Description
This comforting Chicken and Rice Soup combines tender shredded chicken, flavorful vegetables, and aromatic herbs in a savory broth with perfectly cooked rice served separately to maintain texture. Ideal for a cozy meal, this soup is easy to prepare, freezer-friendly, and versatile with options for stovetop or slow cooker methods.
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 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 (such as 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 the vegetables: Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onions, carrots, and celery and soften for about 4 minutes. Then add minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute to release its aroma.
- Add seasonings and chicken: Stir in dried basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, mustard powder, and pepper. Add the soy sauce, hot sauce, bone-in chicken breast, and 5 cups chicken broth.
- Simmer the soup: Bring the soup to a very gentle bubble, not a boil, and cover partially. Let the chicken cook slowly for about 15-20 minutes until fully cooked and tender.
- Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken breast from the pot and discard the bones. Use two forks to shred the meat finely. Return the shredded chicken to the soup pot.
- Cook the rice separately: In a medium saucepan, bring 1½ cups chicken broth to a boil. Add the uncooked rice, submerge it in the broth, bring back to a boil, then cover tightly, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let the rice sit covered for 10 minutes. This yields about 2¼ cups cooked rice.
- Season and serve: Taste the soup and add salt if needed. Spoon cooked rice into serving bowls, ladle the hot soup on top, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve immediately. Alternatively, the rice can be added directly to the soup if no leftovers are expected.
Notes
- Bone-in chicken breast or chicken thighs provide the most flavorful broth, but boneless chicken works fine too.
- Simmer the chicken over low heat for longer if time allows to make the meat extra juicy and broth more flavorful.
- Leftover rotisserie or cooked chicken (about 2 cups) can be used by adding it to the soup and simmering for 15 minutes to blend flavors.
- The soy sauce, hot sauce, and mustard powder acts as subtle flavor enhancers without imparting strong individual flavors.
- Adding Ranch Oyster Crackers on top enhances the flavor and adds crunch.
- For a convenient option, this soup can also be made in a slow cooker by adding all ingredients except rice, cooking on low for 6 hours, shredding chicken, and then serving with separately cooked rice.
- Store soup and rice in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
