Chicken and Rice Soup (One Pot Dinner Recipe!)
This chicken and rice soup is a true one-pot meal, with minimal dishes and no extra steps. It comes together in under an hour to make a dinner that's hearty and satisfying without being too heavy. Recipe includes a how-to video!
Servings 6 servings (approximately 1 ½ cups per serving)
Calories 337kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter
- 1 (140 g) medium yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
- 3 stalks (105 g) celery leaves removed and chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 large (130 g) carrots chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic about 3-4 large cloves
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon table salt plus additional to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper plus additional to taste
- 5 cups (1.2 L) chicken broth
- 1 lb (453 g) raw boneless skinless chicken breast or a mix of chicken breast and thighs
- 1 cup (180 g) wild rice uncooked
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) heavy cream (see note)
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.4 Tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter
- Add onion, celery, and carrots and cook until softened (about 4-5 minutes).1 (140 g) medium yellow onion, 3 stalks (105 g) celery, 2 large (130 g) carrots
- Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- Sprinkle flour evenly over the pot and stir until flour is absorbed and no lumps remain. Add spices (thyme, parsley, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper) and cook several seconds longer until well-combined.3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried parsley, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ¾ teaspoon table salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Slowly, while stirring, add chicken broth to the pot. Bring to a boil.5 cups (1.2 L) chicken broth
- Add chicken and rice and return to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until the chicken is cooked through and rice is fully cooked (about 20 minutes).1 lb (453 g) raw boneless skinless chicken breast, 1 cup (180 g) wild rice
- Remove chicken from the pot and cut or shred (I prefer to shred). If the rice is not tender yet, let the chicken rest, covered, beside the stovetop and continue to cook the soup, covered, until the rice is cooked through (that way you don’t overcook it). Once the rice is cooked through, return the chicken to the pot.
- Reduce heat to low then slowly stir in heavy cream until combined.⅓ cup (80 ml) heavy cream
- Allow to simmer for several minutes before serving warm. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Rice
White rice, wild rice, jasmine, or basmati would work well in this recipe. I like to use wild rice. Pre-cooked rice will work in this recipe but the broth will be thinner as the recipe as-written accounts for the fact that the uncooked rice will absorb some of the broth.Pre-Cooked Chicken
You can use pre-cooked shredded or diced chicken in this recipe instead, simply stir it in before adding the cream and allow it time to properly warm up.Cream
You may omit the cream if desired, or substitute half and half. The amount used here does not make for a very rich and creamy soup, but it does add some depth of flavor and a more velvety mouthfeel to the broth.Storing
This soup will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Please note that the rice will become mushy the longer it sits and it will continue to absorb the liquid in the soup. You can always add a splash of water or more chicken broth when reheating but may need to add more salt/pepper as well (taste-test before serving).Freezing
I generally don't recommend freezing soups that contain cream as the dairy may split, however this recipe uses a small enough amount that you *may* be able to get away with it. I have not frozen this soup myself, but if you try it please leave a comment and let me know how it thaws for you. You may also leave out the cream and freeze the soup for at least 1 month.Gluten-free note
I have not tried it myself, but others have successfully made this recipe with Cup4Cup gluten-free flour.Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 1120mg | Potassium: 676mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3954IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2mg