If you are looking for a cozy, homemade chicken and rice soup with rich flavor, my version made with roasted chicken thighs is a must-try. While the chicken roasts in the oven, you can prepare the base on the stove-top, making this recipe simple and perfect for a comforting dinner on a busy night.
Just like my chicken noodle soup, this recipe uses simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen, nothing fancy. Making a batch of fresh soup at least twice a week has always been a part of my routine. It's quite an Eastern-European thing.
Ingredients you'll need
For exact ingredient quantities, please jump down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Chicken thighs: I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs for flavor and convenience. You can also use bone-in chicken thighs. Make sure to remove the bones and skin before adding to the soup.
- Mirepoix base: a classic blend of diced carrots, yellow onions and celery for the aromatic base. Short on time? Learn how to prepare and freeze mirepoix in advance for fast weeknight soups.
- Chicken broth: Use store-bough chicken broth, homemade chicken stock or water combined with Better Than Bouillon chicken base.
- Rice: I used standard long grain rice. Any type of rice works great here.
- Seasonings and lemon: Paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper season the roasting chicken. Fresh lemon juice brightens up the soup at the very end.
- Optional herbs: If you have fresh herbs on hand, like rosemary or thyme,stir them in during the simmer for an extra layer of flavors.
How to make chicken and rice soup Step By Step
1.Roast chicken thighs. Preheat oven to 400°F. Season chicken thighs with olive oil, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Roast on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 25-30 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Cool and shred or dice.
2. Prep the ingredients. Dice yellow onion, carrots and celery. Rinse white rice under cold water until clear.
3. Make the mirepoix and add rice. Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add diced onions, chopped carrots, and celery. Sweat the vegetables for 10 minutes, until the vegetables soften but don't brown. Add the rinsed rice to the pot and saute for another 2 minutes with the vegetables, slightly de-glazing the pan if there is any fond formed. the water from rinsed rice will be used for deglazing. You can also use a splash of apple cider vinegar to de-glaze.
4. Add chicken broth and simmer the base. Pour in chicken broth. Bring to a boil, cover half way and simmer on low for about 15 minutes, until the rice is tender.
5. Combine and season. Stir in diced or shredded chicken and fresh lemon juice. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to heat through, adjust salt and pepper to taste, and serve warm.
Recipe tips
- If you are making this soup ahead of time, cook and store the rice separately. Then, add it to each bowl when serving.
- You can use any leftover chicken; my roasted chicken in oven bag is a perfect candidate for it.
- Use a lot sodium broth, so you can control the amount of salt to your liking.
- You can greens or other vegetables at the end, such as kale, spinach or even corn.
More soups to try
📖 Recipe
Chicken and Rice Soup with Roasted Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- 1 Baking pan
- 1 large pot
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
Roasted chicken thighs ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Chicken and rice soup ingredients
- 4-6 cups low sodium chicken broth*
- ¼ cup rinsed rice
- 1 tablespoon ghee butter or olive oil
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery rib, chopped
- ¼ yellow onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice or more to taste
Instructions
Roasted chicken thighs
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking pan with parchment paper. Place 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs on top in a single layer. Drizzle chicken with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle it with 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder,and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Use your hands to coat the chicken.
- Roast chicken thighs for about 25 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let it cool, then chop or shred cooked chicken.
Chicken and rice soup
- In your soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon ghee butter or olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped carrots, celery and diced onion. Saute for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables soften. Add ¼ cup rinsed rice and saute it with vegetables for another 2 minutes.
- Pour 4-6 cups low sodium chicken broth* in to the pot. Bring it to a boil, cover half way with the lid, turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 12 minutes or until the rice is just almost done. Quick tip: If you prep the soup for the next day, I recommend cooking the rice separately and adding it to each bowl when serving.
- Add diced or shredded cooked chicken and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Taste the soup and add more salt, pepper or lemon if needed. Pour into the bowls and enjoy.
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