Creamy Chicken Rice Soup (Printable version)
Velvety chicken and rice simmered with carrots, celery and onion in a creamy, seasoned broth—cozy, hearty and simple.
# List of ingredients:
→ Meats
01 - 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Grains
06 - 1/2 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
→ Liquids
07 - 4 cups chicken broth
08 - 2 cups whole milk
09 - 1 cup heavy cream
→ Spices & Seasonings
10 - 1 bay leaf
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Fats
13 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ Thickeners
14 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
# Directions:
01 - Melt unsalted butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic; sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until the vegetables soften.
02 - Sprinkle all-purpose flour over the sautéed vegetables, stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until a smooth roux forms.
03 - Gradually whisk in chicken broth to prevent lumps. Add bay leaf and dried thyme.
04 - Stir in uncooked rice. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover partially. Simmer for 15 to 18 minutes until rice is nearly tender.
05 - Stir in cooked chicken, whole milk, and heavy cream. Simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, allowing the soup to thicken and the rice to finish cooking.
06 - Remove bay leaf. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve hot and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- This soup delivers on cozy flavor and comfort but hardly takes an hour to pull together—even when you’re working from scratch.
- I realized how versatile it can be: leftover chicken, random veggies, or a dash of lemon—there’s always room to play, and it still tastes like home.
02 -
- If you rush the roux or add the milk too quickly, the soup can turn out lumpy or thin—patience truly pays off here.
- Sometimes I’d stir in the dairy before the soup cooled a bit and it split; letting the soup drop below a boil before adding milk and cream keeps everything silky smooth.
03 -
- If substituting cornstarch for flour, always make a slurry with cold water before adding to avoid lumps.
- For restaurant-style flavor, scrape up every bit of browned goodness from the bottom of the pot after sautéing the veggies.