Chicken and Rice Soup

Nothing says comfort like a bowl of delicious Chicken and Rice Soup full of carrots, celery, sweet onion, roasted chicken and tender white rice. This simple yet filling soup is full of wholesome ingredients that you can feel great about feeding your family.  Many of these ingredients are common household staples and you may already have them in your refrigerator or pantry

We are a soup loving family.  In fact we eat it year round.  After all isn’t that one of the main reasons they created air conditioning.  Just kidding.  For those of you that are seasonal soup eaters fall and winter will be here before you know it and with it comes all things soup.  After all soup is good for the soul, body and mind.  I just love a good hot bowl of soup.  This soup, Creamy Ham and Potato Soup, Chicken and Dumpling Soup and Creamy Dill Pickle Soup are just a few of our favorites.

How to make Chicken and Rice Soup

Start by melting a little butter in a dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat.  Then add the onion, celery and carrots and cook until they begin to soften and are aromatic. Next reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, thyme leaves and poultry seasoning.  Cook for one minute stirring continuously.

Now pour in the chicken broth and add the bay leaves.  Simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add the cooked rotisserie chicken and minute rice.  Simmer for about 5 minutes or until the rice is tender.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Don’t forget to remove your bay leaves.   This soup is best served promptly so the rice does not overcook.

Helpful tips for making Chicken and Rice Soup

• Cut your veggies in small uniform bites so they cook evenly and so that there is a variety of vegetables in your soup spoon when you eat it.
• I love to use already cooked rotisserie chicken.  They are delicious and available at almost all grocery retailers and warehouse stores like Sams and Costco.
• If you want to kick the seasonings up a notch or two consider adding 1/8 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper or 1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning.
• Add the spices at the same time as the garlic.  It helps to cook them with a little bit of the fat from the butter to keep them from simply floating to the top.
• Minced garlic burns easily so reduce your heat, cook for about one minute and stir constantly.  Burnt garlic is bitter and does not taste good.
• Remove your bay leaves before serving as they are stiff and have sharp edges
• For an extra special treat serve with homemade Ciabatta Bread.  You will love it.
• This recipe is perfect for leftover rice and/or chicken.

What is Minute Rice?

Minute rice is white rice that has already been cooked and dried.  It is perfect for soups, easy to add, very dependable and ready to eat in minutes.  You could alternately cook a couple cups of white rice and add it at the end.  Or add one cup uncooked white rice at the same time as the chicken broth.  Cover the pot and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.  Then add the cooked chicken and season with salt and pepper to taste.

How to make Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup

Increase butter in the first step of the recipe to 4 tablespoons.  Next add 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) flour to the vegetables right after you cook the garlic and spices.  Stir the flour in and cook for an additional 1 1/2 – 2 minutes.  Now add 3 cups chicken broth and 3 cups milk alternating between the two. Don’t forget the bay leaves.  Simmer for about 10 -15 minutes.  Add the minute rice and simmer for 5 minutes or until the rice is tender and soup is thickened.  Now add the cooked rotisserie chicken and season with salt and pepper to taste.

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