Easy Chicken and Rice Soup - Iowa Girl Eats (2024)

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The apple didn’t fall far from the tree in many ways when it comes to my darling children — including the fact that they all love soup as much as their Mama.

I don’t make the rules, I just cook the soup!

One of our all time favorite chicken soup recipes is Chicken and Rice Soup. This brothy, nourishing soup features fresh vegetables, tender chicken, long grain white rice, and chicken stock—and I am not exaggerating when I tell you that my children lick their bowls clean of it. It’s SO simple, yet has the most soul-satisfying taste.

The best part? Chicken and Rice Soup takes one pot, 30 minutes, and a handful of everyday ingredients to make. Cancel your current dinner plans – you’re having soup for dinner tonight!

Watch How to Make It!

What is Chicken Rice Soup Made Of?

Take a look at the comments section of this post, and you’ll see that readers have added everything from celery to spinach, dried and fresh herbs, plus peas to this soup over the years. It’s a fabulous recipe to customize with extra veggies in particular, though here’s what you’ll need for the base recipe:

• Extra virgin olive oil: To saute the vegetables. Feel free to use butter instead (or add it in anyway!)
• Onion: Finely chop a yellow onion, or use a shallot if you prefer.
• Carrot: A vegetable my kids love in soups, so it had to be included in here. I often use shredded carrots as a quick and easy swap.
• Garlic: Gives this soup a craveable scent and flavor.
• Pepper and Homemade Seasoned Salt: My homemade seasoned salt is made from just 4 ingredients and adds so much flavor with nearly zero effort.
• Chicken: Diced chicken breast gives this soup protein and staying power.
• 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.
• Chicken stock: Since there are so few ingredients in this soup, I like to use chicken stock (homemade is great!) for max flavor, though chicken broth is just fine too. Feel free to use low sodium chicken broth or stock if needed.

Do You Cook the Chicken Before Adding it Into the Soup?

Nope! Simply dice up chicken breasts, season them with seasoned salt and pepper, then stir the pieces into the hot, boiling broth. The chicken will poach as the soup cooks. Diced, boneless/skinless chicken thighs could be used as well.

Alternatively, you could use pre-cooked shredded or diced chicken from a rotisserie chicken or slow cooker chicken. Stir it in at the end to warm through.

Should You Cook the Rice Before Adding it to the Soup?

The rice will cook in the hot chicken stock, soaking up all the tasty flavors as it softens. That said, if you have leftover cooked rice you want to use instead, you may do that, but know that you won’t need as much stock or broth since the cooked rice won’t soak as much of it up.

How do You Keep the Rice from Getting Mushy?

My #1 tip for ensuring your rice doesn’t get mushy in this soup is to use high quality rice. If you use minute rice, or any other type of par-boiled rice, it will turn out mushy!

I am brand loyal to Lundberg Family Farms rice products, and find their California White Jasmine Rice is the best rice for this recipe.Trust me, rice quality makes a huge difference!

How to Make Chicken and Rice Soup

Step 1: Saute the vegetables.Start by heating a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a large soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped carrots and onions, season with homemade seasoned salt and pepper, then place a lid on top and cook until the vegetables are very tender, 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 2: Add chicken stock, rice, and chicken. Next addchicken stock or broth then turn the heat up to bring to a boil. Pour in long grain white rice then stir to combine, and then add chopped chicken breasts that have been seasoned with more seasoned salt and pepper then stir to combine.

Step 3: Simmer the soup. Turn the heat down to medium then simmer the soup for 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is tender, stirring every so often. At the end, I like take the pot off the heat then place a lid on top for 5 minutes or so to let the rice soften completely. Serve with Gluten Free Focaccia, and you’re set!

How to Store

This soup re-heats fabulously. Cool the soup down until it’s nearly room temperature then scoop into airtight containers and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop. You might need to add an extra splash of chicken stock or broth when reheating.

I find that cooked > frozen > thawed > reheated white rice doesn’t hold up so I don’t recommend freezing this soup recipe!

More Easy Soup Recipes

• One Pot Chicken and Rice
• Gluten Free Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
• Crock Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
• Creamy Wild Rice Mushroom Soup
• Hamburger Soup
• Ham and Bean Soup

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