This creamy chicken and rice soup is an easy and versatile recipe the whole family will love. The combination of chicken, fresh veggies, and rice is so nourishing, and is also a great way to use up bone broth you may have on hand. This soup comes together quickly, making it a perfect last-minute lunch or dinner.
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A QUICK AND EASY NOURISHING MEAL
We’re going to the local farm stand today to pick up some vegetable starts. I squeezed a workout in this morning which is great but usually puts me behind the cooking schedule, so lunch is running a little late today!
Luckily this creamy chicken and rice soup is a recipe that comes together quickly, and we should have leftovers too. It contains high-quality, nourishing ingredients: chicken, mushrooms, bone broth, and green beans. Today I am omitting the mushrooms and adding celery, because I thought we had mushrooms but we do not. This soup recipe makes it easy to substitute items and use what you have on hand.
The rice in this recipe helps make the soup creamy, which makes for a really delicious meal. I’m always making new recipes, and so far this creamy chicken wild rice soup is approved by both my husband and our 9 month old.
WHY WE LOVE THIS SOUP RECIPE
It uses up bone broth, which is hard to do in the warmer months when roasts and other soups just sound too heavy. Check out this post to learn two ways you can make your own bone broth.
Using all these veggies creates a lot of compost scraps for the chickens and compost bins. Any recipe that uses onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and other veggies can fill a whole bag to take outside to compost (read this post to get started composting at home).
This recipe is quick and easy to whip up. Try cutting the veggies ahead of time so they’re ready to put in the pot if you know you’re tight on time. Keeping frozen veggies on hand makes it easy to add some to a recipe like this. We use frozen green beans from Costco in this recipe.
Just one pot makes a ton of food; this can easily feed a few hungry adults or children (my 9 month old loves it!) and maybe give you leftovers too.
The flavors in this soup are a nice alternative to our other favorite soup, Chicken Tortilla Soup, which we made so often last year we got a little tired of it. But I’m definitely ready to bring it back into the rotation!
BENEFITS OF BONE BROTH
We’re to the point of cooking exclusively with bone broth now. We actually have for a while now. Every time I make a roasted chicken, I just throw the leftovers and bones in the Instant Pot to make bone broth. I will sip it on its own and use it for soups. Soaking the bones and leftover chicken scraps makes a broth that is high in collagen and cartilage, which are both used today to help fight bone and joint issues from arthritis to even cancer.
Additionally, bone broth is healing to your gut and digestive system. It contains electrolytes that aid in your body’s ability to assimilate and absorb nutrients. Whenever I am starting to get sick, the first thing I do is reach for the bone broth. It’s a game changer in my natural medicine cabinet.
Here is a complete list of bone broth benefits from the Medical News Today newsletter.
TOOLS NEEDED
Cutting board
Knife
Measuring cups and spoons
Large stovetop pot (I prefer my stainless steel)
INGREDIENTS
1/2 stick butter
3 medium size carrots, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped green beans (I use frozen green beans since we always have them on hand)
2 teaspoons fresh or frozen thyme
1 bay leaf
2 quarts (8 cups) homemade bone broth
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (note – use less salt if using store-bought salted bone broth)
1 teaspoon pepper
One cup rice, uncooked, and rinsed
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup einkorn flour (optional – if a thicker texture is needed)
HOW TO MAKE CREAMY CHICKEN AND RICE SOUP
First, add the butter to a large pot on medium heat.
Next, add the onion & carrots and sauté 2-3 minutes, until onion has softened.
Then, add the mushrooms and garlic, and sauté another couple of minutes.
Add remaining ingredients except the cream and einkorn flour.
Let the soup come to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until chicken and rice are cooked. Remove the cooked chicken and slice or shred into bite sized pieces, and add back to the pot. Add more bone broth if needed. Keep the heat on low, stirring regularly.
Lastly, add the cream and einkorn flour. The flour is optional and adds a thicker texture, but you may not need it since the rice absorbs so much of the broth. Stir to combine, discard bay leaf, and serve right away. This would be delicious with a slice of sourdough bread.
FAQ
Can you freeze creamy chicken and rice soup?
Yes, you can freeze this soup. You just might have to add some more bone broth to it once thawed out, incase the rice has absorbed all the liquid.
Should rice be cooked before adding to soup?
No, you can cook the rice while cooking the soup. Just rinse the rice first and make sure to add enough water or bone broth for the rice to cook in the soup.
How do you make creamy soups?
Simply put, add cream! I love using raw cow’s milk cream because it is thick, but any cream you have on hand will do. Always add it at the very end and stir gently for all the creamy goodness. So good.
MORE SUMMER RECIPES FROM THE HOMESTEAD
Creamy Tomato Soup made with Bone Broth
Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup
Creamy chicken and rice soup with bone broth is the perfect summer meal for the whole family. It can be made quickly and with ingredients you have on hand.
Ingredients
- 1/2 stick butter
- 3 medium size carrots, chopped
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chopped green beans (I use frozen green beans since we always have them on hand)
- 2 teaspoons fresh or frozen thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 quarts (8 cups) homemade bone broth
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (note - use less salt if using store-bought salted bone broth)
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- One cup rice, uncooked, and rinsed
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1/4 cup einkorn flour (optional - if a thicker texture is needed)
Instructions
- First, add the butter to a large pot on medium heat.
- Next, add the onion & carrots and sauté 2-3 minutes, until onion has softened.
- Then, add the mushrooms and garlic, and sauté another couple of minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients except the cream and einkorn flour.
- Let the soup come to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until chicken and rice are cooked. Remove the cooked chicken and slice or shred into bite sized pieces, and add back to the pot. Add more bone broth if needed. Keep the heat on low, stirring regularly.
- Lastly, add the cream and einkorn flour. The flour is optional and adds a thicker texture, but you may not need it since the rice absorbs so much of the broth. Stir to combine, discard bay leaf, and serve right away. This would be delicious with a slice of sourdough bread.
Notes
- Depending on the kind of rice you use, you may need to add more bone broth if the rice is absorbing it all.
- Feel free to swap out a veggie, like adding celery instead of mushrooms, or peas instead of green beans.
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