Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup

Name: Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 53 min
Total time: 1 h 13 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter; 1 medium (about 7 oz) (200 g) yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 3 medium (about 9 oz) (250 g) carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) half-moons; 3 ribs (about 5 oz) (150 g) celery, sliced ¼ inch (6 mm) thick; 3 cloves (10 g) garlic, minced; 6 sprigs (6 g) fresh thyme sprigs, left whole; 2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves; 3 tablespoons (24 g) all-purpose flour; 8 cups (1900 ml) low-sodium chicken broth, at room temperature or cold; 1½ pounds (2 large breasts) (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat; ¾ cup (140 g) long-grain white rice, rinsed in a fine-mesh sieve until water runs mostly clear; 1 teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, at room temperature; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice, freshly squeezed; 2 tablespoons (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, for serving (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A cozy one-pot soup with tender poached chicken breast, carrots, celery, and long-grain rice in a velvety, thyme-scented cream broth. A little flour and a splash of lemon keep it silky but bright.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 53 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 18 min
Makes: About 3 quarts (2.8 L), 6 generous bowls

Jump to recipe ♡ Save

Ingredients

6 servings

3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter
1 medium (about 7 oz) (200 g) yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
3 medium (about 9 oz) (250 g) carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) half-moons
3 ribs (about 5 oz) (150 g) celery, sliced ¼ inch (6 mm) thick
3 cloves (10 g) garlic, minced
6 sprigs (6 g) fresh thyme sprigs, left whole
2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves
3 tablespoons (24 g) all-purpose flour
8 cups (1900 ml) low-sodium chicken broth, at room temperature or cold
1½ pounds (2 large breasts) (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat
¾ cup (140 g) long-grain white rice, rinsed in a fine-mesh sieve until water runs mostly clear
1 teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, at room temperature
1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 tablespoons (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, for serving (optional)

Equipment (7)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy-bottomed soup pot with lid
Cutting board and chef's knife
Wooden spoon
Two forks or tongs for shredding
Instant-read thermometer
Ladle
Fine-mesh sieve

Steps

Before you start

Use plain long-grain white rice, not instant or parboiled-quick varieties; it holds its shape and cooks in about 15 minutes.
Choose boneless, skinless chicken breasts of similar thickness (about 8 oz / 225 g each) so they cook evenly.
Keep the soup at a gentle simmer once the cream goes in. A hard boil can make cream-based soups look curdled.
Read the timing: chicken poaches in the soup first, then comes out for shredding while the rice cooks. This is a stovetop recipe; no oven is needed.

1
Prep the vegetables
- Dice the onion, slice the carrots and celery, and mince the garlic as listed.
- Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water for about 30 seconds, then set aside to drain.
- Pat the chicken breasts dry and trim any visible fat.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Vegetables are cut into even ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces so they soften at the same rate.
Tip: Rinsing the rice removes surface starch so the soup stays creamy, not gluey.
2
Soften the vegetables
- Melt the butter in a 5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion, carrots, celery, and salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 7–8 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Onion is translucent and the carrots are slightly softened, with no browning.
Tip: If the vegetables begin to brown, lower the heat; browning will darken the soup's color and flavor.
3
Add aromatics and flour
- Stir in the garlic, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and pepper and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1½ minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: No dry flour is visible and the vegetables look coated in a pasty, golden-white film.
4
Add broth and chicken
- Pour in the broth slowly, stirring and scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pot so the flour dissolves without lumps.
- Nestle the chicken breasts into the liquid so they are submerged.
- Raise the heat and bring to a gentle boil, about 8 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Small bubbles break steadily across the surface and the broth looks slightly thickened.
Tip: Add the first cup of broth gradually to prevent flour clumps.
5
Poach the chicken
- Reduce the heat to low so the soup barely simmers with just a few lazy bubbles.
- Cover and cook 15–18 minutes, flipping the chicken once halfway.
- Check the thickest part of each breast with an instant-read thermometer.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Chicken registers 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part and the juices run clear.
Tip: Keep the simmer gentle. A rolling boil makes chicken breast tough and stringy.
6
Remove chicken, add rice
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board with tongs.
- Remove and discard the thyme stems and bay leaves (the thyme leaves will have fallen off into the soup).
- Stir the rinsed rice into the pot, raise the heat to medium-low, and keep at a gentle simmer, uncovered.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Soup is simmering gently with the rice evenly dispersed.
Tip: Stir the rice once after adding it so it doesn't settle and stick to the bottom.
7
Shred chicken while rice cooks
- Let the chicken rest on the board for a couple of minutes, then shred it into bite-size pieces with two forks.
- Stir the soup occasionally while you work.
- Let the rice simmer a total of 14–15 minutes from when it went in.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Rice grains are plump and tender with no hard white center when bitten.
Tip: Shred the chicken while it is still warm; it pulls apart more easily than when cold.
8
Stir in cream and chicken
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Stir in the shredded chicken and the cream.
- Warm gently for 3 minutes without letting the soup boil.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Soup is steaming and uniformly creamy-white, with the surface just barely trembling.
Tip: Room-temperature cream blends in smoothly and is less likely to separate.
9
Rest, season, and serve
- Let the soup sit off the heat for 5 minutes; it will thicken slightly as the rice absorbs liquid.
- Taste and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.
- Ladle into warm bowls and top with parsley.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Soup coats the back of a spoon and tastes well seasoned and bright.
Tip: If the soup becomes too thick, stir in ½ cup (120 ml) hot broth or water.

Good to know

Tips

Don't skip rinsing the rice; it keeps the broth silky rather than pasty.
Poaching the chicken in the soup infuses the broth with flavor and keeps the breast juicy.
Brightness matters: the lemon juice at the end balances the richness of the cream.
For extra body, mash a few spoonfuls of cooked rice and carrots against the side of the pot before adding the cream.

Make ahead

Make the soup through step 7 (before adding the cream and lemon juice) up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. The rice will keep absorbing broth, so thin with extra broth when reheating, then add the cream and lemon juice just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: up to 4 days in an airtight container; the soup will thicken, so add ¼–½ cup (60–120 ml) broth or water per serving when reheating gently on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring often, until steaming (165°F / 74°C). Freezer: up to 2 months, though the rice will be softer after thawing; thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently.

Substitutions

heavy cream → half-and-half. Gives a lighter soup; add it off the heat and warm very gently to avoid curdling.
boneless, skinless chicken breasts → boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Same weight; poach 20–25 minutes until they reach at least 175°F (80°C) for the most tender texture.
fresh thyme sprigs → dried thyme. Use 1 teaspoon dried thyme added with the garlic, in place of the 6 sprigs.
long-grain white rice → wild rice blend or egg noodles. Wild rice blends need 35–45 minutes; wide egg noodles (about 3 oz / 85 g) need 6–8 minutes.