Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup
If you want something warm, filling, and completely hands-off — this is it.
This is the soup you make when the day beat you up and you just need something that feels like a hug. It uses rotisserie chicken (or leftover chicken), pantry rice, and a splash of cream to turn a basic broth into something genuinely satisfying. You don't need to chop much, you don't need to babysit it, and it's ready in about 35 minutes. Expect a thick, creamy, slightly savory bowl that tastes like you spent way more effort than you did. It reheats beautifully, so tomorrow's lunch is already handled.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 unit medium yellow onion — diced
- 3 unit garlic cloves — minced
- 3 unit medium carrots — sliced into coins
- 2 unit celery stalks — sliced
- 6 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 0.75 cup long-grain white rice — uncooked
- 2.5 cup cooked chicken — shredded; rotisserie chicken works great
- 0.5 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt — plus more to taste
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley — chopped, optional for serving
Method
- 1 Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and translucent.
- 2 Add the garlic, thyme, and garlic powder. Stir and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 3 Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- 4 Stir in the uncooked rice, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 18 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
- 5 Add the shredded chicken and heavy cream. Stir to combine and simmer uncovered for 3–4 minutes until heated through and slightly thickened.
- 6 Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with fresh parsley if you have it.
Variations
- Vegetarian Swap — Replace chicken broth with vegetable broth and swap the chicken for two cans of drained white beans (cannellini or great northern). Add them with the cream in the last step so they don't get mushy.
- Faster Version — Use pre-cooked microwavable rice (like a 90-second pouch). Skip the rice-simmering step entirely — just stir in the cooked rice along with the chicken and cream, simmer 5 minutes, and you're done in about 20 minutes total.
- Dairy-Free Swap — Replace the heavy cream with full-fat canned coconut milk for a slightly richer, subtly different flavor that still delivers the creaminess you're after.
Notes
The rice will continue to absorb liquid as the soup sits. If reheating leftovers, add a splash of broth or water to loosen it back up. For a thicker soup, let it simmer uncovered an extra 5 minutes before serving.
Equipment that helps
- Large pot or Dutch oven (4–6 qt) — You need enough room for the broth to simmer without boiling over, and a heavier pot holds heat more evenly so the rice cooks through without scorching the bottom.
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