This creamy garlic chicken and rice soup is nourishing, comforting and full of delicious flavor! Quick, healthy and easy to customize, it has become a family favorite and a go-to recipe around here. I hope you enjoy it as well!
Our family has been dealing with so much sickness this season! It has been exhausting, but this soup is absolutely PERFECT for sick days! Quick, delicious and nourishing, it’s sure to become a family favorite for sick days, or any time of year!
Ingredients:
Butter- I love sautéing my veggies in butter, but if you prefer oil, feel free to use oil instead.
Onions, diced
Carrots, chopped
Celery, chopped
Garlic- full of antibiotic properties and a perfect addition to fight off viruses, bacteria and fungi.
Chicken Broth- I love to use homemade bone broth for added health benefits, but any broth will do.
Chicken- You can use chicken breast or thighs here. I’ve even been guilty of using leftover, chopped rotisserie chicken when I’m in a time crunch.
Rice- I prefer white rice but you can use brown if you prefer.
Milk- You can substitute canned coconut milk and omit the flour to make this recipe dairy free.
Flour- I use bleached all purpose flour, but you can omit the flour to make this recipe gluten free.
Vegetables- I love to add zucchini and broccoli but you can really use whatever you have on hand!
Tools you may need to make creamy garlic chicken & rice soup:
A knife
A stock pot, or a dutch oven like this one.
Measuring cups & spoons– these ones are magnetic to keep your drawer nice and tidy!
How to make creamy garlic chicken & rice soup
I like to begin by dicing up my onions, celery and carrots, as well as rinsing my rice. This makes it really quick once I get started cooking!
In a large dutch oven, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium high heat. Add diced onion, celery and carrots. Stir every couple minutes until the onions begin to turn golden brown and the carrots and celery begin to soften.
Add minced garlic, parsley, thyme, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir until the garlic is fragrant and your veggies are coated in the spices. Then add 1/2 cup flour and stir to coat everything. Pour in 2 cups of milk and stir to create a roux.
Add your broth, chicken and rice. Stir to combine everything and bring it to a boil over medium high heat.
Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 or so minutes. I like to keep an eye on the chicken with a meat thermometer to make sure I don’t overcook it. Chop your zucchini or any other veggies you want to throw in while everything else is simmering. Once the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked, remove the chicken from the pot and shred it. Tip: If you have a Kitchenaid you can shred your chicken super quickly by mixing it with the paddle attachment on low for 30ish seconds!
Add 1 bag of frozen broccoli florets and 2 chopped zucchini and cook for 7-10 minutes until veggies are tender but not mushy.
Add chicken back to the pot, give everything a good stir, serve and enjoy!
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Creamy Garlic Chicken & Rice Soup
This creamy garlic chicken and rice soup is nourishing, comforting and full of delicious flavor! Quick, healthy and easy to customize, it has become a family favorite and a go-to recipe around here.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 8 carrots, peeled & diced
- 4 celery stalks, diced
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 10 cups chicken broth
- 4 chicken breast
- 2 cups white rice
- 2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli florets
- 2 zucchini
Instructions
- Begin by dicing the onion, celery and carrots, as well as rinsing the rice until the water runs clear.
- In a large dutch oven, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium high heat. Add diced onion, celery and carrots. Stir every couple minutes until the onions begin to turn golden brown and the carrots and celery begin to soften.
- Add minced garlic, parsley, thyme, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir until the garlic is fragrant and your veggies are coated in the spices.
- Add ½ cup flour and stir to coat everything. Pour in 2 cups of milk and stir to create a roux.
- Add your broth, chicken and rice. Stir to combine everything and bring it to a boil over medium high heat.
- Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 or so minutes. I like to keep an eye on the chicken with a meat thermometer to make sure I don’t overcook it.
- While everything simmers, chop your zucchini, broccoli or any additional vegetables you wish to add at the end.
- Once the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked, remove the chicken from the pot and shred or chop it. You can do this quickly and easily in a Kitchenaid mixer on low for 30-60 seconds.
- Add broccoli and zucchini and cook for 7-10 minutes until veggies are tender but not mushy.
- Add chicken back to the pot, give everything a good stir, serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Feel free to use oil in place of the butter and a milk substitute in place of the milk to make this recipe dairy free.
- You may also omit the flour to make this recipe gluten free.
- I prefer white rice, but you can use brown if you'd like. Brown rice tends to take a bit longer to cook, but may stay firm longer which is ideal for leftovers, so keep that in mind.
- You can use chicken thighs in the place of breasts, or chop up leftover chicken and add that at the end for an even faster way to get this soup on the table.
- You can truly add any veggies that you have on hand or that your family enjoys to customize this soup!
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