Cozy Winter Chicken and Rice Soup (Printable Version)

Tender chicken and fluffy rice simmered with aromatic vegetables in a rich broth. A comforting one-pot meal ready in under an hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb)

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
04 - 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
05 - 3 celery stalks, sliced
06 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Rice

07 - 3/4 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed

→ Broth & Seasoning

08 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
11 - 2 bay leaves
12 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
13 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

→ Finishing Touches

14 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
15 - Juice of 1/2 lemon, optional

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until vegetables are softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, dried thyme, and rosemary. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add chicken breasts, chicken broth, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
04 - Add rinsed rice, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover with a lid. Cook for 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked through and rice is tender.
05 - Remove chicken breasts from the pot using tongs. Shred meat with two forks into bite-sized pieces and return to the soup.
06 - Discard bay leaves. Stir in fresh parsley and lemon juice if desired. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and asks for just one pot, which means less cleanup when you're already tired from the cold.
  • The chicken shreds so easily after simmering that you'll feel genuinely capable in the kitchen, even on your worst days.
  • Every spoonful tastes like someone who cares is taking care of you, whether that someone is you or a friend.
02 -
  • If you forget to remove the bay leaves, don't panic—just fish them out before serving, which is easier than remembering not to add them in the first place.
  • The rice will continue to absorb liquid even after you turn off the heat, so if you're serving it hours later, add a splash of water or broth to loosen it up again.
03 -
  • Rinse your rice under cold water before adding it—this removes excess starch and keeps your soup from becoming cloudy or gluey.
  • Taste the broth before you add any salt, since store-bought broths vary wildly in their sodium content and you might not need as much as you think.
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