Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup

This creamy chicken and rice soup is full of plenty of delicious ingredients for a cozy comfort food meal.

Table of Contents

Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup Ingredients
How To Make This Creamy Chicken and Soup Recipe
How To Serve
Storage
Frequently Asked Questions
More Recipes You’ll Love
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The aromas coming from a large pot of this creamy chicken and rice soup simmering away on the stove is guaranteed to make you hungry. Tender chunks of chicken and rice are cooked with fresh vegetables and creamy broth for this cozy dish that comes out hearty and delicious.

For more dishes to warm you up, try our crack chicken noodle soup and chicken pot pie soup.

Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup Ingredients

Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup raw ingredients that are labeled

You’ll need:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup diced yellow onion (¼ inch pieces)
1 cup diced carrots (¼ inch pieces)
1 cup diced celery (¼ inch pieces)
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon seasoning
2 small bay leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon turmeric
10 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 (10-ounce) cans of cream of chicken soup
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
1 cup long grain white rice
1 cup heavy cream

PRO TIP:

You could use leftover chicken or a rotisserie chicken you pick up at the grocery store for a great way to reduce prep time.

SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS

BROTH: Please note that this recipe uses low sodium chicken broth. If you use regular chicken broth, I would omit the addition of the kosher salt, or you will run the risk of your soup being way too salty. I find that using low or no sodium chicken broth allows me to control the saltiness of my soup.

CHICKEN: I like to use boneless skinless chicken breast, but boneless skinless chicken thighs will work in this soup just as well if your family prefers dark meat.

TURMERIC: If you can not find turmeric in your spice aisle, don’t worry, this soup will still be tasty without it. The turmeric is what gives this soup its beautiful light golden color and a unique depth of extra flavor that is found in so many creamy chicken soup dishes.

RICE: You can opt for a different kind of rice such as brown rice if you prefer in this soup.

How To Make This Creamy Chicken and Soup Recipe

PRO TIP:

If you are using leftover chicken instead of raw, proceed with the recipe and add the chicken in at Step #6.

STEP ONE: In a large 10-quart stockpot on medium-high heat, saute the butter, onions, carrots, celery, and garlic for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup process shot of vegetables in a pot

STEP TWO: Add the parsley, thyme, chicken bouillon, bay leaves, salt, black pepper and turmeric to the sauteed vegetables and stir to coat.

Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup process shot of ingredients in a pot

STEP THREE: Add the chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, and raw chicken breasts to the pot. Stir, cover the pot with the lid and simmer on medium-low for 20 minutes.

PRO TIP:

Don’t forget to stir often to prevent your soup from burning.

STEP FOUR: Remove the chicken and the bay leaves from the pot. You can discard the bay leaves and place the cooked chicken onto a plate. Bring the liquids back up to a boil, add the rice, cover the pot again and turn the heat down to low heat again. Cook your rice for 20 minutes.

STEP FIVE: While your rice is cooking, shred your chicken breasts using 2 forks. Set aside until your rice is done.

Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup process shot of chicken being shredded on a plate with a fork

STEP SIX: Turn off the heat and add your shredded chicken back to your pot. Add the heavy cream and stir.

PRO TIP:

You can garnish your soup with additional fresh chopped parsley and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese if desired.

How To Serve

This cozy soup should be served hot and paired with a loaf of crusty bread or dinner rolls. This will give you a delicious meal the next time you are looking for a comfort food-type meal. Since it freezes well, you could make a double batch and save it for a busy weeknight when everyone is on the go.

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Storage

IN THE FRIDGE: Once the soup cools down, you can transfer it to a lidded container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Remember that as your creamy chicken and rice soup sits, the rice will absorb more of the liquids and plump up even more.

IN THE FREEZER: This is the perfect recipe for a great freezer meal! I would suggest for best results, omit the rice (make it on the side according to package directions) and use freezer-safe individual size containers to pre-portion individual servings. You can thaw your frozen portions in the refrigerator, then heat up your thawed soup in a small pot on medium-high heat on the stove. You can add your precooked rice to your soup then. Also, leftover rice is great to add to the chicken broth in a pinch as well. This will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.

MAKE-AHEAD: If you want to make this soup ahead of time, you can follow all the steps except that you will omit the part of the recipe in steps 4 & 5, where you add the rice and cook it for 20 minutes. You can either cook your rice on the side, according to package directions, and then add it to the hot soup when you are ready to eat it, or you can bring your premade soup back up to a boil, add your uncooked rice, cover and simmer for 20 minutes then serve.

close up shot of a serving of Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup in a bowl with a spoon

This is the best homemade chicken and rice soup recipe and is sure to warm you up on chilly days. The amazing flavor and creaminess of the soup promise a tasty meal that the family will gobble up after a long day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this recipe in the slow cooker?

This creamy chicken rice soup recipe could be made in the slow cooker, although we haven’t tried it with this recipe.

Can I freeze this soup?

This great recipe will keep in the freezer for 2 to 3 months in an airtight container.

Can I use my own chicken broth?

If you prefer to make your own homemade chicken broth, you can certainly use it in place of store-bought.

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Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup

5 from 3 votes

This creamy chicken and rice soup is full of plenty of delicious ingredients for a cozy comfort food meal.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Servings

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Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup yellow onion diced (¼ inch pieces)
1 cup carrots diced (¼ inch pieces)
1 cup celery diced (¼ inch pieces)
1 tablespoon fresh garlic minced
2 tablespoons parsley fresh chopped (plus extra for garnish)
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon seasoning
2 small bay leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon turmeric
10 cups chicken broth low sodium
20 ounces cream of chicken soup
1 pound chicken breast boneless and skinless
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

In a large 10-quart stockpot, on medium-high heat, saute the butter, onions, carrots, celery and garlic for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Add the parsley, thyme, chicken bouillon, bay leaves, salt, black pepper, and turmeric to the sauteed vegetables and stir to coat.
Add the chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, and raw chicken breasts to the pot. Stir then cover the pot with the lid and simmer on medium-low for 20 minutes.
Remove the chicken and the bay leaves from the pot. You can discard the bay leaves and place the cooked chicken onto a plate. Bring the liquids back up to a boil, add the rice, cover the pot again and turn the heat down to low again. Cook your rice for 20 minutes.
While your rice is cooking, shred your chicken breasts using 2 forks. Set aside until your rice is done.
Turn off the heat and add your shredded chicken back to your pot. Add the heavy cream and stir.

Notes

You could use leftover chicken or a rotisserie chicken you pick up at the grocery store for a great way to reduce prep time.
If you are using leftover chicken instead of raw, proceed with the recipe and add the chicken in at Step #6.
Don’t forget to stir often to prevent your soup from burning.
You can garnish your soup with additional fresh chopped parsley and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese if desired.

Nutrition

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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!