Chicken Breast Soup With White Rice Recipe

Prep vegetables and chicken

Peel and dice the onion. Peel and slice the carrots into 1/4-inch rounds. Trim and slice the celery. Pat the chicken breasts dry and set aside.

Sauté aromatics

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and carrots begin to soften. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Add liquids and simmer chicken

Pour in 6 cups chicken broth and 1 cup water. Add the bay leaf, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Increase heat to bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Add the whole chicken breasts to the simmering broth. Cover and simmer 15–20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) and is cooked through.

Shred chicken

Remove the chicken breasts to a cutting board. Using two forks or a knife, shred or dice the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Discard the bay leaf. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and keep the soup at a low simmer while you prepare the rice.

Cook rice on the stove

While the chicken is simmering or immediately after shredding the chicken, combine 1 cup long-grain white rice, 1.5 cups water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon butter (optional) in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove from heat and let sit, covered, 5 minutes more, then fluff with a fork.

Alternative: Cook rice in the soup

If you prefer the rice cooked directly in the soup for a more integrated texture, add the uncooked rice to the simmering soup after shredding the chicken. Stir, cover, and simmer 15–18 minutes until rice is tender. Note: this will absorb some broth — you may need to add an extra 1/2 to 1 cup broth or water to maintain desired soup consistency.

If you cooked rice separately, spoon desired amount of cooked rice into bowls and ladle hot soup over the rice. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice if using for brightness, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

If you cooked rice in the soup, remove from heat, stir in 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and 1 tablespoon lemon juice if using, taste and adjust seasoning, then ladle into bowls and garnish with additional parsley.