Comforting Chicken And Rice Soup

When the weather cools down, we always find ourselves craving this delicious chicken and rice soup recipe. After making a few different recipes and tweaking them, I finally perfected my own rendition that rivals any Panera bestseller. This recipe is simple to make in the slow cooker and always a big hit with our family- so much so that I make an extra large seven quart batch! We enjoy this soup about once a month during the fall and winter months. So, I hope your family loves it as much as ours!

Start by pulling out your slow cooker. We invested in this All-Clad Gourmet Slow Cooker because we make lots of hearty soups. It also looks gorgeous sitting on the counter and has an array of temperature settings. If you do not have a slow cooker, you could also make this on the stove top using a Dutch oven like this Le Creuset one we have and love. Keep in mind that this recipe makes approximately seven quarts, so reduce the amounts for a smaller batch. If you’re measurements are not exact with this recipe, don’t worry! It’s pretty hard to mess up. Throw in the amount of veggies and chicken that looks appetizing to you, depending on your family’s preferences.

Here’s what you’ll need…

4-6 chicken breasts

1 stick of butter Melted

1 white onion chopped

large bunch of whole carrots peeled & chopped

Large bunch of celery chopped

64oz or 8 cups of chicken broth

3 boxes of long grain and wild rice

one pint of heavy cream

1/2 cup of flour

splash of olive oil

thyme and basil to taste

chicken bullion to taste

Chop your onion, carrots, and celery and place them in the slow cooker or Dutch oven with the chicken breasts. Pour the chicken stock, heavy cream, melted butter and flour over the chicken and veggies and stir together. Add in chicken bullion, thyme, and basil as well as a splash of olive oil. You can always add more seasoning to taste after the chicken is cooked. Let the mixture cook for about two hours on 350 degrees. Your crockpot will look similar to the image below. Remember to stir occasionally.

By this time, your house should smell amazing! The chicken should also be cooked-through. Take each chicken breast out of the slow cooking, and place in a mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer or forks to pull each apart. Then, pour the shredded chicken back into the soup.

Next, it’s time to cook the rice. Make the long grain and wild rice separately following the ingredients on the package or box, and add it into the soup once finished. Stir all of the ingredients together in the slow cooker, and cook until the carrots and celery are softened. Serve with a loaf of delicious corn bread for the ultimate cold weather comfort meal! (Our favorite is from Trader Joe’s.)

Try this recipe out, and comment below to share your results! My chicken and rice soup is very simple to make and sure to become a staple of your kitchen. I hope you enjoy!