Chicken and Rice Soup (2024)

By:Nagi

189 Comments

A Chicken and Rice Soup that will nourish your soul… A recipe with high returns for minimal effort!

This Chicken Rice Soup is made by cooking chicken pieces in the broth which yields a beautiful savoury, golden, flavour infused broth without having to man handle a whole chicken. Skip the rotisserie chicken – this is better!

Chicken and Rice Soup (1)

Chicken and Rice Soup

I know there are plenty of quick and easy Chicken soups “out there” that will have you using pre cooked chicken or poaching chicken breast quickly then stirring it into the soup. And if that’s what your time constraints require, please see Note 1 in the recipe because I’ve given the shortcut steps for this, and you’ll have this soup on the table in 30 minutes. (And it will still be totally slurp worthy).

But for a smidge of extra effort and 30 minutes of hands off cook time simmering chicken pieces, you can have thisChicken and Rice soup with an incredible savoury, golden soup broth with flavour that money can’t buy.

Chicken and Rice Soup (2)

Chicken and Rice Soup (3)

Best rice for soup

Most types of rice is great for soup. White, brown, wild rice, black rice, sushi rice, basmati and jasmine rice are all great. Even risotto rice and paella rice work!

For brown and wild rice, these take longer to cook than the simmer time for the soup. So they will need to be cooked separately before adding into the soup.

Can you put uncooked rice in soup?

Yes – uncooked rice is best to add into soup because it soaks up the flavour of the broth, making it extra tasty!

Chicken and Rice Soup (4)

How to store Leftover Chicken and Rice Soup

Leave the rice in the soup, andyou’ll be horrified by the block of jelly-like sludge that you’re faced with the next morning, caused by the rice absorbing all the liquid.

To avoid this, there’s no option other than to use a slotted spoon or colander to separate the broth from the rice, chicken and vegetables and to refrigerate or freeze them separately.

If you’re making the Chicken and Rice Soup to take elsewhere, please see the recipe notes for the best way to do this(it involves using some of the broth + water to cook the rice separately, after which it’s added into the soup when ready to serve 🙂 ).

Add a soup dunker!

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Adaptable recipe – make it your own!

This Chicken and Rice Soup recipe is a terrific base for adding your own touch. It’s slurp-worthy delicious as it is, but can take more veggies, more herbs, a squeeze of fresh lemon, or even other cooked proteins. Here are some ideas:

  • Zest and squeeze of fresh lemon is a beautiful touch of freshness

  • More veggies (chopped zucchini, stir in chopped kale or spinach, bell peppers)

  • Sub chicken with other cooked protein (500g/1lb cooked weight)

  • Add 1/2 tsp dried thyme or 2 sprigs, or a touch of other dried herbs

  • Try adding a can or two of crushed tomato for a light tomato based soup

  • For low carb, skip the rice and load up on more veggies. I like to fill it out with meaty veggies like broccoli and cauliflower.

If you’ve made this recipe your own, share what you did in the comments below. Tell us, tell us! We wanna know! 🙂 – Nagi x

Chicken and Rice Soup recipe
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Chicken and Rice Soup (13)

Chicken and Rice Soup

Author: Nagi

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 55 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr

Soup

4.99 from 78 votes

Print

Recipe video above.You don't need to manhandle a whole chicken to make a beautiful flavour infused, golden, savoury broth. Use chicken pieces instead - it's so much faster and the broth is absolutely incredible! Better flavour that using breast or rotisserie chicken.Inactive simmer time: 30 minutes.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter (or more oil)
  • 2 garlic cloves , minced
  • 1 onion , chopped
  • 3 carrots , halved then cut into 1cm / 2/5" slices (quarter if really thick)
  • 3 celery ribs , cut into 1 cm / 2/5" slices
  • 3 tsp Vegeta stock powder , or 2 x vegetable or chicken bouillon cube, or 2 tsp powder (Note 2)
  • 1/2 tsp dried parsley
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme, optional
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper , finely ground
  • 4 cups (1 litre) chicken broth , low sodium
  • 4 cups (1 litre) water
  • 600 g (1.2 lb) bone in , skinless chicken thighs, 4 x 150g/5oz (Note 1)
  • 1 cup (180g) long grain white rice , uncooked (Note 3)
  • Salt, adjust to taste
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley (optional)

Instructions

  • Place oil and butter in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, cook for 5 minutes until onion is translucent.

  • Add carrots and celery, stir for 1 minute.

  • Add stock powder, dried parsley, thyme (if using), pepper, chicken broth, water. Stir, then add chicken.

  • Cover with lid, simmer on medium low for 30 minutes. Adjust heat so it's bubbling a nice amount, but not crazy energetically or super slowly. Skim off excess foam build up once or twice (not critical, just makes broth clearer).

  • Remove lid, add rice. Stir, cover, simmer 15 minutes.

  • Remove soup from stove.

  • Remove chicken into large bowl. Shred with 2 forks, discard bones then stir into soup.

  • Stir in half the parsley, taste for salt and add if required.Serve, then garnish with extra parsley.

Recipe Notes:

1. CHICKEN: Fat is where all the flavour is, so I use bone in thigh for this recipe. I remove the skin otherwise the soup is a bit too greasy - just pull it off, it comes off easily. Skinless bone in thighs are sold in packets at Woolies in Australia - they are great value.

Alternative cuts: drumsticks will also work, no need to remove skin, use 1 kg/2lb. Skinless boneless thighs are the next best - but only cook for 15 min then add the rice, cook for further 15 min then take the chicken out, shred then return to soup, serve.

Store bought rotisserie chicken: Follow recipe except reduce water by 1 cup, use 2 1/2 cups of chopped or shredded chicken. Then add the broth and water, bring to simmer, add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes, then add rice, cook for 15 minutes, then serve.

Breast is so lean, it simply doesn't infuse the broth with enough flavour so I can't recommend it BUT in the event of an emergency, it can be used. Simmer 500g/1lb of breast gently for 10 minutes, then add rice and cook both for 15 minutes, remove breast, shred, return to soup, serve.

2. VEGETA STOCK POWDER (vegetable stock powder):
Chicken and Rice Soup (14)
This is just a type of stock powder / bouillon cube in powder form. It's my favourite for clear soups like this for both flavour and also because it gives it that yellowish tinge that I associate with this soup. It's sold at supermarkets here in Australia alongside other stock powders & liquid broth, and here it is on Amazon. It's quite popular in European recipes, from what I've seen.

However, any vegetable or chicken bouillon cube (crumbled) or powder is perfectly fine to substitute.

3. RICE:Any ordinary white rice is ideal here - long grain, medium, short grain, sushi rice, jasmine and basmati. Quinoa could also be used. Paella and risotto rice are not suitable. Brown and wild rice needs to be added 5 minutes after the chicken is added (it needs 40 minutes to cook).

4. STORAGE:Use a slotted spoon to separate the rice and all soup contents from the broth. Store in separate containers, otherwise you'll end up with a stodgy mushy rice block! Refrigerate then reheat soup first, then add the rice and stuff.

Taking it somewhere? Here is what I do: Cook it all the way to the end but do not add rice. Cook the rice separately as follows: Place 1 cup rice in a saucepan with 1 cup of finished soup liquid plus 1/2 cup of water. Cover with lid then bring to simmer on medium, then cook for 12 - 15 minutes until water is all absorbed (tilt to check). Remove from stove, leave covered and stand for 10 minutes. Remove lid, fluff rice, then put rice in a separate container to the rest of the soup. To assemble, heat the soup, then add the rice.

5. Add Ins: See in post for ideas.

6. Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings (it's a generous bowl). Reduces to 380 calories if made using 500g/1lb breast.
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Nutrition Information:

Serving: 638gCalories: 427cal (21%)

Keywords: Chicken and Rice Soup

Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

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Life of Dozer

Nowhere in sight while I was chopping carrots and sautéing onion, then he thunders inside the minute chicken makes an appearance.

Thunders. Not loping or trotting. Thunders. 🙄

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189 Comments

  1. Chicken and Rice Soup (20)Angelique says

    Chicken and Rice Soup (21)
    This soup was amazing! I did a smaller batch and it came out soooo good. We like to add hot sauce for a little zing. I would make this recipe 100x. Thank you!!

    Reply

  2. Chicken and Rice Soup (22)sara says

    Chicken and Rice Soup (23)
    Amazing soup. I may try replacing the rice with stelline or ditalini pasta next time. I couldn’t bother with removing the skin from my chicken, but I didn’t mind the extra flavor and texture in the broth, though I was careful to skim as much as I could off the top while it was cooking. It satisfied all the picky ones in our house. I added oregano and I think Zucchini would also be a nice addition for some extra veg.

    Reply

  3. Chicken and Rice Soup (24)sara says

    Nagi, can I make this in the slow cooker? Besides sautéing ghe vegetables, should I sear the chicken?

    Reply

  4. Chicken and Rice Soup (25)Diane Rybacek says

    Chicken and Rice Soup (26)
    Thank you for the recipe Nagi! I have made it multiple times since discovering this “best chicken soup” recipe.

    Reply

  5. Chicken and Rice Soup (27)Lisanne Gomez says

    Chicken and Rice Soup (28)
    Hey Nagi,
    This soup has become my go-to whenever my husband or I are not feeling well.
    It’s super hearty and has us immediately on the mend 🙂 x

    Reply

  6. Chicken and Rice Soup (29)Janis Long says

    Chicken and Rice Soup (30)
    I should rate more of your recipes but here at go 😊
    This soup is a bit of heaven…
    Perfect seasoning and I added the lemon juice and some fresh spinach. Very tasty ‼️
    When I am searching for recipes if your website comes up I always go for your recipes. Not sure but I think we love the same seasonings. I’m in Canada and the weather getting colder so a pot of savoury soup fits the bill.
    Give a scritch to Dozer and a big hug for you. You’re the best 😊😊

    Reply

  7. Chicken and Rice Soup (31)Sally Suttie says

    Chicken and Rice Soup (32)
    The best chicken soup recipe I have tried. The stock powder made such a difference. Going to be a family favourite.

    Reply

  8. Chicken and Rice Soup (33)Monica says

    Chicken and Rice Soup (34)
    I made this when my husband was not feeling well. Great hearty soup! Served with crusty sour dough bread.

    Reply

  9. Chicken and Rice Soup (37)Belinda says

    Another amazing dish that has become a regular in our household, especially if one or both of us is feeling under the weather. 🙂

    Reply

  10. Chicken and Rice Soup (38)Ron says

    Chicken and Rice Soup (39)
    Wow….easy and good…….I added a little to much rice….but dude…..the flavor…:)

    Reply

  11. Chicken and Rice Soup (44)Michelle says

    Chicken and Rice Soup (45)
    so so so tastyyyy! i didn’t have carrots in the fridge, so i subbed it with butternut squash (it gave about the same sweetness to the dish.) Will definitely make again!

    Reply

  12. Chicken and Rice Soup (46)Kristen Nicole says

    Chicken and Rice Soup (47)
    My brother is picky as hell. I made this recently and he has asked for it several times since! I use 2 cups of Rotisserie chicken and egg noodles in place of rice (cooked separately), finished off with a tablespoon of lemon juice!

    Reply

  13. Chicken and Rice Soup (48)Francesca says

    Chicken and Rice Soup (49)
    This is my go to recipe when it gets a little cold. Thanks Nagi!

    I keep the cooked rice separately because i dont want to have left over mushy rice and its still great!

    Reply

  14. Chicken and Rice Soup (50)Brodie says

    Chicken and Rice Soup (51)
    Made this today as I’m feeling a bit under the weather.. added Ginger with the Carrots and Celery. Added Pearl Barley instead of rice.. just before the Chicken .Added Lemon and Chilli at the end with the Parsley.. Omg! This is a winner!
    Thankyou Nagi!

    Reply

  15. Chicken and Rice Soup (52)Debbie says

    Step one: made your chicken broth recipe, except I used the carcass of my Thanksgiving turkey. Step two:. Used this recipe, except replaced chicken with leftover diced turkey following your instructions for a store bought rotisserie chicken. Best broth I ever made and the soup was delicious. Rave reviews from everyone who had a serving. Plan on making again, with chicken, very soon. But beef broth is next.

    Reply

  16. Chicken and Rice Soup (53)Maria Saddler says

    Chicken and Rice Soup (54)
    I followed to the T ! We keep Vegeta on hand ALWAYS! We love the flavor ! I just added a little more ! I added 1 acorn squash, cleaned ,cored ,& diced , and 1 turnip peeled n diced & fresh parsley instead of diced ! It was delicious…. But all
    I’ve cooked by you is ! Ty Nagi ! When will us in the U.S be able to buy/order/ preorder your cookbook ? I’m sooo wanting to buy !

    Reply

  17. Chicken and Rice Soup (55)Kimberly says

    Chicken and Rice Soup (56)
    I made this soup for my ailing Dad. He said I should be a chef, and all I did was follow your recipe. He is 85 and had an upset tummy. I give a rating of 5. Thank you

    Reply

Older Comments
Chicken and Rice Soup (2024)

FAQs

Is chicken noodle soup a solution, colloid or suspension? ›

To summarize, chicken noodle soup is considered a colloid because it is a mixture where small fat droplets are dispersed throughout the liquid broth without dissolving or settling.

What is the secret to soup? ›

7 Tips for Successful Soup Making
  • Use a Sturdy Pot. It is worth investing in a heavy pot with a thick bottom to use for making soup. ...
  • Sauté the Aromatics. ...
  • Start with Good Broth. ...
  • Cut Vegetables to the Right Size. ...
  • Stagger the Addition of Vegetables. ...
  • Keep Liquid at a Simmer. ...
  • Season Just Before Serving.
Oct 9, 2022

Is rice with soup healthy? ›

It is estimated that eating soup before eating rice helps us absorb 100 to 190 calories less. On the contrary, eating soup after eating rice or eating soup at the end of the meal will cause food to easily mix with digestive juices, affecting the digestive system and not beneficial to health.

Do I cook rice before adding to soup? ›

Can you put uncooked rice in soup? Yes – uncooked rice is best to add into soup because it soaks up the flavour of the broth, making it extra tasty!

Is chicken and rice soup a hom*ogeneous mixture? ›

Answer and Explanation:

The components of chicken soup can be distinguished from one another and even be isolated or removed from the mixture. It is not uniform in composition. For this reason, we classify chicken soup as a heterogeneous mixture.

Is rice soup a colloid? ›

But as you are not referring to vegetables and other stuff in the question, the soup is a colloid. The powder, chemicals and liquid constitute a colloidal solution. Hope this information will clear your doubts regarding the topic.

What makes homemade soup taste better? ›

7 Easy Ways to Make Any Soup Better
  1. Brown or Sear the Meat. ...
  2. Roast the the Veggies. ...
  3. Mix up the Texture. ...
  4. Use Homemade Stock Whenever Possible. ...
  5. Put Your Cheese Rinds to Work. ...
  6. Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples. ...
  7. Add Fresh Herbs or Dairy When Serving.

What is the most important ingredient in soup? ›

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

What ingredient can be added to a soup to make it thicker and richer? ›

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

What is the best rice to use in soup? ›

Long grain white rice: Be sure to use long grain white rice like jasmine rice or basmati rice, vs a short grain rice like arborio rice or sushi rice. You CAN use brown rice, but you'll need to simmer it for much longer, and use more broth.

Can we eat chicken soup with rice? ›

This is probably one of the coziest soup recipes that you can possibly make. It's so simple, comes together really quickly, and the flavor is just perfect. There are a few flavor enhancers here that may surprise you, but trust me on this- they make all the difference.

Can you eat chicken and rice soup on a liquid diet? ›

Don't eat soup with vegetables, noodles, rice, meat, or other chunks of food in it. Don't eat vegetables, bread, whole cereal and grain products, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, meat substitutes (nuts and nut butters, tofu, soy), hard cheese, oils, butter, or margarine.

How do you add rice to soup without it getting mushy? ›

If you are ever inclined to make a soup with rice, resist the urge and ignore directions that tell you to add the rice to the broth. Cook the rice separately and warm the grains gently in the microwave right before serving. Spoon the rice into the soup bowl and then ladle the prepared soup around it.

Why is my rice still crunchy in soup? ›

Whatever the case, if your rice is looking dried out, or the texture is still hard or crunchy when all the liquid has been absorbed, add up to ½ cup water and return to a simmer with the lid on. Be patient. Don't raise the temperature to rush the rice—that'll just put you right back where you started.

Why is the rice in my soup soggy? ›

Any variety of rice can easily become oversaturated with liquids in a soup, and the same can happen with pasta like orzo, too. Cooking grains and pasta separately before adding them to soup becomes especially useful when it's time to store leftovers. Rice will become mushy if you leave it in broth overnight.

Is chicken soup a mixture or solution? ›

A chicken noodle soup is a mixture. It is a mixture of noodles, vegetables, chicken in water and cornstarch. It is a mixture as all the components can be identified separately and retain their taste. Moreover, it is a heterogeneous mixture as all the components are not mixed uniformly.

Is chicken broth a mixture or solution? ›

Note: Suspensions appear as solutions when they are freshly prepared. These arguments indicate that the chicken broth is a suspension.

What are the 5 examples of solution suspension colloid? ›

6.3 Suspensions and Colloids
Type of MixtureApproximate Size of Particles (nm)Examples
solution< 2air, white wine, gasoline, salt water
colloid2–500smoke, fog, ink, milk, butter, cheese
suspension500–1000muddy water, hot cocoa, blood, paint
Jun 2, 2020

Is chicken soup a basic solution? ›

The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. A compound is considered acidic if the pH value is below 7, neutral if it is 7, and basic when higher than 7. The pH value of chicken soup is below 7 and of water 7. Thus, chicken soup is acidic, and water is neutral.

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