Easiest Chicken and Rice Soup

Yes but the trick is – cook the rice separately. Ha-boom!

This has shattered our household. The flavors are simple and straightforward, but pack such a nostalgic, comforting punch. Pantry staples + fridge go-tos + seared chicken thighs and you are in more business than you know what to do with.

And guess what, that rice is nothing fancy. No basmati, no jasmine – just long grain rice that shiiiiiiiines like the top of the Chrysler building. (You can take the girl out of the ’80s but . . . )

For the chicken, I’ve trimmed the excess fat off some thighs and liberally seasoned with garlic and onion powder, dried Italian seasoning and a good pinch of salt. Super simple. This is always the jam.

We’ll sear it up, remove from the pot to rest, add in some diced celery, carrots and garlic, then add the stock. Six cups total. Shred that chicken and toss it back to the pot to simmer. In the meantime you’ll cook some rice in a rice cooker (or stove top). This is so the rice doesn’t overly absorb the broth and the balance is so perfect and lovely. The rice stays toothy, the soup stays soupy, your soul stays groovy.

As is, it’s great for sickness or the winter blues. Truly, this ish is like, healing. But add the rice! We want the rice.

Garnish with parsley and watch your life just come together. It’s homey, kids love it, it’s nourishing, husband loves it, it’s flavorful, cozy for days. It’s just the right thing to slurp on right now. Don’t even try and talk me out of it.

A good squirt of fresh lemon and she’s divine!

And all yours.

Easiest Chicken and Rice Soup

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Ingredients

• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 5 chicken thighs, excess fat trimmed
• 1 Tbs. Garlic powder
• 1 Tbs. Onion powder
• 1 Tbs. Dried Italian seasoning
• 1 Tbs. salt
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 lemon
• Parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Start the rice in a rice cooker or on the stove while you prep the rest.
2. Mix the spices together and season the chicken all over.
3. Heat 2 Tbs. Extra virgin olive oil in a soup pot over medium high heat and sear the chicken on one side for 6 minutes. Flip and sear on the other side another six minutes. Remove from the pot to rest. Then shred with your fingers.
4. Back in the pot, add a little splash of water to loosen any browned bits on the bottom. Add the diced celery and carrots, season with a pinch of salt and let this sauté about five minutes. Add the garlic and sauté another minute, until the garlic is fragrant and punching you in the face. Add the chicken stock and the reserved shredded chicken and let it simmer about ten minutes, letting the flavors marry and have children. Off the heat squeeze in a lemon to wake it up.
5. Add as much cooked rice as you want to a bowl, then ladle the soup over the rice. Garnish with fresh parsley and it’s slurp time.
6. Serves 6.

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https://bevcooks.com/2026/02/easiest-chicken-and-rice-soup/

Perfect, I tell you.