One-Pot Chicken and Rice Soup

One-Pot Chicken and Rice Soup! Throw bone-in chicken, rice, and vegetables together in a pot and simmer until they’re done. It’s the easiest soup ever, ready in under an hour.

This easy one-pot chicken and rice soup definitely deserves to be in your collection. It’s just the thing for warming you up on a cold night, or providing comfort when you’re feeling under the weather.

The best part? You literally throw all the ingredients in the pot and let them simmer in the stock until the soup is done. No sautéing or browning. So easy.

Use Bone-In Chicken Breasts

For this recipe, I call for bone-in chicken breasts, which add more flavor than boneless, but without the skin. To prep, just pull away the skin and discard.

If you prefer, boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs can be substituted, but your soup will be less rich and flavorful.

The Best Stock For Chicken and Rice Soup

I prefer to use unsalted stocks in my cooking so that I can control how much salt I add. Homemade stock is best if you have it, of course, but also look for low-sodium or sodium-free stocks and broths at the grocery store.

If you end up using regular, salted stock, then omit the salt added at the beginning of the recipe, and add to taste at the end of cooking instead.

This soup is finished with a swirl of garlic paste and some lemon juice to add a hint of brightness. Enjoy!

How to Store or Freeze This Soup

Leftovers will keep for about a week refrigerated, or up to 3 months frozen.

To freeze, let the soup cool completely, then transfer to freezer containers or bags. Thaw overnight in the fridge, or warm the frozen soup in a saucepan over low heat on the stove top.

More Ways to Make Chicken Soup

Updated January 25, 2019 : We spiffed up this post to make it sparkle. No changes to the recipe itself.

One-Pot Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 servings (makes about 3 quarts)

Skip the salt if using salted stock or broth. Taste the soup at the end and add more salt if needed.

This recipe calls for a classic mirepoix of carrots, onions, and celery for the vegetable base, but you can make this recipe your own by adding different vegetables, like fennel or cubes of butternut squash.

Ingredients

2 bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed (1 to 1 1/2 pounds)
1 cup long-grain white rice, like basmati
2 celery ribs, diced small
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced small
1 onion, diced small
2 cloves garlic, peeled but left whole
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste (see Recipe Note)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 quarts unsalted or low-sodium chicken stock
Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Method

1 Assemble the soup and bring to a simmer: Combine the chicken, white rice, celery, carrots, onions, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large pot. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat.

Once the soup is boiling, reduce the heat to keep the soup at a gentle simmer.

2 Simmer for about 25 minutes: As the soup simmers, skim off any foam that collects on the surface with a spoon. Continue to simmer until the rice and vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Remove the soup from heat.

3 Shred the chicken and make the garlic paste: Remove the chicken and garlic cloves using a slotted spoon or tongs. Transfer the chicken breasts to a bowl and shred with two forks. Discard the bones. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.

Smash the garlic cloves into a paste against a cutting board using a fork or the flat of your knife. Stir the paste back into the soup.

4 Season and serve: Stir the lemon juice into to the soup, and taste. The soup should taste rich, barely salty, and with just a hint of lemon. Add more salt or lemon juice as needed until it tastes good to you.

Divide among bowls and sprinkle with some parsley for serving.

Leftovers will keep for about a week refrigerated, or up to 3 months frozen.

Links:

Chicken Noodle Soup here on Simply Recipes, also great for when you are under the weather!