Shortcut Chicken & Rice Soup

This comforting shortcut Chicken & Rice Soup tastes like it’s been simmering all day. Lucky for us, my mom, Lupe, is the QUEEN of developing lots of flavor in a short amount of time with minimal effort. This cozy soup couldn’t be easier to make and it’s been a family favorite of ours for many years. After making this with my mom a handful of times, I’ve finally perfected her “measure with the heart” recipe. I love that it doesn’t require many ingredients, and that many might already be laying around in your pantry. The best part? It’s done in under an hour! Can’t wait to hear what you think! It’s so simple and delicious, you have to try it for yourself! Hope you enjoy!

How To Make My Mom’s Comforting Shortcut Chicken & Rice Soup

Here’s a video of how we put my mom’s comforting Shortcut Chicken & Rice Soup together! For another delicious soup, check out my Mama’s Cocido (Beef and Vegetable Soup) recipe.

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A post shared by Erin O'Brien (@erinnobrienn)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ½ medium yellow onion, diced
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large on-the-vine tomato, diced
• 5 stalks celery, sliced (and celery leaves reserved, chopped – see tips below)
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 9 cups water
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Knorr Chicken Bouillon
• ¼ teaspoon ground thyme
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into coins
• ½ cup long grain white rice
• 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
• Chopped cilantro, for garnish
• Freshly ground black pepper, for serving
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Step-By-Step Recipe Method

1. In a large dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, warm the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Once bubbling, add the onions and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened and translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes and celery leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have released their juices and broken down, 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the chicken bouillon and ground thyme, and stir to combine. Add the carrots and cook, partially covered, until the carrots are just slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Add the celery, and bring back up to a boil.
4. Once boiling, add the rice and stir to combine. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the rice is tender, 20 minutes.
5. Once the rice is tender, add the shredded chicken and stir to combine. Cook until the chicken is heated through and the flavors have melded, about 5 minutes.
6. Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with cilantro. Top with freshly ground black pepper and serve alongside lots of lemon wedges for squeezing.

Erin’s Tips

• Should I reserve the juices from the rotisserie chicken? Yes, always! This is an easy way to add even more flavor into the soup. Add this in when you add the water and chicken bouillon.
• I don’t like cilantro, what can I substitute? Fresh flat leaf parsley or dill work great!
• Why do you add the celery leaves? I have my mom to credit for this. She claims that they add a unique flavor and we love that it avoids food waste! If you don’t have them, no worries – it won’t make or break the recipe by any means.
• Can I use orzo, ditalini, or pastina instead of rice? Definitely! Just be sure to adjust a bit: For step 4, skip the addition of rice and let the veggies simmer until they become tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Then add your orzo or pasta of choice and cook 2 minutes less than instructed on the package directions. Once the orzo or pasta is al dente, proceed with step 5 by adding the chicken in and following the recipe as written above.