Best Creamy Chicken & Rice Soup – Simple, Comforting, and Delicious

 

There’s nothing quite like a bowl of Creamy Chicken & Rice Soup to bring comfort on a chilly day. Tender chicken, hearty rice, and fresh vegetables come together in a rich, velvety broth that feels like a hug in a bowl. This recipe is simple, wholesome, and perfect for family dinners, cozy lunches, or warming up after a long day.

Whether you’re craving a classic comfort food or looking for a nourishing meal to share, this soup delivers flavor and satisfaction in every spoonful. Easy to make, freezer‑friendly, and endlessly adaptable, it’s a recipe you’ll want to keep close all winter long.

 

This was such a cold and blustery day, this soup went down a real treat for my dinner. I enjoyed it with some crisp saltine crackers, but crisp rolls or slices of crusty bread would also go very well with this.

When we were children, we always buttered our crackers. They were so good buttered. Now I am old and watching my fat and cholesterol, butter is a very rare treat when it comes to crackers.  Sigh . . . 

I really hope you will want to make this soup. It is rich and delicious and yet amazingly low in fat.   The perfect dinner for a cold winter's day! 

 

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

TO MAKE

CREAMY CHICKEN & RICE SOUP 

It's all pretty simple. You probably have just about everything you need to make this soup today.

• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 1 celery stalk, trimmed and diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced
• 1 medium parsnip, peeled and sliced into rounds
• 1 small clove of garlic, peeled and minced
• 3 1/2 cups (795ml) hot chicken stock
• 1/3 cup (65g) of uncooked rice
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• salt to taste
• 3 TBS plain flour
• 1 (12 oz/400g) tin of low-fat evaporated milk (NOT sweetened condensed)
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, poached and cut into cubes

 

My onion was about the size of a small ball, but larger than a golf ball. It yielded about 3/4 cup of diced onion.

The parsnip is totally optional. I had some in the fridge, so I used one of them. I love using parsnip in soup.

I used Better than Boullion Chicken stock concentrate, reconstituted. If I was in the U.K. I would use the Knorr chicken stock gel tubs., reconstituted.  If you have fresh chicken stock, so much the better!

I used Uncle Bens Converted long grain rice.

Evaporated milk is a tinned milk product which has had some of the liquid removed to condense it. It is not the sweetened condensed milk. There is no sugar in it. If you use a low-fat variety, this helps to cut any fat in the recipe. 

I have also used regular milk with great success. In fact, that is what I did today. The soup doesn't get quite as thick, but I liked that. Just shake both together in a jar before straining it into the soup.

I used some leftover rotisserie chicken breast meat.

 

HOW TO MAKE

CREAMY CHICKEN & RICE SOUP

This makes for a quick, easy and deliciously simple supper. It's also fairly low in fat, so a bit healthier than most creamy soups. 

1. Put the onion and celery stalk into a beaker with 1 TBS of the chicken stock. Cover and microwave for 2 minutes until softened. (Alternately you can sauté it in a bit of butter in the soup pan until softened.  Do not allow it to color.)
2. Place into a saucepan along with the chopped carrot, Parsnip, garlic, chicken stock, dry rice, thyme, and black pepper. (If you wanted to and had it, you could use fresh thyme. You will need roughly twice as much if using fresh rather than dried.)
3. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. (I keep it at a slow simmer. The carrots will be crispy tender when done.)
4. Whisk together the flour and evaporated milk. Whisk into the hot soup mixture and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture bubbles and thickens. Cook for at least 2 minutes. (I strain the flour mixture through a small sieve to remove the possibility of lumps.)
5. Stir in the chicken and heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning as required with salt and pepper. (If your chicken stock is very salty you may not need any.)

HINTS AND TIPS FOR THE BEST SOUP

Follow these hints and tips to make the best soup.

• Read through the recipe several times before beginning to help familiarize yourself with any ingredients or equipment needed.
• Assemble all of your ingredients before you start. That way you won't accidentally leave anything out that is integral to the recipe.
• Start with the freshest ingredients you have.
• Don't overcook the soup. You want the vegetables to retain a little bit of bite. You do not want them mushy.
• I like to strain the flour/milk mixture through a sieve to make sure that no lumps are involved.
• Make sure the soup is piping hot to serve and serve it in heated bowls.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

CAN THIS SOUP BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?

Absolutely. You can make this soup up to 24 hours ahead of time. Simply reheat over medium low heat, stirring occasionally until it is thoroughly heated through and piping hot.

WHAT KIND OF CHICKEN STOCK CAN I USE?

You can use any good quality chicken stock, or chicken stock concentrate. I use Better than Bullion. Its my favorite. In the U.K. I would use Knorr stock pots, reconstituted.

CAN I USE LEFTOVER ROAST CHICKEN FOR THIS?

Yes, you can. it is ideal for that purpose. You could also use leftover cooked turkey. Today I used some chicken leftover from a rotisserie chicken.

CAN THIS RECIPE BE CUT IN HALF?

Absolutely. Simply divide all of the ingredients by two.  The cook time will remain the same.

CAN THIS BE FROZEN?

Yes, you can freeze it. I like to freeze it in individual size servings. That way I can take out a container every time I am craving a hot bowl of soup.  Pop into freezer containers, seal, label and date. It will keep in the freezer for up to six months. When ready to eat, simply thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through and hot.

 

MORE 

DELICIOUS CHICKEN SOUP RECIPES

YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY!

You cannot beat a hot bowl of soup on a cold and blustery day.  Chicken soup seems to fit the bill any time. It truly is food for the soul.  Here are a few other recipes you might also enjoy! 

LEMON & CHICKEN SOUP -  Quick and easy to make using simple ingredients. A touch of lemon in the broth adds a lovely fresh flavor.  With plenty of chunks of chicken and noodles, this always goes down a real treat!  Its simply delicious!

ROAST CHICKEN SOUP WITH BARLEY, PARSNIPS & CABBAGE - This soup starts with a delicious homemade stock which is made from the carcass of a roasted chicken. To that you add pearl barley, grated parsnips, and cabbage with perfectly delicious results.  You can use readymade stock as well if you wish.  Its fabulous either way.

 

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Yield: Serves 4

Author: Marie Rayner

Creamy Chicken & Rice Soup

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 30 Min

This hearty soup is delicious and hearty and actually quite low in fat. It's also a very quick make so long as you have already cooked chicken in the house. Today I used some rotisserie chicken that I had on hand.

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 1 celery stalk, trimmed and diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced
• 1 medium parsnip, peeled and sliced into rounds
• 1 small clove of garlic, peeled and minced
• 3 1/2 cups (795ml) hot chicken stock
• 1/3 cup (65g) of uncooked rice
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• salt to taste
• 3 TBS plain flour
• 1 (12 oz/400g) tin of low-fat evaporated milk (NOT sweetened condensed)
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, poached and cut into cubes

Instructions

1. Put the onion and celery stalk into a beaker with 1 TBS of the chicken stock. Cover and microwave for 2 minutes until softened.
2. Place into a saucepan along with the chopped carrot, Parsnip, garlic, chicken stock rice, thyme, and black pepper.
3. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.
4. Whisk together the flour and evaporated milk. Whisk into the hot soup mixture and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture bubbles and thickens. Cook for at least 2 minutes.
5. Stir in the chicken and heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning as required with salt and pepper. (If your chicken stock is very salty you may not need any.)

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