Description
Learn how to make a comforting homemade chicken and rice soup from scratch with this easy recipe. Perfect for cozy nights in!
Ingredients
- – 1 teaspoon (5 ml) dried basil
- – 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) EACH: dried parsley, oregano, thyme, mustard powder
- – 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) pepper
- – 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil
- – 1 small yellow onion, diced
- – 1/2 cup (120 ml) diced carrots
- – 2 ribs celery, diced
- – 3 cloves garlic, minced
- – 5 cups (1200 ml) (1.2 liters) beef broth
- – 1 teaspoon (5 ml) soy sauce
- – 1 teaspoon (5 ml) hot sauce
- – 1 1/4 lb. (570 g) bone-in chicken breast, see notes
- – fresh parsley, to garnish
- – 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) beef broth
- – 3/4 cups (180 ml) white long grain rice, uncooked. (Or 2 1/4 cups (540 ml) cooked rice.)
Instructions
- Note: The rice is prepared separately to prevent it from absorbing too much liquid from the soup, allowing both the soup and rice to be stored individually. The rice will continue to absorb liquid as it sits, and the soup freezes nicely. You can also freeze the rice in a different container.
- Tip: Pre-measure your ingredients to make the cooking process smoother and faster!
- In a large soup pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Sauté the diced onion, carrots, and celery for 4 minutes. Then, add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Stir in the dried herbs, mustard powder, soy sauce, hot sauce, chicken, and beef broth.
- Bring the mixture to a soft simmer and partially cover the pot. Let the chicken cook slowly until done, approximately 15-20 minutes, avoiding a full boil to keep it tender. Take out the chicken and use two forks to shred it, discarding the bones. Add the shredded chicken back to the soup. Meanwhile, cook the rice separately.
- In a medium saucepan, boil 1 1/2 cups of beef broth. Add the rice, ensuring it’s covered with liquid. Return to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice sit, covered, for 10 minutes to loosen any grains stuck at the bottom. This should yield 2 1/4 cups of rice. Note: If using different rice varieties, adjust the liquid and cooking time accordingly—refer to the package directions.
- Taste the soup and add salt if needed.
- Serve by placing rice in bowls and pouring the soup over it. If you don’t expect leftovers, you can mix the rice directly into the soup pot. Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!
Notes
- Enhance the flavor by adding a squeeze of lemon juice or grated Parmesan cheese before serving.
- For a heartier texture, swap white rice for wild rice or quinoa.
- Add a kick of heat by sprinkling red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper into the soup while cooking.
