Easy Chicken and Rice Soup

This homemade Chicken and Rice Soup is the ultimate comfort food, filled with tender chicken, fluffy rice, and perfectly cooked vegetables in a flavorful broth. Lightly seasoned yet deeply satisfying, it’s easy to make on the stovetop or in the slow cooker. Cozy, nourishing, and freezer-friendly, it’s a meal you’ll want to have on repeat all season long.

Love More Soup Recipes? Try My Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup or this Italian Penicillin Soup next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Juicy chicken thighs make the soup incredibly tender and flavorful, while rice and vegetables create a hearty, satisfying bowl. Everything cooks together in one pot, which means easy prep and even easier cleanup—perfect for busy weeknights. Cozy, comforting, and family-approved, it’s the kind of recipe that disappears fast

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Ingredient List

The Aromatic Base:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced

The Heart of the Soup:

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 8 cups chicken broth
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 cup long-grain white rice (such as jasmine or basmati)

Finishing Touches:

• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1–2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional garnish)

Friendly Substitution Notes:

• No chicken thighs? I’ve grabbed a rotisserie chicken from Costco and just picked the meat off
• Out of Italian seasoning? I raid my spice cabinet – bit of basil, oregano, whatever I’ve got
• Need more vegetables? Last week I threw in some frozen corn because that’s what was in my freezer

Why These Ingredients Work

Look, I’m gonna be real with you – I used chicken breasts for years because I thought I was being healthy. Big mistake! They get dry and chewy no matter what I did. Chicken thighs though? They’ve got fat in them so they stay moist. Game changer.

The onion-celery-carrot thing is what my neighbor Jenny calls “the basics” – these three make everything taste homemade. I tried skipping them once when I was lazy and the soup was just… bland. Don’t do what I did.

About the rice – I buy jasmine rice in those big bags at the Asian grocery store. Way cheaper and it doesn’t turn to mush like the regular stuff sometimes does. My friend Lisa swears by basmati but honestly either works fine.

Essential Tools and Equipment

You literally just need a big soup pot – I use my trusty Dutch oven that my aunt gave me for my wedding. A decent knife for chopping up the veggies, and honestly that’s about it. Sometimes I grab my wooden spoon but even a regular spoon works fine.

How To Make Chicken and Rice Soup

Step 1: Heat the Oil and Sauté Vegetables

Get your olive oil hot in the soup pot – medium-high heat works great. Once it starts shimmering (takes maybe a minute), toss in your chopped onion and celery. Let them cook for about 5 minutes until they smell amazing and get soft. This is where all the flavor starts happening!

Step 2: Add the Garlic

Add that minced garlic and stir it around for maybe 30 seconds. Don’t walk away here – garlic burns super fast and tastes bitter when it does.

Step 3: Add Everything Else

Now dump everything else in – the chicken thighs, carrots, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, and rice. Yeah, it looks like a lot but your pot can handle it.

Step 4: Bring to a Boil and Simmer

Crank the heat up and get it boiling, then turn it down so it’s just gently bubbling. Give it a stir every few minutes so the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom.

Step 5: Cook Until Tender

Let it bubble away for 15-20 minutes. The chicken should be cooked through and the rice tender. I always poke the carrots with a fork to make sure they’re soft enough.

Step 6: Shred the Chicken

Pull those chicken thighs out and shred them up with two forks. My kids love helping with this part – they think it’s fun. Toss all that shredded chicken back in.

Step 7: Season and Serve

Taste it and add salt and pepper. Every batch is different so don’t skip this step! I sprinkle some fresh parsley on top when I remember to buy it.

You Must Know

This Chicken and Rice Soup is hearty, soothing, and made with tender chicken, fluffy rice, and aromatic vegetables simmered in a savory broth. It’s the kind of cozy comfort food that warms you from the inside out.

Personal Secret: I always let the soup sit for about 5 minutes after I turn off the burner. Gives everything time to settle and the flavors get even better. My mom taught me this trick years ago.

The Rice Rule: Here’s something I learned the hard way – rice keeps soaking up liquid even after you turn off the heat. If you want leftovers that don’t turn into mush, cook your rice separately and just add it to bowls when you serve. Learned this after ruining a whole batch!

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Don’t rush those first few minutes: When you’re cooking the onions and celery, let them get really soft and smell good. This makes or breaks the whole soup
• Chicken thighs are forgiving: Even if you overcook them a little, they won’t turn into cardboard like chicken breasts do
• Buy low-sodium broth: Then you can add salt to taste instead of ending up with soup that’s way too salty
• Stir but don’t go crazy: Too much stirring makes the rice all gluey and gross
• Check with a fork: The chicken should fall apart easily when it’s done cooking

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Make it creamy: Sometimes I stir in some heavy cream at the end – maybe half a cup. Makes it super rich and my husband loves it that way Switch it up: I’ve tried curry powder instead of Italian seasoning and added coconut milk. Totally different but really good! Add more veggies: Frozen peas work great, or leftover green beans. Just toss them in during the last few minutes Fresh herbs: When I have fresh thyme or rosemary from my garden, I use those instead of the dried Italian seasoning Make it spicy: A pinch of red pepper flakes or some hot sauce kicks it up a notch

Make-Ahead Options

You can totally make this ahead and keep it in the fridge for a few days. Just remember the rice will soak up more broth, so have some extra on hand when you reheat it.

For the freezer: Make the soup but skip the rice. Freeze it in containers, then add cooked rice when you heat it up later. Way better than ending up with mushy rice soup.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

The soup gets thicker as it sits – that’s normal! Just add more broth when you reheat it. I always keep an extra container in the fridge just for this.

Fresh herbs are obviously better than dried, but honestly? On a busy Tuesday night, that jar of Italian seasoning works just fine. Don’t stress about it.

This recipe feeds a crowd – I double it all the time when my sister’s family comes over. Everything scales up perfectly.

Serving Suggestions

I always make sure to have some crusty bread around when I make this soup. My family demolishes those dinner rolls you can buy at the grocery store bakery.

A simple salad is nice on the side but honestly? This soup is pretty filling on its own. Sometimes I’ll warm up the bowls first – makes it feel fancy even though it’s just Tuesday dinner.

How to Store Your Chicken and Rice Soup

Refrigerator: Stick it in containers and it’ll keep for maybe 3 days max. The rice soaks up more liquid so it gets thick – just thin it out with more broth when you reheat.

Reheating: I usually add a splash of broth and heat it slow on the stove. Microwave works too but stir it halfway through or you’ll get hot spots.

Freezer: Don’t freeze it with the rice in there – trust me on this. Make the soup, freeze it, then add fresh rice when you want to eat it. Way better results.

Allergy Information

Contains: Nothing major allergen-wise in the basic recipe Gluten-free: Yeah, as long as your broth doesn’t have gluten in it – most don’t but check the label Dairy-free: Yep, no dairy in here Substitutions: Skip the chicken and use vegetable broth if you’re vegetarian. Maybe add some white beans for protein

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can You Cook the Rice in the Soup?

Yeah, that’s exactly what we’re doing here! The rice cooks right in the broth which makes it taste way better than cooking it separate. Just don’t stir it too much or it gets gluey.

Do You Cook the Chicken Before Adding it Into the Soup?

Nope! I just throw the raw chicken thighs right in. They cook perfect in the simmering broth and stay super juicy. Way easier than dealing with a separate pan.

How do You Keep the Rice from Getting Mushy?

Don’t stir it constantly – that’s the biggest mistake people make. Just give it a gentle stir every few minutes. And use good rice like jasmine or basmati, not the cheap stuff.

Can I use brown rice instead of white rice?

Sure can! Just know it takes longer to cook. I add maybe 15 more minutes and keep checking if it’s soft enough. My health-nut sister does this all the time.

My soup is too thin – how can I thicken it?

Let it bubble away uncovered for a bit longer. Or do what I do – mix some cornstarch with cold water and stir it in. Works every time.

Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?

You can but watch them like a hawk. They cook fast and turn into shoe leather if you’re not careful. Maybe 12-15 minutes tops.

Can I add other vegetables?

Go for it! I’ve done potatoes, green beans, whatever needs using up in my fridge. Add the hard stuff with the carrots, soft stuff at the end.

💬 Made this soup? Drop a comment below and tell me how it went! Did you change anything up? I love hearing what people do different.