Easy Chicken & Rice Soup That Tastes Old-Fashioned

Name: Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 medium yellow onion (finely chopped); 2 garlic cloves (minced); 2 medium carrots (chopped); 1/2 cup chopped celery; 1 teaspoon dried thyme or poultry seasoning; 1 bay leaf; 8 cups chicken broth or stock ((2 x 32-ounce cartons)); 1 cup of water; 1 cup white rice; 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (from a rotisserie chicken)

Recipe

This easy chicken and rice soup recipe is hearty and comforting, made with rotisserie chicken, and it's ready in just 30 minutes.

This chicken and rice soup recipe is everything you want in a comforting bowl of homemade soup: tender chicken, vegetables, fluffy rice, and a flavorful broth, all made in one pot in about 30 minutes.

large pot of chicken and rice soup with a large spoonful of soup

Easy Chicken and Rice Soup

Laura fuentes holding a skillet of food standing in front of a blue door

Chicken noodle soup may get all the attention, but this chicken and rice soup deserves some love too. It’s what I make when I want a homemade meal on the table fast, and using rotisserie chicken is my favorite shortcut for getting there. I know you’re going to love it.

Ingredients

Unlike the chicken soup our moms and grandmothers made, this recipe cuts an extra step by using shredded rotisserie chicken. For flavor, you’ll use yellow onion, garlic, chopped carrots (canned or frozen chopped carrots also work), celery (or fresh or frozen mirepoix to avoid the chopping), thyme, and a bay leaf. You’ll also include chicken broth and white rice.

How to Make Chicken and Rice Soup

Sauté.
Cook the veggies and herbs for about 5 minutes, just long enough to soften them a little. They’ll cook up tender later, but this simple step builds a flavorful broth that gives this soup its homemade taste.
Simmer the soup.
Add the broth, rice, and shredded chicken to the pot. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat, then simmer until the rice is tender. As it cooks, the rice absorbs the broth while the chicken warms through without drying out.
Serve.
Remove the bay leaf and ladle the soup into bowls. I love serving it with a slice of warm crusty bread to soak up every last spoonful.

Laura’s Tips for The Best Chicken and Rice Soup

Best rice for chicken and rice soup

I use white rice, but you can use brown, wild, or any other variety. If you use a different type of rice, like brown rice, be sure to adjust the cooking time, as it takes longer to cook than white rice. If you’re using minute rice, add it at the very end of the cooking time so you don’t overcook it. It will only take 5 to 7 minutes to cook.

Do you cook rice before adding it to soup?

This recipe cooks 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 also the soup broth, which elevates the rice’s flavor. If you have leftover rice, you can add it to the soup as well just before you’re ready to serve it. Allow just a few minutes to warm up the rice, but not so much time that it gets mushy or overcooked.

Can I add more veggies to this soup?

This old-fashioned chicken and rice soup is versatile so that you can add or subtract veggies as you like. Great options include 1 cup of green peas, chopped spinach, corn, and green beans. You can also add 1 tablespoon of fresh, chopped herbs such as thyme, rosemary, or oregano.

Other cooking methods

You can also make this chicken and rice soup in the slow cooker or in the Instant Pot to save time.

How to freeze soup

Soup leftovers are very easy to freeze. I like to divide them into 1-cup portions 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 easy soups, you’ll definitely want to bookmark my chicken stew, chicken pot pie soup, and this chicken & veggie chili.

Always See My Recipes In Google

Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice Soup

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 35

This easy chicken and rice soup recipe is hearty and comforting, made with rotisserie chicken, and it's ready in just 30 minutes.

4.99 from 58 votes

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Watch how it’s made:

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium carrots, chopped
½ cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon dried thyme or poultry seasoning
1 bay leaf
8 cups chicken broth or stock, (2 x 32-ounce cartons)
1 cup of water
1 cup white rice
2 cups shredded cooked chicken, from a rotisserie chicken

Instructions

Sauté:

In a large soup pot, heat the 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. They will finish cooking in the soup.

Simmer:

Add the chicken stock and water, then bring it to a boil. Then, add the rice and shredded cooked chicken, and stir. Bring it back to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 25 minutes, until the rice is tender.