Description
A comforting and flavorful Chicken and Rice Soup made with tender bone-in chicken, aromatic vegetables, and a blend of herbs and spices. The rice is cooked separately to maintain its texture and prevent the soup from becoming too thick. Perfect for meal prep and freezes well for easy future meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Soup
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- ½ cup diced carrots
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (e.g., Frank's hot sauce)
- 1 1/4 lb. bone-in chicken breast
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
Rice
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- ¾ cup white long grain rice, uncooked (or 2 ¼ cups cooked rice)
Instructions
- Prepare vegetables: Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the diced onions, carrots, and celery. Cook and soften the vegetables for 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute to bring out the aroma.
- Add seasonings and liquids: Stir in the dried basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, mustard powder, and pepper. Add the soy sauce, hot sauce, bone-in chicken breast, and 5 cups of chicken broth to the pot.
- Simmer chicken: Bring the soup to a gentle bubble and partially cover the pot. Let the chicken cook slowly for 20 minutes to ensure it stays tender and juicy. Avoid boiling to prevent toughness.
- Shred chicken: Remove the chicken from the pot and discard bones. Use two forks to shred the meat finely. Return the shredded chicken to the soup pot.
- Cook the rice separately: In a medium saucepan, bring 1 ½ cups chicken broth to a boil. Add the uncooked rice and submerge fully. Return to a boil, then cover tightly and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let the rice sit covered for 10 minutes to absorb any remaining liquid and release from the bottom.
- Season soup and serve: Taste the soup and add salt if desired. Spoon the cooked rice into serving bowls and ladle the hot soup on top. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately. For leftovers, keep rice and soup stored separately to maintain texture.
Notes
- Bone-in chicken breasts or thighs give the best broth flavor, but boneless can be used if needed.
- Simmer the chicken over low heat for longer if you want extra juicy meat and rich broth.
- Leftover or rotisserie chicken (about 2 cups cooked) can replace fresh chicken; add to soup and simmer for 15 minutes to blend flavors without boiling.
- Hot sauce, soy sauce, and mustard powder are subtle flavor enhancers that don’t overpower the soup.
- Top the soup with Ranch Oyster Crackers for added crunch and flavor.
- This recipe freezes well; always freeze rice separately from soup to prevent sogginess.
- Crock Pot Method: Sauté butter and vegetables in the crock pot, add all ingredients, and cook on low for 6 hours (or high for 4 hours). Shred chicken at end and serve with separately cooked rice.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 160 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
