Description
This hearty Chicken and Rice Soup is a comforting blend of tender chicken, flavorful vegetables, and fluffy rice cooked separately to keep the broth light and rich. Enhanced with aromatic herbs and a touch of hot sauce for depth, it's perfect for cozy meals and freezes well for leftovers.
Ingredients
Scale
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Soup
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- ½ cup diced carrots
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (e.g., Frank's)
- 1¼ lb. bone-in chicken breast
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Rice
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- ¾ cup white long grain rice, uncooked (or 2¼ cups cooked rice)
Instructions
- Prepare vegetables: Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onions, carrots, and celery, cooking until softened, about 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute.
- Add seasonings and chicken: Stir in dried basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, mustard powder, and black pepper. Add soy sauce, hot sauce, bone-in chicken breast, and 5 cups of chicken broth. Bring to a gentle simmer, partially cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken, shred using two forks, discard bones, and return shredded chicken to the pot.
- Cook rice: In a separate medium saucepan, bring 1½ cups chicken broth to a boil. Add the uncooked rice, submerge it fully, bring back to a boil, then cover tightly and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let the rice sit, covered, for 10 minutes to finish steaming and release any stuck grains. This yields about 2¼ cups of cooked rice.
- Final seasoning and serving: Taste the soup and add salt if desired. Spoon cooked rice into serving bowls, then ladle hot soup on top. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
- Bone-in chicken breast or thighs add more flavor, but boneless can be used if preferred.
- Simmering chicken slowly over low heat keeps it juicy and tender without toughness.
- Instead of raw chicken, 2 cups of cooked or rotisserie chicken can be added and simmered for 15 minutes to blend flavors.
- The hot sauce, soy sauce, and mustard powder act as subtle flavor enhancers, not dominating the taste.
- For extra flavor, top the soup with Ranch Oyster Crackers.
- To freeze leftovers, store rice and soup separately in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
- This recipe is featured in The Cozy Cookbook on page 39.
- Try paired recipes like Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup for variety.
- Crock Pot option: Sauté vegetables in butter, add all ingredients except rice, and cook on low for 6 hours (or 4 hours on high). Shred chicken and add cooked rice when serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 140 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
