Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe
Published Oct 03, 2024
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Ditch your old soup recipes and enjoy the delicious flavors of this creamy chicken and rice soup! This soup explodes with creamy flavor thanks to tender chicken, sauteed veggies, savory broth, creamy coconut milk, rice, spices, and fresh herbs.
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Soup Recipe
There’s something heavenly about creamy broth. It’s rich, smooth, and super filling. Make this soup one time and it will become one of your favorite soups for a cozy fall day or a cold winter night. I love soup season!
This creamy chicken soup is so easy to make thanks to its simple ingredients. This recipe has a stovetop option and a crockpot option so set your dinner table, grab your ingredients, and get ready for the best bowl of soup!
If you’re searching for more warm, delicious, comforting meals to make you have to try my Creamy Lemon Chicken Skillet! And if you need a healthier twist on classic homemade chicken noodle soup try The BEST Chicken Zoodle Soup – you and your family will love it!
Ingredient Notes
- chicken: shredded (can use rotisserie chicken, chicken thighs, or cook and shred 2 medium chicken breasts).
- chicken broth: Can also use vegetable broth or chicken stock
- olive oil
- butter or vegan butter
- full-fat coconut milk: Half and half, or heavy cream will also work but the creaminess/flavor will be a little different.
- garlic cloves: Use fresh garlic cloves for best flavor.
- carrots
- celery ribs
- gluten-free flour: Or all purpose flour if not gluten-free.
- uncooked long grain rice: You can use white rice, brown rice, or wild rice but the cooking time will vary.
- celery salt
- onion powder
- poultry seasoning
- salt and black pepper to taste
See the full recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts.
How to Make Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup
Stovetop
Step 1: In a large pot or large Dutch oven heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, diced carrots, and chopped celery. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften.
Step 2: Add the butter to the pot and once melted, sprinkle the gluten-free flour over the sautéed vegetables. Stir continuously for about 2 minutes to cook off the raw flour taste.
Step 3: Gradually pour in 5-6 cups of chicken broth while stirring to avoid lumps. Add the celery salt, onion powder, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir well.
Step 4: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the uncooked long-grain rice (or uncooked rice of choice) to the pot. Stir and cover. Let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked and tender. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom.
Step 5: Once the rice is cooked, add the shredded chicken and pour in the full-fat coconut milk (or your choice of half and half or heavy cream).
Step 6: Stir to combine, If the soup is too thick, add more chicken broth until you reach your desired consistency. Allow the soup to heat and simmer for another 10-15 minutes. It will thicken as it heats. Garnish with herbs of choice and enjoy.
Crockpot
Step 1: Place the minced garlic, diced carrots, chopped celery, chicken directly into the Crockpot.
Step 2: Pour 5-6 cups of chicken broth into the Crockpot. Add celery salt, onion powder, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir everything to combine.
Step 3: Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours, until the vegetables are tender. Once cooked remove chicken and shred. Add back to the soup once shredded.
Step 4: About 30 minutes before serving, melt butter in a small pan. Stir in the gluten-free flour to make a roux, cooking for about 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste. Stir the roux into the Crockpot to thicken the soup.
Step 5: Once the roux is mixed in, add the uncooked long-grain rice to the Crockpot and stir to combine. Let the rice cook for about 20-30 minutes on high, until fully cooked and tender.
Mac’s Pro Tip
Expert Tips
- If you prefer heavy cream or half and half you can use either of those instead of the full-fat coconut milk. Keep in mind that if you use something besides full-fat coconut milk, the texture and creaminess will be slightly different.
- You can use white rice, brown rice, or wild ride if you prefer but the cook time will be different than long-grain rice so follow the package instructions!
- Add some fresh baby spinach for some extra veggies.
- If you plan on making this soup ahead of time, leave out the rice and add it to your soup once you’re ready to serve it.
Serving Tips
- Serve with warm, crusty bread, sourdough bread, or favorite rolls, or my Keto “Cheesy” Garlic Herb Biscuits
- Top this hearty soup topped with parmesan cheese.
- If you like your homemade soups to have a little bit of spice, add some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
- For some extra veggies, add some fresh baby spinach.
- Serve with a simple green salad with my Homemade Dairy Free Keto Ranch Dressing.
Storage Tips
This recipe is best enjoyed fresh but if you have any leftover soup, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Keep in mind that the longer you store your soup, the more liquid the rice will absorb.
When you’re ready to enjoy leftover soup, reheat it on the stovetop in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Stir frequently to prevent sticking or scorching. You may need to add a bit of additional broth or cream to restore the original consistency.
You can also reheat it in the microwave using short, gentle, intervals and stirring in between to make sure it’s heating all the way through.
This recipe doesn’t freeze very well due to the full-fat coconut milk (the texture can change). However, if you’d like to freeze it, leave the rice out and add it just before serving. When you’re ready to eat your soup, thaw and reheat on the stovetop over low to medium heat, stirring frequently to maintain a smooth creamy texture. Do not bring it to a rapid boil as this can cause the texture to change. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can make this recipe dairy-free by using your favorite dairy-free milk, vegan butter, and topping it with any dairy-free cheese you like.
You can use freshly cooked, rotisserie, or leftover cooked chicken for this soup recipe.
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Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups chicken shredded ( can use rotisserie or cook 2 medium chicken breasts)
- 5-6 cups chicken broth more as needed
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp butter or vegan butter
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk or sub-half and half or heavy cream
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- ¾ cups carrots diced
- 1-2 celery ribs chopped
- 3 tbsp gluten-free flour
- ½ cup uncooked long-grain rice
- 1 tsp celery salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Stovetop
- Sauté the Vegetables: In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, diced carrots, and chopped celery. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Make the Roux: Add the butter to the pot and once melted, sprinkle the gluten-free flour over the sautéed vegetables. Stir continuously for about 2 minutes to cook off the raw flour taste.
- Add the Broth and Spices: Gradually pour in 5-6 cups of chicken broth while stirring to avoid lumps. Add the celery salt, onion powder, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir well.
- Cook the Rice: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the uncooked long-grain rice to the pot. Stir and cover. Let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked and tender. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom.
- Add the Chicken and Coconut Milk: Once the rice is cooked, add the shredded chicken and pour in the full-fat coconut milk (or your choice of half and half or heavy cream). Stir to combine, If the soup is too thick, add more chicken broth until you reach your desired consistency. Allow the soup to heat and simmer for another 10-15 minutes. It will thicken as it heats. Garnish with herbs of choice and enjoy
Crockpot
- Add Vegetables and chicken: Place the minced garlic, diced carrots, chopped celery, chicken directly into the Crockpot.
- Add Broth and Spices: Pour 5-6 cups of chicken broth into the Crockpot. Add celery salt, onion powder, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir everything to combine.
- Cook: Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours, until the vegetables are tender. Once cooked remove chicken and shred. Add back to the soup once shredded.
- Make and Add Roux: About 30 minutes before serving, melt butter in a small pan. Stir in the gluten-free flour to make a roux, cooking for about 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste. Stir the roux into the Crockpot to thicken the soup.
- Add Rice and Coconut Milk: Once the roux is mixed in, add the uncooked long-grain rice to the Crockpot and stir to combine. Let the rice cook for about 20-30 minutes on high, until fully cooked and tender.
Notes
-
- If you prefer heavy cream or half and half you can use either of those instead of the full-fat coconut milk. Keep in mind that if you use something besides full-fat coconut milk, the texture and creaminess will be slightly different.
- You can use white rice, brown rice, or wild ride if you prefer but the cook time will be different than long-grain rice so follow the package instructions!
-
- Add some fresh baby spinach for some extra veggies.
- If you plan on making this soup ahead of time, leave out the rice and add it to your soup once you’re ready to serve it.
- This recipe is best enjoyed fresh but if you have any leftover soup, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Keep in mind that the longer you store your soup, the more liquid the rice will absorb.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
