This easy chicken and rice soup recipe is my go-to easy soup recipe for when I want big, comforting flavors without spending a ton of time on it!
How gorgeous are the colors on this easy chicken and rice soup recipe? This easy soup recipe is so delicious without being a major time drain.
Now, I should preface this by saying that there are definitely pros to spending hours making a gorgeous, rich stock. There are also pros to making a (relatively) quick soup recipe that still brings big flavor without the tremendous amount of time.
The best part of this easy chicken and rice soup? The magic happens all in one pot!
How to make this easy chicken and rice soup recipe:
You only need a few ingredients for this soup, including:
- Boneless, skinless chicken: thighs, breasts, tenders, or a mix. I definitely recommend using half thighs and half breast or tenders. The thighs will add richness to the soup!
- Only 3 spices: salt, pepper, and dry thyme. You can get creative here, but I use a good quality, deeply savory dry thyme and that’s good enough for me! Add some heat with crushed red pepper or try a spice blend, like herbs de Provence for more complex flavor profiles.
- 2 veggies: Carrots and onions. Again, get creative if you have the time but if you want to keep it simple, carrots will give you the sweetness that works well against the savory thyme. Try it with celery and potatoes or add a soup green, like escarole, at the end!
- White rice: Short-grain is preferred, but any white rice will work here. Brown rice works too!
- Finishing herbs: I used dill at the end of this for some extra bright, herby flavor. Try finishing with parsley or basil or a splash of lemon juice.
To make it:
Simply season the cubed chicken all over with salt and pepper. Brown it, in batches, until golden-brown all over.
From there, add the onions and carrots, and then season with thyme. Add the chicken, cover with water and bring to a boil. Hard simmer for 30–40 minutes. If you like, you can shred the chicken up a bit or you can leave it as cubes!
Bring the soup back to a boil and add the white rice. Reduce heat and simmer an additional 30 minutes until tender. To finish the soup, simply stir in dill and that’s it!
If you made this recipe, snap a pic and tag @triedandtruerecipes on Instagram!
Easy Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Large soup pot
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken (I used half chicken thighs, half chicken tenders but use whatever is on sale!)
- 1 yellow onion peeled and diced
- 4 large carrots peeled and large-diced
- 1 tablespoon dry thyme
- 10 cups water
- ¾ cup white rice I used short grain
- ½ cup fresh dill roughly chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare the chicken:
- Pat the chicken dry and dice it into cubes. You’ll break it apart later with a fork, so it doesn’t have to be perfect.
- Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper.
Brown the chicken:
- Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large soup pot over medium-high. Cook the chicken in batches for 3–5 minutes on each side until browned all over. Transfer it to a plate.
Cook the aromatics:
- If the pot seems too dry, add another drizzle of oil. Add the onion and carrots and cook for 5–6 minutes. Add the thyme and cook 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper.
Simmer the soup:
- Add the chicken back to the pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low and hard simmer for 30–40 minutes until cooked through. Shred with a fork after it’s tender if you like. You can also leave the pieces whole if you don’t feel like fussing with breaking the chicken apart. Season the broth liberally with salt and pepper.
Cook the rice:
- Bring the soup back to a boil. Add the rice and reduce heat to medium-low. Hard simmer for 30 minutes until tender. The broth should reduce down and be pretty rich at this point.
- You can add a bit more water in 1/2 cup increments if the rice absorbs too much liquid!
Finish the soup:
- Stir in the dill and taste the broth and season to your preferences. Turn off the heat.
To serve:
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with more dill if you like.
