Try this Easy Chicken and Rice Soup recipe, or contribute your own.
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1-1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 2-3 medium-sized carrots peeled then thinly sliced (ab
- homemade gluten-free seasoned salt (see notes for
- 64 oz (8 cups) gluten-free chicken broth
- Carbohydrate 10.8474 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.109533333333333 g
- Fiber 0.170333334604899 g
- Protein 1.06786666666667 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0296366666666667 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (341g)
- Sodium 0.543333333333333 mg
- Sugar 10.6770666653951 g
- Trans Fat 0.01607 g
- Calories 50 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.
- Add onion and carrots, season with seasoned salt and pepper, then stir to combine.
- Cover the pot with a lid then saute until vegetables are very tender, 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add garlic then saute without the lid on for 30 seconds.
- Turn heat up to high then add chicken broth and bring to a boil.
- Add rice then stir to combine.
- Season chicken with seasoning salt and pepper then add to the broth and stir to combine.
- Turn heat down to medium then simmer uncovered until rice is tender, 15-20 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat then place a lid on top and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Taste then add more seasoned salt and/or pepper to taste, then ladle into bowls and serve.
Clear broth floating over tender grains of long-grain white rice releases an aroma of sweet cooked carrots, pungent garlic, and savory poultry as steam rises from the bowl. Building this aromatic foundation requires patience at the stove during the initial vegetable sweating phase. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and hold the heat at a steady medium level for five to seven minutes. Trapping moisture softens the cellular walls of the onions and carrots completely without browning their exterior surfaces. Raw garlic joins the pot only during the final thirty seconds of this sweating step to prevent acrid bitterness from scorching oils.
Controlling starch release dictates the overall texture of the final pot. Long-grain white rice absorbs liquid rapidly while shedding exterior starch granules into the surrounding broth. Simmer the uncovered pot at a gentle bubble for fifteen to twenty minutes until the grains reach al dente firmness. Remove the vessel completely from the heat source and apply a lid for a five-minute rest period. Residual heat finishes cooking the interior of the rice grains safely while keeping them distinct rather than muddying the broth into a thick porridge.
Choosing the right cut of poultry prevents dry, stringy protein chunks. Slicing raw chicken breasts into uniform bite-sized pieces ensures even heat penetration when they drop directly into the boiling broth. Season these pieces thoroughly with seasoned salt and black pepper just prior to submersion. Dark meat thighs serve as a viable substitute if preferred, though they require an extra three to four minutes of simmering time to render their internal connective tissues fully tender.
Pair this steaming bowl with crusty sourdough bread or simple salted crackers to provide textural contrast against the soft rice and tender chicken. Acidic additions like a squeeze of fresh lemon juice brightened over the surface just before ladling cut through the rich salinity of the broth.
