chicken and rice soup

Here’s a comforting, classic Chicken and Rice Soup—simple, nourishing, and perfect for cold days or when you want something gentle and filling.

Chicken and Rice Soup

Ingredients (Serves 4–6)

• 1 tbsp olive oil or butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 kg chicken (bone-in thighs, drumsticks, or breast)

• 8 cups (2 liters) chicken stock

• ¾ cup white rice (short- or long-grain)

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tsp dried thyme (or 1 tbsp fresh)

• Salt and black pepper, to taste

• Optional: fresh parsley or lemon juice

Instructions

1. Sauté vegetables
   Heat oil or butter in a large pot over medium heat.
   Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook 5–7 minutes until softened.
   Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.

2. Simmer the soup
   Add chicken, stock, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper.
   Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer.
   Cover and cook 25–30 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

3. Shred chicken
   Remove chicken from the pot.
   Shred or chop, discarding bones and skin.

4. Cook rice
   Add rice to the soup and simmer 10–15 minutes until tender.

5. Finish
   Return chicken to the pot.
   Remove bay leaf.
   Taste and adjust seasoning. Add parsley or a squeeze of lemon if desired.

6. Serve
   Serve hot with crusty bread or crackers.

Tips

• Use bone-in chicken for deeper flavor

• Add extra stock if soup thickens (rice absorbs liquid)

• For freezer-friendly soup, cook rice separately and add when serving

Variations

• Creamy: Stir in ½ cup cream at the end

• Lemon chicken rice: Add lemon juice and zest

• Vegetable boost: Add peas or spinach at the end

• Slow cooker: Cook everything except rice on LOW 6–8 hrs, add rice last 30–40 min