When it's cold outside and basically looks like midnight outside except it's 4pm and you have little time to get dinner on the table, here's a no-brainer recipe for Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup to warm you up from the inside out!
It's hearty and rich and full of all the things you can love about soup. Flavorful veggies, pulled chicken, rich creamy chicken broth, and tender white rice. Best of all it comes together in just over 30 minutes in one pan!
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Why I Love This Cream of Chicken Soup with Rice
I absolutely love soup. It's so easy, great for leftovers, and there's a soup for every craving. Creamy smooth tomato or white bean soup. Hearty, veggie filled chicken and rice stew or Tuscan kale and sausage. Of course, there are slow cooker soups and Instant Pot beauties. Truly, soup for every soul.
This one recipe in particular is just basic, easy comfort food that tastes great. Essentially it's just a creamy version of classic chicken and rice soup. I put my own twist on it by adding sliced mushrooms for an even heartier texture.
In addition, I like to go back and forth on the type of rice I use. Wild rice is my absolute favorite for soup but I cannot deny how easy and fast white jasmine rice is. It cooks so fast and right in the broth.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the chicken: I love to make recipes as easy to follow as possible. For this recipe, I normally bake and pull or slice chicken breast as I prefer the whiter, lighter meat. However, if you prefer you can grab a rotisserie chicken at the deli and shred which will cut down on time.
For the dairy: either heavy cream or heavy whipping cream works. If you want to cut down on the calories you can use half and half or milk instead, it just won't be as thick.
For the rice: My favorite choice of rice for this creamy chicken and rice soup has to be jasmine rice, it really helps thicken the soup! Make sure you wash it well first, this rice will cook pretty fast in the soup!
If you want to substitute the rice for another kind, make sure to either use quick-cooking rice or for heartier rice grains like wild rice cook the grains 'al dente' and then add it to the soup when it's ready.
For the veggies: I like to use classic chicken noodle soup veggies like carrots, celery, and onion but add hearty sliced mushrooms for even more comfort food goodness. The mushrooms are totally optional though and the soup is just as tasty without them!
My favorite thing to do with this cozy and creamy Chicken and Rice Soup, is to dunk big chunks of my delicious homemade Crusty Garlic Bread into it...covered in butter of course, it's just toooo good!
How to Make this Cozy Winter Soup
In a heavy bottom pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes until the onions are translucent and the carrots are starting to soften.
Add the flour and stir until the vegetables are well coated. Cook for about 1 minutes then slowly add the wine while stirring to combine the flour and wine into a thick liquid.
Slowly pour in the chicken stock, stirring to combine. Add the thyme and rice to the pan and increase the heat to high. Bring the liquid to a simmer, stirring occasionally to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Once the broth is almost at a boil, reduce the heat to medium, partially cover the pan, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. After the first 5 minutes of cooking, add the chicken and mushrooms to the pan, partially cover and cook for 10 to 12 more minutes until the rice is very tender.
Reduce the heat to low, stir in the heavy cream, and season liberally with salt and pepper to taste.
This soup is hearty! If you don't plan to eat the soup right away, consider cooking the rice separately or having 2 cups of additional stock on hand to thin out the broth as the rice absorbs it while it cools.
FAQs
Absolutely! Cook the rice separately and add it with the chicken and cream at the end of the instructions. You can also reduce the overall simmer time if cooking the rice separately.
No - if cooked rice is left out for more than 2 hours, it can actually give you food poisoning from the bacteria that develops. Make sure you let the soup cool, then seal it and pop it in the fridge. It can also be frozen and defrosted.
Seal it up and it will last around 4 days in the fridge, and a few months in the freezer! When reheating it, I normally use the stovetop and add a little milk or broth to it to get it back to that soupy consistency.
Looking for More Filling Soup Recipes?
If you are looking for more warming, cozy soup recipes, check out my Fall inspired Butternut Squash Soup. It's seriously smooth and creamy and delightfully filling! Great for a quick and healthy lunch when a salad won't cut it!
Maybe you like your soup with a bit of a kick? Try my taco-inspired Mexican Black Bean Soup, it's loaded with bacon corn salsa too for a really delicious treat.
Last up is my Roasted Kabocha Squash and White Bean Soup...if you haven't had kabocha squash before - now is your chance. This soup warms your heart and soul and fills you with comforting autumnal goodness.
If you loved this Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup, please consider leaving a star rating and comment below! Don't forget to tag @hungerthirstplay when you post on Instagram and Facebook so I can see all your hard work!
Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked chicken (diced or pulled into bite sized pieces)
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 medium carrots (peeled and diced)
- 2 ribs celery (peeled and diced)
- 1 medium yellow onion (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ¼ cup white wine
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme or 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- ½ cup white rice (jasmine or basmati)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- salt and pepper (to season and to taste)
Instructions
- In a heavy bottom pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes until the onions are translucent and the carrots are starting to soften.3 tablespoons salted butter, 2 medium carrots, 2 ribs celery, 1 medium yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the flour and stir until the vegetables are well coated. Cook for about 1 minutes then slowly add the wine while stirring to combine the flour and wine into a thick liquid.3 tablespoons all purpose flour, ¼ cup white wine
- Slowly pour in the chicken stock, stirring to combine. Thoroughly rinse the rice before using. Add the thyme and rice to the pan and increase the heat to high. Bring the liquid to a simmer, stirring occasionally to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.½ teaspoon dried thyme or 3 sprigs fresh thyme, 4 cups chicken stock, ½ cup white rice
- Once the broth is almost at a boil, reduce the heat to medium, partially cover the pan, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. After the first 5 minutes of cooking, add the chicken and mushrooms to the pan, partially cover and cook for 10 to 12 more minutes until the rice is very tender.8 ounces sliced mushrooms, 1 pound cooked chicken
- Reduce the heat to low, stir in the heavy cream and season liberally with salt and pepper to taste. I typically use about ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.1 cup heavy cream, salt and pepper
Notes
- Cook the chicken in advance in the oven or use the meat of a rotisserie chicken for a fast and easy shortcut.
- Wash the rice before adding to the pan to keep the broth from becoming gummy.
- This soup is hearty! If you don't plan to eat the soup right away, consider cooking the rice separate or having 2 cups of additional stock on hand to thin out the broth as the rice absorbs it while it cools.
- Wild rice, brown rice, or hearty grains like farro or barley can be substituted for white rice. Cook them separately, then add in with the heavy cream.
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