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An overhead shot of a bowl of creamy chicken and rice soup. The opaque, golden broth is filled with shredded chicken, white rice, diced carrots, and celery, with parsley sprinkled on top.

Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup (Ultimate Comfort in a Bowl)

This Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup is the ultimate comfort food. This easy, 35-word summary describes a recipe for tender shredded chicken, rice, and vegetables simmered in a rich, savory, and perfectly opaque pale-golden broth.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter divided
  • 1 large Yellow Onion diced
  • 2 medium Carrots diced
  • 2 stalks Celery diced
  • 2 cloves Garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour 30g
  • 8 cups Low-Sodium Chicken Broth 1.9L
  • 1.5 lbs Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast 680g
  • 1.5 cups Cooked Long-Grain White Rice 275g
  • 1 tsp Kosher Salt to taste
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley 15g, freshly chopped

Equipment

  • 1 Large Dutch Oven or Stockpot
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 Two Forks (for shredding)

Method
 

Build the Flavor Base
  1. In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted and foaming, add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened.
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Cook and Shred the Chicken
  1. Place the whole chicken breasts into the pot. Pour in the 8 cups of chicken broth and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.
  2. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken breasts and shred the meat using two forks.
Create the Creamy Broth
  1. In a separate small saucepan, melt the remaining 3 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour and cook for 1-2 minutes to form a roux.
  2. While whisking constantly, slowly pour 2 cups of the hot chicken broth from the Dutch oven into the roux until smooth. Pour the mixture back into the Dutch oven.
  3. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until it has thickened.
Combine and Finish
  1. Stir the shredded chicken and the cooked white rice into the thickened soup. Let it heat through for 2-3 minutes.
  2. Turn off the heat and stir in the freshly chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary before serving.

Notes

Use Pre-Cooked Rice: To prevent the soup from becoming overly thick and the rice from turning to mush, always add rice that is already cooked.
Don't Boil the Roux: Once you've created your cream base and returned it to the pot, keep it at a gentle simmer to thicken. A rolling boil can sometimes cause the base to separate.
Shred, Don't Cube: Shredded chicken absorbs the creamy broth much better than cubed chicken, providing more flavor in every bite and creating that signature texture.
Taste As You Go: The saltiness of chicken broth can vary wildly between brands. Taste your soup before adding all the salt, and adjust at the end for a perfectly seasoned result.