Description
This heartwarming chicken and rice soup recipe creates the perfect comfort food with tender shredded chicken, fluffy rice, and aromatic vegetables in a rich, flavorful broth. Easy to make and absolutely soul-satisfying.
Ingredients
Seasonings & Spices
- 1 teaspoon dried basil (the good stuff, not the dusty jar from 2019)
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder (sounds weird, tastes amazing)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons butter (real butter, not that fake spread)
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (cry now, thank me later)
- ½ cup diced carrots
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (or 4 if you’re feeling dangerous)
- 5 cups chicken broth (splurge on the good stuff)
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce (yes really, don’t argue)
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (whatever’s in your fridge)
- 1¼ lbs bone-in chicken breast (worth the extra work)
Rice
- 1½ cups chicken broth (for cooking separately like a smart person)
- ¾ cup long grain white rice, uncooked
- Got leftover rice? Use 2¼ cups cooked and skip the drama
Garnish
- Fresh parsley, chopped (makes it look like you tried)
Instructions
Melt that butter in your biggest soup pot over medium heat. Toss in your diced onion, carrots, and celery, then let them hang out for about 4 minutes until they smell incredible and look slightly soft. Don’t rush this part – it’s where all the magic starts.
Chuck in that minced garlic and stir it around for another minute. Your kitchen should now smell like heaven, and if it doesn’t, your garlic might be dead.
Dump in all your dried herbs, that sneaky soy sauce, hot sauce, the chicken, and pour in all 5 cups of broth. Bring everything up to a gentle bubble – not a crazy rolling boil that’ll make your chicken tough as shoe leather. Cover it mostly (leave a little gap) and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes until the chicken’s done.
Pro Tip: I cannot stress this enough – keep it at a lazy simmer. Aggressive boiling turns chicken into rubber, and nobody wants to chew their soup.
While your soup’s doing its thing, grab another pot and bring 1½ cups of broth to a boil. Add your rice, cover it up tight, turn the heat down low, and cook for 15 minutes. Then let it sit covered for 10 more minutes. This step separates the pros from the amateurs, trust me.
Fish out that chicken (it’ll be falling apart by now), shred it with two forks, toss any bones, and put all that beautiful meat back in the pot. This is oddly satisfying work.
Stir in your perfectly cooked rice, or keep it separate if you’re planning leftovers. Taste it and fix whatever needs fixing – more salt, more pepper, whatever makes you happy.
Ladle into bowls, sprinkle some fresh parsley on top, and prepare for compliments. Seriously, people will think you’re a soup wizard.
Notes
Bone-in chicken is worth the hassle because it makes soup that actually tastes like chicken instead of warm water with stuff floating in it. But if you’re rushed or just lazy (no judgment), rotisserie chicken works – just add it at the end so it doesn’t turn to mush.
Never let this soup go crazy boiling once the chicken goes in. I’ve watched too many people turn perfectly good chicken into rubber balls because they couldn’t control their heat. Low and gentle wins every time.
Want restaurant-clear broth? Strain everything through a fine mesh strainer before adding the chicken back. It’s extra work, but some people care about that stuff. I usually don’t bother unless I’m trying to impress someone.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 890mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 75mg