Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup
Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup
If you’re like me fall season’s must have is a big warm bowl of soup. I must unapologetically admit that soups on this blog are the bomb. I get to post some of my favorite soups like Chicken Corn Chowder, Pasta e Fagioli Soup, Roasted Root Vegetable Soup, Roasted Tomato and Bell Pepper Basil Soup to share with all of you. You could make a pot of a new soup each week of fall and amaze your family.
Today’s comforting delicious soup is no exception. I love this soup! I’ve made it so many times now for various events and reasons with great reception. The origin of this soup comes from my multi-talented neighbor Jenna (who’s been mentioned before on this blog as the creator of my favorite Fresh Basil Pesto) who brought a version of this soup to a potluck many weeks ago. She’s one of those cooks who doesn’t measure, but rather just adds a bit of that and a touch of that. So when asked if she would share her recipe there was none to be had.
It’s been fun to create this recipe and I know I’ve come very close to Jenna’s fabulous version. I start by browning chicken pieces followed by the addition of onions, celery and garlic that are sauteed in butter, the basics of a good soup. Next is the flour to make a simple roux. I add chicken broth along with carrots and seasonings of basil, oregano and a touch of nutmeg. For the rice I use Rice Select Royal Blend, a fabulous blend of brown, white, red and wild rice I found at Fred Meyer’s. The whole pot is brought to a boil, then reduced to low heat to allow the rice to cook through. It’s finished by adding fat free half and half for the creamy dreamy texture we all love.
All in all it’s about a 30 to 40 minute prep, but the soup is much better when allowed to sit overnight or a day or two. In other words it makes great leftovers so make a big batch! Super nutritious, super delicious, super comforting like being wrapped in a warm cozy blanket in front of a blazing fire. Enjoy!
- Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup flour
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup sliced carrot
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp each sea salt and freshly ground black pepper or to taste
- 1 cup rice blend (white, brown, red and wild)
- 2 cups fat-free half and half
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Add chicken pieces and cook until browned on all sides. Remove from pot and set aside.
- Add butter to soup pot and let melt. Add onion and celery; saute until vegetables are soft and onions are transparent, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and saute another minute.
- Add flour and stir until mixed well. Gradually add chicken broth, stirring well to avoid lumps.
- Add carrots and cooked chicken along with basil, oregano, nutmeg, salt, pepper and rice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until rice is cooked through and vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes.
- Add half and half, stirring until blended. Serve warm with sliced apples for the perfect fall meal.
You will also enjoy:
Turkey and Bean with Bacon Soup
Southwestern Cream of Chicken and Rice Soup
David Bishop
This looks great! I assume to make it bariatric friendly we can just leave out the rice? Should we replace that with something else or will it be fine as-is?
And unrelated – I can’t find the recipe for that curry soup we made at class this week. I liked it so much I was going to send a link to some friends, but (unless I’m blind) it’s not on here.
Karen
Hi David: Yes you can leave out the rice, but reduce the broth by 2 cups. It becomes a Creamy Chicken Soup. Still delicious! I haven’t posted the Curry Chicken Soup yet from class. I’m glad you liked it, but I want to tweak it a bit more before posting. Thanks for following!
Shyla Smith
When you use Better Than Boullion for broth, how do you use it? I have only added the Tablespoon or whatever it says to use.
Karen
For every cup of broth called for in the recipe use 1 tsp of Better Than Bouillon so in this recipe you would add 6 tsp or 3 Tbsp of Better Than Bouillon to 6 cups of water to make 6 cups of broth.
I love this product because it allows me to control the strength of the broth and I don’t have to store so many boxes of broth on my shelves. Once opened store it in the refrigerator. Hope this helps.