Chicken & Rice Soup

Chicken and rice soup is a pot of gentle comfort: tender shredded chicken, carrots, celery and rice in a savory broth, finished with a little lemon and parsley.

Rice makes the soup filling for less than noodles usually cost, and a little over a pound of chicken is enough for six bowls. It’s also a good way to use up leftover chicken.

It cooks in one pot in under an hour. It’s part of our 10 cheap dinners for a family of 4.

Ingredients and Swaps

• Chicken: Boneless, skinless breasts or thighs, cooked in the broth and shredded. Leftover or rotisserie chicken can be added with the rice.
• Rice: Long-grain white rice. Brown rice works. Add it with the broth and simmer for 35–40 minutes.
• Vegetables: Onion, carrots and celery.
• Broth: Low-sodium chicken broth.
• Lemon juice and parsley: Stirred in at the end to brighten the soup.

Tips for the Best Chicken and Rice Soup

• Simmer the chicken gently. A low simmer keeps it tender. Pull it at 165°F.
• Don’t overcook the rice. It keeps absorbing broth after the heat is off. Stop when it’s just tender.
• Add extra broth for leftovers. The rice soaks up liquid overnight. Thin with more broth when you reheat.
• Don’t skip the lemon. A tablespoon lifts the whole pot.

Prices are from Walmart’s and ALDI’s websites for stores in Columbus, Ohio, checked in October 2026. Ohio’s grocery prices are within about 1% of the national average, so you may pay more or less depending on where you live, and prices change often. Here’s how we price our recipes.

Cost: Ingredients – $9.96 from Walmart, $8.88 from ALDI · Per Serving – $1.48 to $1.66

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Chicken & Rice Soup

A cozy, nourishing one-pot soup with tender chicken, rice, carrots, and celery in a savory herb broth. Budget-friendly comfort in a bowl.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion diced
• 3 carrots sliced
• 3 stalks celery sliced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• ¾ cup long-grain white rice uncooked
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

 

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 6–7 minutes, until softened.
2. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the broth and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Add the whole chicken pieces, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15–18 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
4. Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Add the rice to the pot and simmer for 15 minutes, until tender.
5. Shred the chicken with two forks and return it to the pot.
6. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Notes

• Use leftover rotisserie chicken and add it with the rice.
• Brown rice works; add it with the broth and simmer 35–40 minutes.
• Rice absorbs broth as it sits; add more broth when reheating.
• Stir in a handful of spinach at the end for extra greens.

What to Serve with It

Soft Dinner Rolls, crackers or a grilled cheese. If you’d rather have noodles, see Easy Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup.

Storage and Freezing

• Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Reheat on the stove, adding extra broth as needed.
• Freeze for up to 3 months. The rice softens slightly. For the best texture, freeze the soup without rice and add freshly cooked rice when you reheat.

Chicken and Rice Soup Questions

Can I use leftover cooked rice?

Yes. Stir in 2 cups of cooked rice for the last 5 minutes.

Can I make it in a slow cooker?

Yes. Cook everything except the rice on low for 6 hours, shred the chicken, then add the rice and cook on high for 30–40 minutes.