Chicken and Rice Soup
A comforting Chicken and Rice Soup made with sautéed aromatics, fluffy long-grain rice, and shredded chicken in a savory broth. Tested multiple times to ensure the rice stays light and the flavors shine.
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 carrots sliced
- 2 stalks celery sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup long-grain rice rinsed
Finishing
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
Soup Base
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the diced onion, sliced carrots, and sliced celery; sauté until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.1 small onion, 2 carrots, 2 stalks celery
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.2 cloves garlic
- Pour in the chicken broth, add the bay leaf and dried thyme, then bring the soup to a gentle boil.6 cups chicken broth, 1 leaf bay leaf, 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Add the rinsed rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the rice is cooked through, about 20 minutes.1 cup long-grain rice
Finishing
- Stir in the shredded chicken and chopped parsley, cooking for an additional 2–3 minutes until heated through.salt and pepper
- Remove and discard the bay leaf, then season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.1 leaf bay leaf, 2 cups cooked chicken
Notes
Rinsing the rice before cooking prevented clumping and kept the grains separate.
Toasting the rice in the pot for a minute added a subtle nutty aroma that deepened the flavor.
After refrigerating, the rice absorbed most of the broth; adding a splash of chicken broth when reheating restored the soup’s fresh texture.