Chicken and Rice Soup

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This chicken and rice soup is rich and comforting with tender shredded chicken, soft vegetables, and a lightly creamy broth that feels cozy without being heavy.

Course Appetizer, Dinner, lunch

Cuisine American, Comfort Food, Southern

Diet Halal, Low Lactose

Keyword Chicken and Rice Soup, comfort food, one-pot, quick, soup

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 10

Servings

Calories 454

Author Erren Hart

Ingredients

1.5 lbs skinless chicken thighs bone in
8 cups chicken stock homemade or store-bought
2 tablespoon butter or olive oil
1 yellow onion diced
1 large leek white portion only, cleaned and sliced into half moons
3 carrots peeled + sliced
3 celery stalks chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1 cup heavy cream optional
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried
2 tablespoon fresh parsley including stems, chopped (plus more to finish)
Salt + pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced onion, leeks carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5–6 minutes until veggies soften and onions turn translucent. Add garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir for another 30 seconds to bloom the aromatics.
Place chicken thighs (skin-on) into the pot, nestled among the veggies. Pour in chicken stock. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Skim off any foam that rises. Cover loosely and simmer for 30 minutes, until chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender.
Use tongs to carefully transfer thighs to a plate. Discard skin and bones, then shred the meat into bite-size pieces with forks.
While shredding, stir rice into the simmering soup base. Cook for 12–15 minutes, or until rice is tender but not mushy.
Return shredded chicken to the pot. Pour in the cream ( if using) and stir gently. Warm the soup for another 5 minutes on low heat. Adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, and parsley. Add lemon juice or hot sauce if desired.

Notes

Erren’s Top Tips

Parboiled rice holds its texture better than regular long-grain rice, especially if you plan on leftovers. If the soup thickens too much as it sits, just add a splash of stock when reheating. Keep the heat low after adding the cream to avoid splitting.

Variations & Add-Ins

For a heartier soup, stir in a handful of baby spinach at the end until wilted. Swap thyme for rosemary for a deeper herbal note. For a dairy-free version, skip the cream and finish with extra stock and a squeeze of lemon.

Storage & Freezing

Store leftover chicken and rice soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The rice will absorb more liquid as it sits, so add stock when reheating. For freezing, let the soup cool completely and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating gently.

Nutrition