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Chicken and Rice Soup

Chicken and rice soup with tender shredded chicken and fluffy long-grain rice simmered in a golden herby broth. Brightened with lemon and finished with fresh parsley for a cozy, comforting bowl.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
Onion
  • 1 count onion diced
Carrots
  • 3 count carrots sliced
Celery ribs
  • 3 count celery ribs sliced
Garlic cloves
  • 3 count garlic cloves minced
Dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
Chicken broth
  • 8 cup chicken broth
Boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
Bay leaf
  • 1 count bay leaf
Long-grain white rice
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice
Salt
  • 1 tsp salt
Black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
Lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
Fresh parsley
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the vegetables
  1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat until it looks foamy and liquid, about 1 minute. Keep the heat at medium so the butter doesn’t brown too quickly.
  2. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened. The mixture should look glossy and slightly translucent.
  3. Stir in the garlic and dried thyme and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. The garlic should smell toasty, not brown.
Simmer the soup
  1. Add the chicken broth, chicken thighs, and bay leaf, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat. You should see steady bubbles across the surface.
  2. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. It should reach an internal temperature of 165°F/74°C and be easy to shred.
Finish with rice and flavor
  1. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it with two forks until you have bite-size pieces. Set shredded chicken aside briefly.
  2. Stir the long-grain white rice into the simmering soup and cook for 15 to 18 minutes, until tender. The broth will thicken and the rice should no longer be firm.
  3. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and remove the bay leaf. Taste for stray bay leaf pieces as you stir.
  4. Stir in the salt, black pepper, lemon juice, and chopped fresh parsley. The broth should look bright and evenly seasoned.

Notes

Pro tip: shred the chicken while it’s still warm for faster, more tender strands, then stir it back in at the end so it stays juicy. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days; reheat gently with a splash of broth or water. Freezing: yes, freeze up to 2 months, but note rice can soften—stir and adjust seasoning after reheating. If you want a lighter option, use reduced-fat butter and lean chicken thighs, or swap in cooked shredded chicken added after simmering the broth and then heat through with the rice.