A very comforting Chicken and Cheddar Rice Soup with just the right amount of funkiness is perfect for a cool spring night.
You’ll be craving this creamy, savory, and comforting Chicken and Cheddar Rice Soup on chilly days.
A savory homemade chicken broth paired with tender white rice, lots of aromatics, and a creamy complexity from aged cheddar cheese makes this a winning soup recipe for a chilly day.
I love a good cheddar rice soup, and while I love a meat-free option, this version with tender, shredded chicken and homemade chicken broth really takes the comfort food to another level. Besides, you can never have too many versions of cheesy rice soup in your back pocket, right? It’s a soup I like to break out on a cold or rainy day when I need some combination of carbs and cheese. While it does take a while on the stove, most of the time (and effort!) is inactive, so you can (almost) set it and forget it as the homemade broth bubbles on the stove. It’s worth all the time and effort, though.
I’ve been loving Kerrygold Dubliner Irish Cheddar Cheese after I bought a few blocks to try for my St. Patrick’s Day boxty. It delivers a complex flavor and melts nicely into the soup. Use your favorite sharp cheddar cheese for this recipe. I recommend a nicely aged cheddar as it will deliver the biggest flavor in the soup and works so well with the aromatic leeks and tender rice.
How to make this Chicken and Cheddar Rice Soup
The best part? You don’t need many ingredients for a flavorful, comforting soup.
What you need
- Homemade broth: Whole chicken, leek (dark green parts), yellow onion, garlic, bay leaves, kosher salt, water.
- Soup: Leek (white and light green parts), carrots, yellow onion, long-grain white rice, sharp cheddar cheese, cornstarch, Italian parsley, and lemon.
How to make it
Step 1: Prepare the leek and broth.
Clean and separate the leek, reserving the dark green parts for the broth and slicing the white and light green parts for the soup. Simmer the whole chicken with leek tops, onion, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and water for about 1 hour until cooked through.
Step 2: Shred chicken and reduce broth.
Remove the chicken and garlic, then simmer the broth uncovered to concentrate flavor. Strain the broth into a large bowl and wipe out the pot.
Step 3: Prep chicken and garlic.
Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and mash the softened garlic into a paste.
Step 4: Prepare the soup.
Sauté carrots, onion, and sliced leek in olive oil until softened. Add the garlic paste and cook briefly. Stir in rinsed rice, then add broth and chicken. Simmer until the rice is tender, and the soup thickens slightly.
Step 5: Finish with cheese and herbs.
Toss shredded cheddar with cornstarch, then stir it into the soup until melted and smooth. Finish with parsley and lemon juice.
FAQ
Can I use rotisserie chicken instead?
Yes. Skip the broth step and use 8 cups of high-quality store-bought broth. Use shredded chicken from 1 rotisserie chicken (about 4 cups shredded meat total) when you would normally return the cooked chicken to the pot.
Why coat the cheese with cornstarch?
It helps the cheese melt smoothly into the soup instead of clumping or becoming gritty.
Can I use a different rice?
You can, but cooking times will vary. Long-grain white rice cooks quickly and releases enough starch to lightly thicken the soup. Brown rice or wild rice will take significantly longer and may require more liquid.
Will the soup thicken as it sits?
Yes. The rice continues to absorb liquid as it cools. Add a splash of broth or water when reheating to loosen it back up.
Can I freeze this soup?
It’s best fresh or refrigerated. Rice can become overly soft after freezing and reheating, so the texture may change.
Chicken and Cheddar Rice Soup
Equipment
- Soup pot
Ingredients
Chicken broth:
- 1 leek (dark green and light green parts kept separate)
- 4½ to 5 pound whole chicken (giblets and neck reserved for another use)
- 5 teaspoons kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- 1 head garlic (top cut off and cloves left in the paper)
- 1 yellow onion (peeled and quartered)
- 2 bay leaves
- 12 to 14 cups water
Soup:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound carrots (peeled and sliced into rounds)
- 1 yellow onion (peeled and diced)
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese (I used Kerrygold Vintage Dubliner Irish Cheddar Cheese; freshly shredded; plus more for serving, if desired)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup Italian parsley (loosely packed and minced; plus more for serving)
- 1 lemon (juiced)
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Prepare the leek:
- Remove any tough outer layers from the leek. Trim the bottom, then cut it in half crosswise to separate the dark green top from the lighter bottom.
- Thoroughly rinse both halves. Set aside the dark green parts of the leek. Thinly slice the white and light green parts into rounds. You may wish to place the sliced rounds in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse again under running water to remove any stubborn grit or dirt.
Make the broth:
- Place the chicken in a large soup pot with the dark green parts of the leek. Add 5 teaspoons kosher salt, garlic, onion, and bay leaves. Cover with 12 to 14 cups water. See Note 1. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and partially cover. Simmer for 1 hour until the chicken is cooked through. Skim the top of the broth occasionally to remove foam and scum from the top.
- Carefully remove the chicken from the pot and transfer it to a large bowl. Remove the head of garlic and transfer it to a small bowl.
- Bring the broth to a rapid simmer over medium heat and cook uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes to reduce and concentrate the flavor.
Strain the broth:
- Pour the broth into a large bowl through a fine-mesh sieve. You should have about 8 to 10 cups of broth. Discard the solids. Wipe out the pot and return it to the stove.
Prepare the chicken and garlic:
- Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and pick the meat from the bones. Carefully shred or chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Reserve the skin and carcass for stock, if desired.
- Carefully squeeze the garlic cloves from their skins and mash them into a paste. Set aside.
Make the soup:
- Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in the soup pot over medium heat. Add the sliced carrots, diced onion, and the sliced white and light green parts of the leek. Sauté for 6 to 8 minutes until softened. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the garlic paste and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Simmer the soup:
- Rinse 1 cup of white rice under cold water. Add to the pot and toss to coat. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add the prepared chicken broth and shredded chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes until the rice is tender and the broth has thickened. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Finish the soup:
- Combine the shredded cheddar cheese in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Toss to coat. Stir into the soup until fully melted and smooth. Taste and season. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
To serve:
- Ladle the soup into bowls. Finish with more shredded cheddar cheese and a pinch of minced parsley if desired. Enjoy!
