Description
This comforting Chicken and Rice Soup features succulent bone-in, skinless chicken thighs simmered in a rich, flavorful broth with aromatic vegetables, herbs, and tender long-grain rice. It’s a hearty, nourishing dish perfect for cozy meals and easy to prepare with simple ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
Base
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter (or more oil)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 carrots, halved then cut into 1cm / 2/5″ slices (quarter if really thick)
- 3 celery ribs, cut into 1 cm / 2/5″ slices
Seasoning & Broth
- 3 tsp Vegeta stock powder (or 2 vegetable or chicken bouillon cubes, or 2 tsp powder)
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme (optional)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, finely ground
- 4 cups (1 litre) chicken broth, low sodium
- 4 cups (1 litre) water
- Salt, to taste
Protein and Carb
- 600 g (1.2 lb) bone-in, skinless chicken thighs (4 pieces of about 150 g / 5 oz each)
- 1 cup (180 g) long grain white rice, uncooked
Garnish
- 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté aromatics: Place olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, cooking for about 5 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and fragrant.
- Add vegetables: Stir in the sliced carrots and celery, cooking for an additional minute to combine flavors.
- Add seasoning and liquids: Mix in the Vegeta stock powder, dried parsley, optional dried thyme, and black pepper. Pour in the chicken broth and water, then stir to combine.
- Add chicken and simmer: Add the bone-in chicken thighs to the pot. Cover with a lid and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer gently for 30 minutes, maintaining a steady but moderate bubble. Occasionally skim off any foam buildup to keep the broth clearer.
- Add rice and continue simmering: Remove the lid and add the uncooked long grain white rice. Stir, cover again, and simmer for another 15 minutes until the rice is cooked through.
- Shred chicken: Remove the soup from heat. Carefully take out the chicken thighs and place in a large bowl. Shred the meat using two forks, discarding the bones.
- Combine and season: Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup. Add half of the chopped parsley, taste, and adjust salt if needed.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the remaining parsley for a fresh, colorful finish.
Notes
- Using bone-in chicken thighs instead of a whole chicken gives a richer and more flavorful broth while being faster to cook and easier to handle.
- The inactive simmer time is 30 minutes where you allow the chicken to cook and flavors to infuse without active stirring.
- You can substitute Vegeta stock powder with vegetable or chicken bouillon cubes or powder as preferred.
- This soup is perfect for a comforting meal and can be adjusted with more or less vegetables according to your taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 638 g
- Calories: 427 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
