Creamy Chicken Rice Soup (Printable)
Velvety chicken and rice in a rich, creamy broth with vegetables — a warm, comforting bowl for cozy nights.
# What You Need:
→ 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 and 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
# How To Make It:
01 - Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until vegetables have softened.
02 - Sprinkle all-purpose flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture forms a roux.
03 - Gradually whisk in chicken broth, making sure no lumps form. Add bay leaf and dried thyme.
04 - Stir uncooked white rice into the pot. Raise heat to bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook partially covered for 15 to 18 minutes, or until rice is nearly tender.
05 - Add cooked chicken, whole milk, and heavy cream to the pot. Simmer gently for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, allowing soup to thicken and rice to finish cooking.
06 - Remove the bay leaf. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot. Optionally garnish with freshly chopped parsley.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The way the cream and broth turn silken together almost feels like a culinary magic trick—trust me, you’ll want extra bread for sopping it up.
- It’s endlessly adaptable, so whenever I clear out the veggie drawer or have stray rice to use, the soup tastes like an intentional feast instead of leftovers.
02 -
- If you rush the rice or don’t stir enough, it can stick to the bottom and scorch, making the whole batch taste off.
- Letting the soup rest for a few minutes before serving makes it even creamier—the flavors find each other in that pause.
03 -
- Always use a heavy pot and stir the rice early on—otherwise, you risk the dreaded burnt layer at the bottom.
- A splash of lemon juice seems like a trivial finish, but it brightens the flavors more than you’d expect.