Last updated on
Chicken and Rice Soup
This Chicken and Rice Soup is the perfect homemade dinner for a cold night or when someone you love is feeling a bit under the weather.
Jump to RecipeTable of Contents
Homemade chicken and rice soup is simply the best when there’s a chill in the air or you’re feeling a bit down. Easy to make and healthy to eat, a bowl of this warm soup is just what one needs on occasion.
This is the best chicken and rice soup recipe since it uses real cream in addition to broth. It tastes great with white, brown, or wild rice. For brown or wild rice, it may need to cook a bit longer. Serve with rolls or crusty bread.
This creamy chicken and wild rice soup recipe comfortably feeds eight, so there’s plenty to share. Make a pot to bring to a friend in need, and enjoy some yourself as well. They’re sure to love it.
Chicken and Rice Soup Ingredients
- Unsalted butter
- Yellow onion
- Carrots
- Celery
- Garlic
- Dried thyme
- Salt
- Garlic salt
- Coarse black pepper
- Chicken broth, low sodium
- Bay leaf
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Long-grain rice
- Parmesan cheese
- Heavy cream (33%)
- Cornstarch
- Fresh parsley
Tasty chicken and rice soup is flavorful and creamy. Packed with tender, sauteed vegetables and wild rice, this soup is filling and delicious. Seasonings simmer together to create wonderful flavor, yet it’s not slow to cook. You could, of course, make this soup in a crockpot though.
This recipe is a great way to use leftover chicken from another meal. Simmer the chicken carcass in the soup to add flavor. Whether you prefer white or dark meat, either will taste great.
How to Make Chicken and Rice Soup
FIRST STEP: In a large 10-quart pot over medium-high heat, sauté butter with onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Sauté until vegetables have slightly softened (about 2-3 minutes).
SECOND STEP: Pour in chicken broth. Add in a bay leaf. Place raw chicken in the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat.
THIRD STEP: When boiling, stir in rice then reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot and simmer for 15-17 minutes (until rice is tender).
FOURTH STEP: Remove cooked chicken from the pot and use two forks to shred it all. Add chicken back into the pot.
FIFTH STEP: Stir in parmesan cheese.
SIXTH STEP: In a small bowl, stir together heavy cream and cornstarch until fully combined. Pour into the pot. Simmer over low heat (uncovered) for 10 minutes.
SEVENTH STEP: Remove from heat, remove bay leaf and sprinkle soup with parsley before serving.
Cooking Tips
Important note on salt: Use 2 teaspoons only if you’re using low sodium chicken broth. If you’re using regular chicken broth without reduced salt, then reduce this to 1 teaspoon salt.
Leftover turkey would be great in this soup as well.
You can use leftover rice in this soup. Follow the directions as is, but leave out the rice until the end. Stir in the precooked rice and warm through.
Storing this Recipe
Store leftovers in the fridge in a sealed food storage container for 1-2 days. This recipe is better eaten fresh because the longer it sits in the fridge, the more the rice absorbs the liquid and it changes from soup to more of a thick stew.
This soup can freeze for 4 to 6 months. Cool the soup first, then seal in a freezer bag and lay flat to freeze in a thin layer. Thaw by submerging the bag in warm water, then reheat.
Chicken and Rice Soup
This Chicken and Rice Soup is the perfect homemade dinner for a cold night or when someone you love is feeling a bit under the weather.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion , diced
- 1 cup carrots , sliced and halved into small pieces
- 1 cup celery , sliced and halved into small pieces
- 2 tsp garlic , minced
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp coarse black pepper
- 10 cup chicken broth , low sodium
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 lb chicken thighs , boneless and skinless
- 1 cup dry long grain rice
- 1 ½ cup parmesan cheese , grated
- 1 cup heavy cream , 33%
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley , chopped
DIRECTIONS
- In a large 10 Quart pot over medium-high heat sauté butter with onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Sauté until vegetables have slightly softened, about 2 to 3 minutes.TIP: Use 2 teaspoons only if you’re using low sodium chicken broth. If you’re using regular chicken broth without reduced salt, then reduce this to 1 teaspoon salt.
- Pour in chicken broth. Add in bay leaf. Place raw chicken in the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- When boiling stir in rice then reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot and simmer for 15 to 17 minutes until rice is tender.
- Remove cooked chicken from the pot and use two forks to shred it all. Add chicken back into the pot.
- Stir in parmesan cheese.
- In a small bowl, stir together heavy cream and cornstarch until fully combined. Pour into the pot. Simmer over low heat, uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat, remove bay leaf, and sprinkle soup with parsley before serving.
Notes
Important note on salt: Use 2 teaspoons only if you’re using low sodium chicken broth. If you’re using regular chicken broth without reduced salt, then reduce this to 1 teaspoon salt.
Leftover turkey would be great in this soup as well.
You can use leftover rice in this soup. Follow the directions as is, but leave out the rice until the end. Stir in the precooked rice and warm through.
Nutrition
Calories: 465kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 2109mg | Potassium: 537mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3587IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 294mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe? Don't forget to rate it! Leave recipe feedback in the comments below
More Recipes
Comments
Taylor T says
I’ve made a few soups this year, and this one is definitely one of my favorites! So delicious and easy to make