• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Living Well Kitchen
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Appetizer & Snacks
      • Snacks
    • Main Dish
      • Vegetarian
      • Seafood
      • Meat
      • Poultry
      • Pork
    • Specific Recipes
      • Vegetarian
        • Vegan
      • Kid Friendly
      • Gluten Free
      • Dairy Free
      • Nut Free
      • Egg Free
      • Soy Free
    • Sides
      • Vegetables
      • Beans
      • Grains
      • Potatoes
      • Bread
      • Sauce
    • Salad
    • Soup
    • Drinks
    • Dessert
    • Slow Cooker
    • Instant Pot
    • Season
      • Winter
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Fall
  • About
    • Meet Meme
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
  • Videos
  • Easy Meals
  • Quiz
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Favorites
  • Easy Meals
  • Main Dish
  • Health
  • Services
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Favorites
    • Easy Meals
    • Main Dish
    • Health
    • Services
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ร—

    Home ยป Recipes ยป Special Diet ยป Dairy Free

    Chicken and Rice Soup

    Published: Mar 11, 2014 ยท Updated: Jan 23, 2018 ยท Post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    If you're feeling a little under the weather this homemade Chicken and Rice Soup made with love will soothe the soul and that sore throat

    Chicken and Rice Soup from Living Well Kitchen

    Having a cold is the worst. Especially if the weather isn't very nice.

    It's rainy and yucky outside in New Orleans, and I have a lingering cough and a stopped up nose.

    Minus the fact that I sound funny when I talk and I didn't get much sleep last night because I was coughing up my lungs, it's really not too bad for one reason: it gives me an excuse to enjoy Chicken and Rice Soup

    I mean, how could I feel bad after eating a warming, soothing bowl of deliciousness?

    [clickToTweet tweet="Not feeling so great? Try homemade Chicken and Rice #Soup to soothe the soul + that sore throat" quote="Not feeling so great? Try homemade Chicken and Rice #Soup to soothe the soul + that sore throat"]

    Chicken and Rice Soup from Living Well Kitchen

    And those heart-shaped carrots bring a smile to my face with every bite. #easilyamused

    Seriously though... Chicken and Rice Soup is so perfect for when you don't feel well.

    First, it's packed with nutrients ~ carrots offer a hefty dose of beta carotene which supports your immune system, onions and garlic have anti-inflammatory powers, celery is hydrating and also has vitamin A as well as vitamin K.

    Another benefit of chicken and rice soup is that it can help soothe your sore throat as well as ease your congestion.

    Soup is also hydrating, and it can be easy to forget to keep up with drinking water throughout the day when you feel crummy.

    I use {brown and wild} rice in my soup because I always liked Chicken and Rice Soup better as a child. Plus, rice is acceptable for pretty much anyone to eat {making this a pretty allergy-free meal}. If you really love pasta, you can use pasta in its place. But please use whole wheat or whole grain pasta instead of that refined junk.

    I decided to cut the carrots into heart shapes because why not? It took an extra 10 minutes, and it made me happy. It's not imperative that they are heart-shaped but it does give it more of a "made with love" touch. And love surely has to be a powerful cold-fighter, right? I think so.

    I saw the idea on Pinterest. I feel like pictures do it much more justice than if I were to try to write out how to cut them. Click here for a slideshow. I promise, once you do two carrots, the other 4 are pretty easy. And it's so worth it

    Chicken and Rice Soup from Living Well Kitchen

    Now, just to warn you, this requires a little bit more than your average 30 minute meal. It's not really hard, but there a few steps and it takes some time {about 2:30 to 3 hours to cook start to finish}. You obviously aren't working the whole time, but it's not an easy weeknight meal.

    It's perfect for a weekend activity or for a day off {you can totally stock your freezer with individual containers of Chicken and Rice Soup, and you'll love yourself every time you don't feel well and need this restoring soup}.

    Chicken and Rice Soup from Living Well Kitchen

    Let's break down how to make this soup, so you can see just how doable it is and how you are using every single ingredient to its full potential {no waste here!}:

    First, you'll cook the chicken and make the broth base... Take the chicken out of the package and discard any of the juices and stuff inside the cavity. Don't bother rinsing the chicken because it's a waste of time and can potentially cause cross contamination in your kitchen {see here for more}. Put the chicken and some water in a big soup pot and start cooking.

    Meanwhile, you'll start getting the veggies ready... Make sure you wash them really really well. You won't be discarding any veggie scraps; you're using them to make an extra flavorful broth. So peel all your veggies and add their peels, skins, etc. to the chicken & water. Seriously, make sure you use all the veggie scraps: onion & garlic skins {there are tons of antioxidants in there!}, carrots peels, celery tops, etc. Toss in a few herbs and spices, and let that simmer until the chicken is cooked. It should take about an hour.

    Strain the broth and return the broth to the pot. Set the chicken aside to cool a little.

    Add all the chopped veggies to the broth back in the big soup pot plus a few extra cups of water for good measure. Bring to a boil reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, take all the chicken off the bones {you should get about 4 cups chicken}, and chop the chicken into soup sized pieces.

    {At this point, I took the chicken bones and the leftover veggie scraps and made some broth in my Crock-Pot. Like said, no wasting here!}

    Stir the rice into the simmering soup, and simmer until the rice is tender, about 30-40 minutes. Add more water if necessary.

    If you hate to waste and want to get all the benefits of the broth, veggies, and extra love added into this homemade soup, then you'll be obsessed with this soup {I sure am!}

    Chicken and Rice Soup from Living Well Kitchen

    Chicken and Rice Soup

    If you're feeling a little under the weather this homemade Chicken and Rice Soup made with love will soothe the soul and that sore throat
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Rate
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 2 hours hours 50 minutes minutes
    Servings: 10
    Author: Meme

    Ingredients

    • 1 whole chicken 3-4 pound
    • 16 cups filtered water divided
    • 3 medium onions
    • 6 medium carrots
    • 4 stalks celery
    • 4 cloves garlic
    • 1 tablespoon peppercorns
    • 5 sprigs thyme
    • 4 sprigs parsley
    • 3 sprigs rosemary
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1 ยผ teaspoon salt divided
    • ยพ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • ยผ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 1 cup brown rice or wild rice

    Instructions

    • Take chicken out of package and remove giblets and anything inside cavity. Add to a very large stock pot or Dutch oven. {Don't bother rinsing it}. Pour 12 cups water over chicken and turn pot to medium heat.
    • Peel the onions and add onion skins and any scraps of onion to the pot. Dice the onions. Set aside.
    • Meanwhile, peel carrots and add peels to stock pot. Cut into heart shapes if desired. Set aside.
    • Trim celery and add ends and leaves to stock pot. Dice celery and set aside.
    • Peel garlic and add skins to stock pot. Mince garlic and add any scraps to stock pot. Set aside minced garlic.
    • Add peppercorns, thyme, parsley, rosemary, bay leaf, and ยผ teaspoon salt to stock pot. Bring the water to a boil and reduce heat to simmer, partially covered. Let cook until the chicken is done.
    • Strain the mixture with a fine-mesh sieve and transfer the broth back to the soup pot. Add the reserved veggies {onions, carrots, celery, garlic} and the remaining 4 cups water, remaining teaspoon salt, black pepper, and cayenne to the pot, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    • Meanwhile, pick the chicken off the bones and chop into pieces. Stir chicken into the pot.
    • When the veggies are tender, stir the rice into the pot. Stir well and simmer for 30-40 minutes until rice is done, stirring occasionally. Add more water if needed. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

    Notes

    *Make sure you clean the veggies really well because you will be using the scraps to make the broth.
    *Recipe makes 20 cups soup.
    Did you try this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment & recipe rating below. Bonus points for tagging @memeinge & #livingwellkitchen on Instagram! THANK YOU! xo

    Meme

    Pin for later:
    Homemade Chicken and Rice Soup will soothe the soul and that sore throat. Waste nothing with this recipe that uses all parts of the chicken and vegetables. Gluten free, dairy free and freezes wonderfully. Great for leftovers

    More Dairy Free

    • white bowl with tomato salsa next to fresh cilantro, garlic, onion, and lemon on a wooden table.
      Low Sodium Salsa
    • white bowl of mango salsa black beans on a white counter.
      Mango Black Bean Salsa
    • glasses with ginger lemon and cucumber water next to fresh mint, lemon, ginger, and cucumber.
      Cucumber Lemon Ginger Water
    • These tasty vegan avocado black bean burgers are delicious, filling, and easy on your wallet
      Avocado Black Bean Burgers
    690 shares
    • Yummly
    • Share
    • Tweet

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Regan @ Cabot says

      March 13, 2014 at 2:25 am

      Oh no! Feel better soon ๐Ÿ˜‰

      Reply
      • Meme says

        March 13, 2014 at 10:16 pm

        Thanks! Chicken soup has those magical powers that helped me feel better

        Reply
    2. Sonja Bamburg says

      February 17, 2016 at 8:17 am

      5 stars
      Ha you ever frozen this soup? If so, did it freeze well?

      Reply
      • Sonja Bamburg says

        February 17, 2016 at 10:34 am

        *Have

        Reply
        • Meme says

          February 17, 2016 at 4:06 pm

          Yes! It freezes perfectly! Just thaw in the fridge or at a low power in the microwave for a few minutes. My favorite way to reheat is on the stove with a little extra water or broth. Enjoy!!

          Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome!

    Meme (a brunette female) is holding umbrella and spinning around in front of the Eiffel Tower wearing a denim jacket, skirt, and blue shoesHi, I'm Meme, a thirty-something registered dietitian nutritionist from Alabama living in San Diego. Here to help you enjoy food, feel better in your body at any size, and live free of diets & shame.
    Read More

    Let's Connect

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Most Popular

    silver fork on a white plate with green beans and pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes covered in gravy.

    Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin

    jar of chocolate sauce with a spoon in it. empty small glass ice cream cups with a bowl of cherries on a wicker table

    Easy Chocolate Sauce

    Slow Cooker with French Toast Casserole syrup and blueberries

    Slow Cooker French Toast Casserole

    chicken salad and a ritz cracker in a glass bowl on white table with green napkin

    No Mayo Chicken Salad

    bowl of turkey white bean chili topped with fresh avocado next fresh avocado and cilantro.

    White Bean Turkey Chili

    white plate with cream cheese stuffed peppers surrounded by baby bell peppers, walnuts, jalapeno, and a napkin

    Cream Cheese Stuffed Peppers

    close up of a bowl of lamb curry over rice sprinkled with mint and coconut flakes.

    Instant Pot Lamb Curry

    cream colored plate with veggie egg muffins on blue table with sliced oranges and a white napkin

    Spinach Egg Muffins

    Intuitive Eating

    brunette female holding a heart shaped pizza in a Parisian cafe

    Why Emotional Eating Isn't Bad

    hand holding an apple in front of apple trees

    Should I Eat Conventional or Organic Produce?

    havanese dog standing on arm of cream chair with a quilt in chair

    Intuitive Eating and Weight Loss

    brunette female sitting in a blanket in Versaille garden smiling and holding a container of container of food she is about to be eating

    What is Intuitive Eating

    Easy Meals

    One Pot Taco Casserole from Living Well Kitchen

    One Pot Taco Casserole

    bowls of broccoli and chickpeas topped with bacon next to a microplane with parmesan wedge, cream and yellow napkin, and blue pot with broccoli

    Chickpeas Broccoli and Bacon

    silver fork on a white plate with green beans and pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes covered in gravy.

    Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin

    close up of a cut avocado BLT

    Avocado BLT

    Salad

    bag of lentils, fresh tomatoes, and a clear bowl with lentils, mozzarella, walnuts, tomatoes, and basil on a straw mat.

    Caprese Lentil Tomato Salad

    glass bowl of roasted vegetable lentil salad next to fresh rosemary, lemon, and scattered green lentils.

    Roasted Vegetable Lentil Salad

    white bowl with avocado egg salad.

    Avocado Egg Salad

    white countertop with clear bowl of miso dressing with a silver spoon next to a container of miso paste and a microplane with fresh ginger

    Miso Dressing

    As Seen On:

    As Seen On

    In Season

    white bowl with tomato salsa next to fresh cilantro, garlic, onion, and lemon on a wooden table.

    Low Sodium Salsa

    white bowl of mango salsa black beans on a white counter.

    Mango Black Bean Salsa

    stacked chicken salad melt sandwich surrounded by fresh tomatoes, parsley, and a bowl of chicken salad.

    Chicken Salad Grilled Cheese

    plate with a bowl of salsa, english muffin, and yellow breakfast stuffed pepper.

    Breakfast Stuffed Peppers

    Footer

    Living Well Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

    • Home
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Videos
    • Easy Meals
    • Quiz

    Copyright © 2023

    We use cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Reject Read More
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    690 shares