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Spoon lifting up scoop of chicken and rice soup in white bowl with handles topped with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Chicken and Rice Soup

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

Rice:

  • 1 ½ cups white long grain, jasmine or basmati rice (see note)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Soup:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup diced carrots
  • ½ cup finely diced celery
  • ½ cup finely diced onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock (see note)
  • 3 to 4 cups cooked, chopped chicken
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (optional)

Optional Garnishes:

  • Fresh chopped parsley
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions 

  • Start the rice cooking before making the soup. For the rice, combine the rice, water and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a vigorous simmer over medium-high heat. Stir once, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot. Cover and immediately turn down the heat to just below medium (enough to maintain a simmer but not burn the rice). Cook for 16 minutes. DO NOT LIFT THE LID. Let the rice sit, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes. Fluff and serve with the soup.
  • For the soup, in a 6-quart pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to turn translucent.
  • Add the garlic, salt, parsley, turmeric, basil, oregano, and thyme. Cook, stirring constantly, for 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant.
  • Add the broth and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
  • Stir in the chicken and lemon juice (if using). Heat through. Season to taste with additional salt, if needed (don't over salt the soup as the rice also has salt added).
  • To serve, scoop a spoonful of rice into each bowl and ladle in soup over the top. Garnish with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese, if desired.
  • For leftovers, refrigerate the rice and soup separately so the rice doesn't get soggy. Once both the soup and rice are fully chilled, they can be combined into one container and refrigerated together.

Notes

Rice: Other types of rice can easily be subbed for the white rice (like brown rice or wild rice blends). Cook the rice according to package instructions and fluff before serving with the soup.
Instant Pot Instructions for the Rice: To cook the rice in the Instant pot, add the white rice, water and salt to the Instant pot insert, seal the lid, and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes before releasing the remaining pressure. Fluff and serve with the soup. For brown rice, use the same water/rice ratios and cook for 22 minutes.
Broth: If using full-sodium broth, decrease the salt in the recipe to 1/2 teaspoon and add more to taste, if needed, at the end.