Budget Chicken Rice and Frozen Vegetable Soup

Name: Budget Chicken Rice and Frozen Vegetable Soup
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 28 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) pieces; 4 cups (950 ml) chicken broth (low-sodium); ¾ cup (150 g) long-grain white rice (not instant), uncooked; 1½ cups (225 g) frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn, green beans); ½ medium (85 g) yellow onion, finely diced; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil; to taste kosher salt; to taste freshly ground black pepper; 2 cloves (10 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 leaf bay leaf (optional); ¼ teaspoon (¼ g) dried thyme (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A simple, affordable one-pot soup made with shredded chicken breast, white rice, and frozen mixed vegetables in a savory chicken broth base. Ready in under 30 minutes, this comfort soup is perfect for busy weeknights and uses pantry staples for minimal fuss and maximum flavor.

Prep: 8 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 28 min
Makes: About 5 cups (1.2 L), serves 4

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Steps

Before you start

Have all ingredients measured and prepped before starting—the soup comes together quickly
Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts at room temperature for even cooking

1
Sauté aromatics
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3–4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add the minced garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds until the garlic becomes fragrant but does not brown.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent; garlic is fragrant
Tip: Watch the garlic closely so it doesn't burn and turn bitter
2
Add chicken and broth
- Pour in the chicken broth and add the chicken pieces, bay leaf (if using), and dried thyme.
- Stir well to combine and break up any clumps of chicken.
- Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until small bubbles break the surface consistently—about 3–4 minutes.
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Ready when: Liquid simmers steadily; first wisps of steam rise
Tip: Stir the chicken pieces to ensure they cook evenly and don't clump together
3
Add riceOven 165°F / 75°C
- Stir in the uncooked white rice, making sure it is fully submerged in the broth.
- Reduce the heat to medium and maintain a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally.
- Cook for 12–14 minutes, until the rice is nearly tender and the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F / 74°C).
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Ready when: Rice is tender but not mushy; chicken shows no pink and reaches 165°F
Tip: Stir every 4 minutes to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot
4
Stir in frozen vegetables
- Add the frozen mixed vegetables directly from the freezer—no need to thaw.
- Stir well to distribute them evenly throughout the soup.
- Continue simmering over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are heated through and tender.
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Ready when: All vegetables are heated through; no icy pieces remain
Tip: There is no need to thaw frozen vegetables—they will cook quickly in the hot broth
5
Season to taste
- Remove the bay leaf if used.
- Taste the soup and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to your preference.
- Remember that store-bought chicken broth is already salted, so add salt gradually and taste as you go.
- Stir well and adjust seasoning if needed.
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Ready when: Flavors are well-balanced; soup tastes savory and satisfying
Tip: Taste before adding salt, since broth saltiness varies by brand

Good to know

Tips

To make the soup heartier, add ½ cup of diced canned tomatoes or tomato sauce along with the broth for a tomato-chicken-rice flavor variation
For extra nutrition without much extra cost, stir in a handful of fresh spinach or kale in the last minute of cooking; it will wilt into the hot broth
If you have celery on hand, dice a small stalk and add it with the onion in step 1 for deeper vegetable flavor
This soup freezes best if you undercook the rice slightly (by 1 minute) before storing, since it will continue to soften when reheated

Make ahead

The soup can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated in airtight containers. The rice will continue to absorb liquid as it sits, so the soup may thicken—add a splash of water or broth when reheating if needed.

Storage & reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the soup has thickened. Not recommended for freezing, as the rice texture breaks down; freeze for no longer than 1 month if you must, and add fresh broth when reheating.

Substitutions

long-grain white rice (not instant) → long-grain brown rice or short-grain white rice. Brown rice will add 8–10 minutes to the cook time; short-grain rice will make the soup creamier but may break apart more easily
frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn, green beans) → diced fresh carrots (¾ cup) and peas (¾ cup), added with the rice. Fresh vegetables may take slightly longer to cook; add them at the same time as the rice for even cooking
boneless, skinless chicken breasts → diced rotisserie chicken, added in the last 2 minutes. Use about 2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken for convenience; it will heat through quickly and requires no checking for doneness
chicken broth (low-sodium) → vegetable broth or homemade stock. Vegetable broth will yield a milder flavor; use the same amount