Description
This comforting Chicken and Rice Soup recipe features tender shredded chicken thighs simmered with aromatic vegetables, herbs, and long-grain white rice in a flavorful homemade broth. Quick and easy to prepare, this soup is perfect for a warming meal, delivering a hearty mix of wholesome ingredients with a deliciously clear chicken stock base.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 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 (quartered if thick)
- 3 celery ribs, cut into 1 cm (2/5″) slices
Seasonings and Liquids
- 3 tsp Vegeta stock powder (or 2 vegetable/chicken bouillon cubes or 2 tsp powder)
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme (optional)
- 1/4 tsp finely ground black pepper
- 4 cups (1 litre) low sodium chicken broth
- 4 cups (1 litre) water
- Salt, to taste
Main Ingredients
- 600 g (1.2 lb) bone-in, skinless chicken thighs (4 x 150g / 5oz pieces)
- 1 cup (180 g) long grain white rice, uncooked
Garnish
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Place olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and fragrant.
- Add Vegetables: Stir in the sliced carrots and celery. Cook for 1 minute to combine flavors and slightly soften the vegetables.
- Season and Add Liquids: Add the Vegeta stock powder (or bouillon), dried parsley, dried thyme if using, and black pepper. Pour in the chicken broth and water. Stir well to incorporate all ingredients.
- Add Chicken and Simmer: Place the bone-in skinless chicken thighs into the pot. Cover with a lid and simmer on medium-low heat for 30 minutes. Adjust the heat so the broth bubbles gently. Skim off any excess foam once or twice for a clearer broth.
- Add Rice: Remove the lid and stir in the uncooked long grain rice. Cover again and simmer for an additional 15 minutes until the rice is cooked through.
- Shred Chicken: Remove the soup from heat. Carefully transfer the chicken pieces to a large bowl. Using two forks, shred the chicken, discarding the bones. Return the shredded chicken to the soup and stir well.
- Final Seasoning and Serving: Stir in half of the chopped fresh parsley. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Serve the soup hot, garnished with the remaining parsley.
Notes
- You don’t need to use a whole chicken to get a deeply flavored broth; chicken thighs make the process faster and yield a richer broth compared to breast or rotisserie chicken.
- Simmering time of 30 minutes is mostly inactive, allowing flavors to develop without much attention.
- Skimming off foam isn’t essential but makes the broth clearer and more visually appealing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 638 g
- Calories: 427 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
