Creamy Chicken & Rice Soup {Grandma's Recipe}

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 40

This creamy chicken and rice soup is flavorful and feels hearty. It tastes old school, just like grandma used to make.

5 from 3 votes

In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat theolive oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onions, celery, and garlic, sauté for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are softened. Add the seasonings and flour and stir to cook the flour for about 1 minute.

Addthe broth and stir to dissolve the flour. Add the cream, stir, and bringthe soup to a boil. Then, reduce the heat, cover the soup, and simmer for 10minutes.
Add the water, rice, shredded chicken, and bay leaf (if using). Stir to combine,increase the heat to bring the soup back to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and continue simmering for 20 to 25 minutes, until the rice is tender. Open and stir a couple of times while it cooks. Open and stir a couple of times while it cooks.

Remove the bay leaf, ladle the soup into bowls, and enjoy.
This soup keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days. The rice will continue to absorb liquid and soften, giving it a thicker texture over time. You can freeze it, but I don’t recommend it since cream-based soups tend to separate, and the rice often gets mushy.

Swaps:

You can use raw chicken (about 2 breasts) by adding it to the broth and simmering for 15 minutes before adding the rice. Before serving, remove the breasts from the pot, shred the chicken, return it to the soup, and stir.
Half-and-half is the lightest cream alternative I recommend, since milk tends to make the broth thinner and can curdle.
This recipe calls for white rice, but if using brown rice, simmer the soup for 50 to 55 minutes after adding it to the pot.