Whenever you need the comfort that only a hot bowl of soup can give you, but don’t have much time, remember this recipe for homemade chicken soup with rice!
This healthy soup recipe is simple, but delicious and it’s actually gluten-free.
Homemade Chicken Soup With Rice
I usually make chicken soup, the very old-fashioned way…by cooking up a whole chicken or 2 whole chicken thighs, bones in for about 30-40 minutes, then removing the bones and shredding the chicken with the original shredder – my hands. This loong process results in the best ever chicken soup. And if you have more time, you can surely invest those 60 minutes and do it.
But if you don’t – buy skinless, boneless chicken thighs and use those instead. Now, I did this the very lazy way, which is to simply chop the chicken and cook it in the pot. Another option would be to again, cook the chicken first, it would take 20 minutes and then shred it using your hands or a fork. This option is way easier and faster than the one using a whole chicken or chicken thighs with the bones in.
This recipe will also work with leftover shredded chicken – like for example rotisserie chicken. Take the skin off, the meat off the bone and into the pot. From there add the rice and the rest of the ingredients.
How To Make Chicken Soup With Rice
To make this easy chicken soup with rice you’ll need the ingredients for the recipe and a small cooking pot. You’ll start by sauteing the onion with the herbs and the chicken. Add the rice and cover everything with around 2.5 times the amount of water.
Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the temperature and remove the lid and cook it on the stove for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken and rice are ready. Add some freshly ground black pepper and enjoy!
If you choose to cook and shred the chicken ahead, which I kinda recommend if you have more time, fish out the chicken once it’s done, place it on a plate or a chopping board and shred it using two forks. Use the broth you just made while cooking the chicken as the base for your soup. While you’re shredding the chicken – add the chopped onion, rice and potato to the broth. Then add the chicken back and the rest of your ingredients and cook until the rice and potatoes are done.
Tips:
- If you’re using the chopped chicken – saute the onion and herbs in the beginning. it will deepen the flavor. This is important as we’re not precooking the chicken and giving it time to create that deep flavor.
- If you have a little more time, you can also shred the chicken by cooking it ahead and using the boiling water as stock. See notes in the recipe card for this option.
- Do not add too much water or stock. You don’t want to dilute the ingredients. I always add water:ingredients in about 2:1 ratio and then adjust if needed during the cooking process.
- Add some mint! Or another favorite herb of yours! I always like to add mint, preferably fresh, but you can also use dry, when making this soup. It really gives it that special something. If you don’t like mint, play around with the herbs you enjoy!
More Healthy Soup Recipes:
I hope you enjoy this simple chicken soup with rice! If you do need even more healthy soup recipes to keep you warm you through the cold season, check out these:
- Amazing Chicken Barley Soup
- Delicious Lentil Vegetable Soup
- 20-Minute Healthy Bean Soup
- Easy Meatball Soup

30-Minute Homemade Chicken Soup With Rice
Homemade chicken soup with rice! This delicious healthy soup recipe is ready in about 30 minutes - perfect for a quick weeknight dinner for cold weather!
Ingredients
- 2 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 Tbsp rice
- 1 small potato, chopped
- 1 small carrot, chopped
- 1/4 cup peas
- 1 Tbsp dry mint
- a handful of fresh mint leaves
- 1 Tbsp black pepper, ground
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- salt
Instructions
- Chop the chicken thighs or cook them ahead and shred using a fork (see notes).
- Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil to a small/medium pot at medium-high temperature and saute the onion, dried mint and black pepper for 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in the chicken, the potatoes and rice for 1 minute. Add the rest of the ingredients, a few good pinches of salt and cover with water - about 2x the amount of the ingredients.
- Bring to a boil at medium-high, reduce the heat to low/medium and let it cook like this until the chicken and rice are done. Add water at any point if needed and adjust for salt and pepper.
- Serve warm with some freshly ground black pepper!
Notes
If you want your chicken soup to be with shredded, rather than chopped chicken - cook the boneless chicken thighs ahead in some water with a little bit of salt and if you want - the mint and black pepper. Once cooked, fish the chicken out of the water using a big fork and shred using 2 forks or your hands (cool the chicken thighs off in cold water, because they're hot!). While you're shredding, add the onion, potato and rice to the stock you just made, then add the shredded chicken back to the soup with the rest of the ingredients.Cook until potatoes and rice are done.
Nutrition Information
Yield 3 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 316Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 12gCholesterol 91mgSodium 349mgCarbohydrates 26gFiber 5gSugar 6gProtein 22g