Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup – This easy, creamy chicken and rice soup is hearty, easy to make on the stove and can be adapted for the crockpot or Instant Pot.
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Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup Ingredients
- chicken broth
- chicken breast (boneless, skinless)
- avocado oil
- celery
- carrots
- kosher salt
- pepper
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- rice seasoning mix (optional)
- flour
- heavy cream
- milk
- long grain/wild rice mix
How to Make Chicken and Rice Soup
Detailed instructions and measurements for creamy chicken and rice soup are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Season your chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Add your avocado oil to a large heavy-bottomed skillet. Once it’s shimmery, place your chicken in the oil and sear on both sides. You aren’t cooking it in the skillet, just searing the outside.
- Add your chicken to a deep pot. Pour in your chicken broth to cover the chicken. Turn the burner on high and bring it to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, turn it down to a simmer.
- While your chicken is simmering, add the celery and carrots to the skillet you seared the chicken in over medium heat. Add in the garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and parsley. If your rice package came with a seasoning packet, you can add it here if you’d like as well.
- Once your carrots and celery have begun to soften, add in your flour. Stir to combine and cook briefly for about 1 minute.
- Gently pour in the heavy cream, mixing to combine and letting it thicken. Once that is fully combined, gently pour in the milk, stirring to combine.
- Continue to cook the mixture, stirring frequently until it has thickened.
- Remove the chicken from the broth and shred or dice. Add it back into the broth.
- Add your rice to the broth and chicken pot.
- Add your thickened vegetable mixture to the pot with the chicken, broth, and rice. Simmer for about 15 minutes, just until the rice is softened.
- Serve with your favorite crackers and a sprinkle of fresh parsley and oregano!
Creamy Chicken Rice Soup Recipe Substitutions
- Be sure to use boneless, skinless chicken breast. Your calories and points will be lower with this cut of chicken. Be sure to also trim the fat from your chicken breasts.
- Use a lower calorie, point friendly rice mix.
- You can omit the heavy cream and use fat free half and half in it’s place or use all milk.
Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe Tips
- The rice package seasoning is completely optional. It will add more flavor to your soup if your rice mix came with one. If it didn’t, don’t worry!
- I don’t add salt to the mix beyond what is seared to the chicken. The salt flavor will remain in the skillet when sautéing the vegetables and the broth will likely have salt. If you feel like it needs more salt, wait until its complete to taste test first before adding.
How to Store Creamy Chicken Rice Soup
To store this soup, be sure you cool it to room temperature. Once cooled, you can store it in an airtight container up to 3 days.
To freeze, once it has cooled, store in an airtight, freezer-safe container up to 6 months.
To reheat, place the soup in a saucepan on the stove top. Heat over medium heat until heated through. You may need to add a little extra broth if too much has been absorbed.
Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe FAQs
You can! You would just skip the searing and boiling step. You would add it to the broth when you add the rice.
No, I do not. I let the rice cook in the broth mixture.
In this recipe, yes you can. The heavy cream really adds a creamy texture and rich flavor so I recommend using it, but it’s okay if you just use milk.
This chicken and rice soup is thickened using a combination of flour and heavy cream. By creating a roux, the soup will thicken with the liquid you add.
It’s important to add the rice in at the right time. If you add it too early to the soup, it will cause it to get mushy from being overcooked.
You can add richness to the chicken soup by adding herbs and spices, but also being sure to roast your ingredients first.
More like this Old Fashioned Chicken Rice Soup
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Old Fashioned Chicken Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 lb chicken breast boneless, skinless, cut into large chunks
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 4 stalks celery chopped (about 1 cup)
- 12 oz carrots chopped (about 3 cups)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- rice seasoning mix optional
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup long grain/wild rice mix
Instructions
- Season your chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Add your avocado oil to a large heavy-bottomed skillet. Once it’s shimmery, place your chicken in the oil and sear on both sides. You aren’t cooking it in the skillet, just searing the outside.
- Add your chicken to a deep pot. Pour in your chicken broth to cover the chicken. Turn the burner on high and bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, turn down to a simmer.
- While your chicken is simmering, add the celery and carrots to the skillet you seared the chicken in over medium heat. Add in the garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and parsley. If your rice package came with a seasoning packet, you can add it here if you’d like as well.
- Once your carrots and celery have begun to soften, add in your flour. Stir to combine and cook briefly, about 1 minute.
- Gently pour in the heavy cream, mixing to combine and letting it thicken. Once that is fully combined, gently pour in the milk, stirring to combine.
- Continue to cook the mixture, stirring frequently until it has thickened.
- Remove the chicken from the broth and shred or dice. Add it back into the broth.
- Add your rice to the broth and chicken pot.
- Add your thickened vegetable mixture to the pot with the chicken, broth, and rice. Simmer about 15 minutes, just until the rice is softened.
- Serve with your favorite crackers and a sprinkle of fresh parsley and oregano!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was great. I made it on the first fall feeling week and it hit the spot. I used the rice seasoning and shredded the chicken that mixed with the creaminess and veggies. 5 out of 5 starts uhhhhhazing!
My fiance does not enjoy soup but this one was a hit. With no whipping cream, I used buttermilk. Added a can of cream of mushroom soup. Next time I will cut back on the oregano. Served with hot croissant rolls. The entire family enjoyed this one.
Hi Stephanie, I love hearing that! So glad y’all enjoyed it!
We made this for tonight! Seriously, one of the best soups I’ve ever had!
Thank you so much, Staci! That means so much to me that you would take the time to come back and say this. Thank you so much for your kindness, I truly appreciate it!