This do-it-yourself rooster and rice soup recipe is a straightforward soup everybody loves! With tender shredded rooster, fluffy rice, and fragrant greens, it’s excellent for weeknight dinners.

Right here’s a scorching take: I’d decide rooster and rice soup any day over rooster noodle! (Do you agree?) I really like this traditional with rice as an alternative of noodles as a result of it infuses it with complete grains: and it tastes even higher.
My children go loopy for this weeknight dinner: tender chunks of rooster and fluffy rice float in a wealthy, savory broth that’s infused with I greens. We not too long ago served it for a cocktail party and everybody saved saying, “What’s in this?!”
5 star reader evaluate
“This rooster and rice soup is a hug in a bowl. The best flavors however so comforting and heartwarming. It was excellent for right this moment and made a traditional really feel good meal!” -Tanvee
Important elements for rooster and rice soup
Canned variations of rooster and rice soup have been a staple me rising up, and this recipe brings all of the nostalgia with even higher taste. It’s easy sufficient for a weeknight, however tastes prefer it’s been simmering all day. Listed here are the elements you’ll want:
- Boneless, skinless rooster breasts: I want natural when attainable for each taste and sustainability.
- Lengthy grain white rice: This selection holds its form fantastically throughout cooking and absorbs the broth flavors with out turning into mushy. Brown rice requires considerably longer cooking time so I don’t suggest substituting it right here.
- White onion, carrots, and celery: This traditional trio kinds the flavour basis.
- Recent garlic: Three cloves present the proper quantity of pungency; keep away from jarred garlic.
- Hen inventory and water: I like utilizing a mix of rooster inventory with a bit water (which makes it cheaper, too!).
- Dried oregano, garlic powder, and smoked paprika: This Spanish spice is the game-changer ingredient that makes the complete soup.
Knowledgeable ideas for the most effective outcomes
This rooster rice soup has a couple of methods that make it stand out from customary recipes. Listed here are a couple of ideas that we included to maximise the flavour:
- Cook dinner the rooster within the broth: As a substitute of utilizing pre-cooked rooster, this technique cooks the rooster proper within the broth, infusing it with extra taste and holding it tender.
- Layer your seasonings: I add the oregano and garlic powder early within the cooking course of, however save the smoked paprika for the top. This preserves its smoky taste.
- Don’t rush the greens: Taking 6 to 7 minutes to correctly prepare dinner the mirepoix till the onions turn out to be translucent creates a greater taste basis than dashing this step.
- Let it relaxation: Let the soup relaxation for five minutes after cooking. This enables all of the flavors to meld collectively and creates a greater remaining end result.

Serving solutions to make it a meal
This rooster and rice soup works as each a comfy dinner or a straightforward lunch recipe. Listed here are a couple of concepts of what to pair with it:
Traditional pairings:
Lighter choices:
How one can retailer and reheat rooster rice soup
A couple of vital notes about storage of this rooster and rice soup:
- This soup lasts for as much as 3 days refrigerated, however the rice absorbs the liquid from the soup over time. Add a splash of rooster inventory when reheating leftovers; warmth on the stovetop over medium warmth.
- For meal prep, make the soup with out the rice, then add cooked rice to every portion earlier than serving. This prevents the rice from turning into overly comfortable.
- The soup additionally freezes as much as 3 months. Once more, you could want so as to add a bit further broth once you reheat it. Defrost within the fridge in a single day.

Dietary notes
This rooster and rice soup recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free, and it additionally works as a excessive protein and Mediterranean weight loss program recipe.
Regularly requested questions
Common paprika can substitute, however you’ll lose the distinctive smoky depth. Think about including a couple of drops of liquid smoke, or easy leaving it out.
Use long-grain white rice and keep away from overcooking. The rice needs to be tender however nonetheless maintain its form. If reheating leftovers, add recent liquid to stop the rice from persevering with to soak up all of the broth.
Sure! Boneless, skinless rooster thighs work properly and add much more taste. They might require an extra 5-10 minutes of cooking time.
Hen and Rice Soup Recipe
This rooster and rice soup recipe is a comfy, straightforward soup everybody will love! It’s our household favourite, with tender shredded rooster and fluffy rice that swim in a savory broth infused with smoky paprika.
- Prep Time: quarter-hour
- Cook dinner Time: 35 minutes
- Whole Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 to eight 1x
- Class: Principal dish
- Technique: Stovetop
- Delicacies: Soup
- Weight loss program: Gluten Free
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 white onion, diced
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 4 celery ribs, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 quarts rooster inventory
- 2 cups water
- 2 massive boneless skinless rooster breasts (1 ½ to 2 kilos)
- ¾ cup lengthy grain white rice
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus extra for serving
- Freshly floor black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 inexperienced onion, minced, for garnish
- In a big pot, warmth the olive oil over medium warmth. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and prepare dinner, stirring often, till the greens are tender and the onion is translucent, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute till aromatic.
- Add the rooster inventory, water, complete rooster breasts, rice, oregano, garlic powder, and kosher salt. Deliver to a boil, then scale back to a simmer. Cowl loosely and prepare dinner till the rooster is cooked by means of, 20 to 25 minutes, or till the rooster registers not less than 165°F when examined with a meals thermometer.
- Take away the rooster breasts to a slicing board and let relaxation for five minutes, then shred the rooster utilizing two forks or your fingers to drag it into bite-sized items (or use a stand mixer with paddle attachment to shred the rooster.
- To complete the soup, stir within the shredded rooster and smoked paprika. Style and add the as much as an extra ½ teaspoon kosher salt and recent floor black pepper to style. Flip off the warmth and let stand for five minutes to permit the flavors to meld.
- Serve heat, garnished with inexperienced onions. Retailer leftovers refrigerated for as much as 3 days. Be aware that the rice will proceed to soak up liquid because it sits; when reheating, you could want so as to add further water or inventory and modify seasonings.
Notes
For meal prep, you can also make the soup with out the rice, then add cooked rice simply earlier than serving. This prevents the rice from turning into overly comfortable in leftovers.
Different soup recipes you could take pleasure in
A couple of extra of my favourite wholesome soup recipes:
