Description
A comforting and delicious chicken and rice soup made with fresh vegetables, herbs, and spices.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup long grain brown rice, long grain white rice or wild rice (rinsed and drained)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion (chopped)
- 4 medium carrots (sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds or half rounds if large)
- 3 ribs celery (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- fresh chopped parsley (for serving, if desired)
Instructions
- Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a 3 quart or larger saucepan or pot. (Make sure to use a pot that has a tight-fitting lid, since you’ll need to cover the rice after cooking.)
- Once the water is boiling, stir in the rinsed rice and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil. If using white rice, boil for 15 minutes (uncovered). If using brown rice, boil for 30 minutes (uncovered).
- Pour the rice into a strainer and drain it very well. Immediately return the rice to the hot empty pot and cover with the lid. Let the rice rest for 10 minutes, or until it is time to add it to the soup.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-6 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.
- Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
- Add the dried thyme, dried oregano, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and chicken broth. Stir to combine. Place the chicken in the pot and nestle it down into the broth.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low so that the soup is simmering but not boiling vigorously. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender. (The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165°F when measured with an instant-read thermometer.)
- Remove the chicken to a clean plate and let it rest for 5 minutes. Then shred it into bite-size pieces.
- Stir the shredded chicken and cooked rice into the soup. Taste the soup and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Serve soup with fresh chopped parsley, if desired.
Notes
- Wild rice may require different cooking times. Adjust accordingly.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg