Easy Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe

This easy flavor-packed Chicken and Rice soup is made with simple ingredients in about thirty minutes. It is a full meal in and of itself or enjoy it with fresh bread or a garden salad.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword can you freeze chicken and rice soup, chicken and rice soup recipe, how do I make chicken and rice soup, how to make chicken and rice soup

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 274kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion chopped
2 ribs celery chopped
3 medium carrots peeled and sliced
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice such as jamine or basmati
2 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken
fresh parsley or thyme garnish

Instructions

Melt butter in a Dutch oven or heavy stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the onion and the celery are soft. Stir several times.
Reduce the heat to low. Add garlic, parsley, thyme, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Add chicken broth and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add the rice, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.
Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the cooked chicken. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste, and garnish with fresh parsley or thyme.

Notes

I love to use already-cooked rotisserie chicken. They are delicious and available at almost all grocery retailers and warehouse stores like Sam's and Costco. Or you can poach boneless skinless chicken breasts.
If you want to kick the seasonings up a notch, consider adding 1/8 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper or 1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning. You can also try adding dried herbs like oregano and bail.
Remove your bay leaves before serving; they are stiff and have sharp edges.
Keep in mind that rice absorbs liquid. If you know you will save some soup for leftovers, remove that amount before adding the rice. Reheat on the stovetop, adding the uncooked minute rice.

Nutrition