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Chicken and Rice Soup (One Pot Dinner Recipe!)

This chicken and rice soup is a true one-pot meal, with minimal dishes and no extra steps. It comes together in under an hour to make a dinner that's hearty and satisfying without being too heavy. Recipe includes a how-to video!

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 6 servings (approximately 1 ½ cups per serving)
Calories: 337 kcal
Course: Soup , Dinner
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 4 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 1 medium yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 3 stalks celery leaves removed and chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 2 2 large carrots chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 1 1 Tablespoon minced garlic  about 3-4 large cloves
  • 3 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ¾ ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ ½ teaspoon dried parsley
  • ½ ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¾ ¾ teaspoon table salt plus additional to taste
  • ½ ½ teaspoon ground black pepper plus additional to taste
  • 5 5 cups chicken broth
  • 1 1 lb raw boneless skinless chicken breast or a mix of chicken breast and thighs
  • 1 1 cup wild rice uncooked
  • ⅓ ⅓ cup heavy cream (see note)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Melt butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
  2. Add onion, celery, and carrots and cook until softened (about 4-5 minutes).
  3. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
  4. Sprinkle flour evenly over the pot and stir until flour is absorbed and no lumps remain. Add spices (thyme, parsley, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper) and cook several seconds longer until well-combined.
  5. Slowly, while stirring, add chicken broth to the pot. Bring to a boil.
  6. Add chicken and rice and return to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until the chicken is cooked through and rice is fully cooked (about 20 minutes).
  7. Remove chicken from the pot and cut or shred (I prefer to shred). If the rice is not tender yet, let the chicken rest, covered, beside the stovetop and continue to cook the soup, covered, until the rice is cooked through (that way you don’t overcook it). Once the rice is cooked through, return the chicken to the pot.
  8. Reduce heat to low then slowly stir in heavy cream until combined.
  9. Allow to simmer for several minutes before serving warm. Enjoy!

Notes

  • White rice, wild rice, jasmine, or basmati would work well in this recipe. I like to use wild rice. Pre-cooked rice will work in this recipe but the broth will be thinner as the recipe as-written accounts for the fact that the uncooked rice will absorb some of the broth.
  • You can use pre-cooked shredded or diced chicken in this recipe instead, simply stir it in before adding the cream and allow it time to properly warm up.
  • You may omit the cream if desired, or substitute half and half. The amount used here does not make for a very rich and creamy soup, but it does add some depth of flavor and a more velvety mouthfeel to the broth.
  • This soup will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Please note that the rice will become mushy the longer it sits and it will continue to absorb the liquid in the soup. You can always add a splash of water or more chicken broth when reheating but may need to add more salt/pepper as well (taste-test before serving).
  • I generally don't recommend freezing soups that contain cream as the dairy may split, however this recipe uses a small enough amount that you *may* be able to get away with it. I have not frozen this soup myself, but if you try it please leave a comment and let me know how it thaws for you. You may also leave out the cream and freeze the soup for at least 1 month.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 337kcal (17%) Carbohydrates 28g (9%) Protein 22g (44%) Fat 15g (23%) Saturated Fat 8g (40%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 4g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 87mg (29%) Sodium 1120mg (47%) Potassium 676mg (19%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 3g (6%) Vitamin A 3954IU (79%) Vitamin C 18mg (20%) Calcium 50mg (5%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6servings (approximately 1 ½ cups per serving)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 337

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 337kcal 17%
Carbohydrates 28g 9%
Protein 22g 44%
Fat 15g 23%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 4g 20%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 87mg 29%
Sodium 1120mg 47%
Potassium 676mg 14%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 3g 6%
Vitamin A 3954IU 79%
Vitamin C 18mg 20%
Calcium 50mg 5%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.