Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice Soup
This delicious old fashioned chicken and rice soup is perfect on a cold day or a great option when you want a homemade cooked meal made easy! It's filled with tender chicken, a rich broth, and flavorful veggies.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ cups diced yellow onion
- 1 ½ cups sliced celery
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 ½ cups of sliced carrot
- 2 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken - (drumsticks and/or thighs will have the most flavor, but white meat can also be used)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- Small bunch of parsley reserve some for garnish
- 6 cups chicken broth or half chicken broth/half water
- 1 cup white rice we used basmati
Instructions
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, saute onion and celery in the olive oil over medium heat. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt over the vegetables and stir while cooking. Cook until onions are soft and translucent and some caramelization begins to show on the vegetables.
- Add carrots, chicken pieces, pepper, and herbs.
- Cover the contents in the pot with chicken broth/water. Bring to a boil over high heat; then, reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid.
- Simmer the chicken for at least 30 minutes, which will give the flavors enough time to blend and add richness and depth to the soup broth.
- Remove chicken (bones and skin included) from the pot and set aside.
- Add the rice to the soup mixture and continue simmering, lid on, for about 10 minutes longer, until the rice has softened and is cooked through.
- Meanwhile, separate the chicken meat from the bones and skin. Discard bones and skin. Shred or chop the chicken and return it to the pot to continue simmering for the remainder of the time it takes for the rice to cook.
- Stir the soup, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
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Notes
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days in an airtight container or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes:
The longer you simmer the vegetables and meat, the more flavorful the broth will be. Try to strike a balance between a rich soup base while not cooking the vegetables so long they become pure mush. Simmer for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
If you simmer the soup for a longer period of time, some of the liquid will evaporate even with a lid covering the pot. Add a bit more chicken broth (or water) if you need more liquid. You can also reduce the amount of rice added at the end.
This soup is hearty and has that homemade richness. You can use chicken breasts and/or boneless, skinless meat, but the soup will be lighter in flavor. You can even use pre-cooked chicken for a super quick meal, but the overall flavor and heartiness will be altered.
If you use part water or add more water, you will likely need to season the soup with more salt. If you use chicken broth, you will likely need little to no extra salt.
Nutrition
Calories: 409kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 1737mg | Potassium: 640mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 5496IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 2mg
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