano are perfect
How to Make Chicken and Rice Soup
Got your veggies and your chicken? Perfect, you’ll have an epic bowl of warm and delicious chicken and rice soup in no time!
Here’s how to make this hearty soup:
- Prep
Chop your veggies and shred your chicken. If you are making this as part of my weekly meal plan, you probably prepped this ahead of time on a previous night to save time. If not, you can chop and shred now to get ready to make this epic soup. - Add Heat
In your soup pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add your chopped vegetables and cook until soft. - Add the Liquid
Pour in the chicken stock and water and bring to a boil. - Final Steps
Add the rice and chicken, stir and cook until rice is tender.
Watch how it’s done in this quick recipe video:
Before you dig in, don’t forget the popovers! What’s a hot bowl of soup without a light popover that melts in your mouth to soak up the broth? They sound fancy but you make the batter in a bowl and a muffin tin does the rest!
Click here to make Chicken and Rice Soup in the Instant Pot
Do You Cook Rice Before Adding it to Soup?
The recipe below includes instructions that cook the rice in the soup pot after the soup has been brought down from a boil. This method allows the rice to absorb not just water, but the soup broth which elevates the flavor of the rice.
If you have leftover rice from another meal, you can add cooked rice to the soup as well. Instead of allowing the rice to cook over 20-30 minutes in the soup broth, you would add the cook rice to the soup just before you’re ready to serve it. Allowing it just a few minutes to warm up the rice, but not so much time that the rice gets mushy or overcooked.
Best Rice for Chicken and Rice Soup
In this recipe, I’ve used simple white rice, because it’s what I have on hand in my pantry most often. If you prefer you can use brown rice, wild rice, or any other variety of rice with this soup recipe.
If you do swap out white rice for another type such as brown rice, be sure to adjust the amount of time the rice has to cook in the broth accordingly, as brown rice has a longer cooking time than white rice. If you’re using minute rice, you’d also add that at the very end of the cook time, so that you don’t overcook your rice.
Make This Chicken and Rice Soup in the Slow Cooker
How to Freeze Soup
Leftovers are very easy to freeze. I like to divide them into 1 cup measurements and freeze them in a freezer bag. To enjoy a warm bowl of delicious chicken soup, simply thaw out, heat, and eat!
More Chicken Soup Recipes
Now, if you love quick and easy soups, here are a few more healthy and delicious recipes you’ll definitely want to try:
What are some of your favorite soups to make in the winter?
Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- ½ cup chopped celery
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme or poultry seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 32- ounce containers chicken stock
- 1 cup of water
- 1 cup white rice
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, from a rotisserie chicken
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook and stir until the veggies are soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil. Add the rice and chicken meat, stir and cook over medium-low heat until the rice is tender, about 25 to 30 minutes
Kimberly
The ultimate comfort food! This chicken and rice soup hits the spot!!!
Julie
How long can you keep it the refrigerator? Thanks
Laura Fuentes
you can store leftovers in the fridge 3-5 days. Enjoy!
Sara Meyer
This chicken and rice soup was really easy to make. Tasted great! I did think it needed more seasoning(my preference) so I ended up adding chicken bullion paste for extra flavor. Also, that once it sat on the stove, the rice soaked up all the liquid.