Easy, hearty, old fashioned slow cooker chicken and rice soup recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Loaded with sautéed vegetables and boneless chicken breast plus lots of dried Italian herbs.
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I love to make soup on a chilly Fall day or even when the snow begins to fall and Jack Frost comes stay awhile. A nice hearty soup seems not only to warm the body but the heart and soul. I have so many to choose from, I could have soup every cold day of the year. A few of my other favorites include this Slow Cooker Corn Chowder (Creamy) and Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup. Give them a try!
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Key ingredients
- Butter- Use unsalted for best results.
- Olive oil- Used for flavor and sauteing.
- Vegetables- Including carrots, onions, celery, peas, corn, diced tomatoes, and green peppers.
- Chicken breasts- You will need about a pound and a half.
- Spices/herbs- Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, pepper, bay leaf, ground cumin, and parsley.
- Chicken broth- Makes up the base of the soup.
- Brown rice- Be sure it is rinsed, drained, and uncooked.
- Lemon- This is optional but adds good flavor.
Variations
- To make a creamy soup- You can mix in heavy cream (½ cup - 1 cup) at the very end. Start with a small quantity, then taste and adjust accordingly. You can also add in cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup like in my Slow Cooker Chicken and Mushroom Pasta.
- Shortcut- Don't worry about sauteing the vegetables and chicken. Just pop everything into the crockpot.
- Try using different meat- Including leftover Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast or Slow Cooker Ham.
- Use noodles instead of rice- Such as shells, butterfly noodles, or egg noodles like in my Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup.
- Add some spice- Chop up jalepenos to add in, pout in some hot sauce, or add red chili flakes.
- Use other/additional vegetables- Like zucchini, yellow squash, or cabbage like in this Slow Cooker Cabbage Soup.
- Try other spices- Such as garlic salt, paprika, seasonall, Italian seasoning, or other favorites you enjoy.
How to make easy slow cooker chicken and rice soup recipe from scratch?
- Add in and mix together- The broth, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, ground cumin, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and rice.
- Cover and cook- Until rice and vegetables are cooked through.
- Remove chicken and shred- With two forks, then put back in crockpot.
- Mix in corn and peas- And cook for 30 minutes.
- Stir up again- Then discard bay leaf and add garnish.
What sides to serve with this soup?
- Vegetables- Including various salads, Slow Cooker Glazed Carrots, or Slow Cooker Creamy Brussel Sprouts.
- Breads- Like dinner rolls, garlic bread, breadsticks, Slow Cooker Jalepeno Cornbread (With Jiffy), or homemade bread and butter.
- Sandwiches- Try it with a grilled cheese or tomato sandwich.
Tips and techniques
- Don't add the peas and carrots in the beginning- Because they will become overly soft and "mushy" in the long cook time. Add in the final 20-30 minutes.
- Do not use white rice- Because it cooks faster and will just become a mushy mess.
- Be sure to use uncooked rice- Because the rice absorbs the liquid and thickens the soup as it cooks.
- Get rid of excess starch- By simply rinsing the rice a few times.
- Make it chunkier- By adding in up to ¾ cups of rice.
- Use unsalted butter and low sodium broth- To cut down on the overall salt intake and avoid overpowering the dish.
- Use a non-stick pan- To avoid mess and stuck-on food.
Recipe FAQs
Why should I saute vegetables and chicken before adding to soup?
It adds flavor, color, and better texture.
Do I need to cook rice before adding to soup?
No. Otherwise it will just be mushy and gross. Besides the starch in the rice helps the soup to thicken as it cooks. If you want to use leftover cooked rice add it in at the very end. Just know you may have to thicken the soup manually and the rice won't absorb all the flavor.
How to thicken soup? How to make it thinner?
You can either mix in a cornstarch slurry or simmer the soup until the liquid decreases and thickens overall.
Storage
- Refrigerate- Store in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze- Place in a sealed container for up to 1 month. Thaw and reheat.
- Reheat- Add a bit of broth or water, stir, and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
More crockpot soup recipes
- Slow Cooker Carrot Soup
- Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup
- Slow Cooker Brown Lentil Soup
- Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
Recipe
Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Soup
Easy, hearty, old fashioned slow cooker chicken and rice soup recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Loaded with sautéed vegetables and boneless chicken breast plus lots of dried Italian herbs.
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Butter Unsalted
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 cup Onion Finely chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic Finely minced
- 1 cup Carrots Peeled, Diced
- 2 stalks Celery Diced
- 1 Green pepper Diced
- 2 Chicken breasts Boneless, 1.5 pounds in total
- 4 cups Chicken broth Low sodium
- 1 can Diced tomatoes 14.5 oz. can
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Ground cumin
- Salt To taste
- Pepper To taste
- 1 Bay leaf
- ½ cup Brown rice Rinsed and drained, Uncooked
- ⅓ cup Corn Frozen
- ⅓ cup Peas Frozen
- 1-2 tablespoon Parsley Fresh, Roughly chopped
- 1 Lemon Optional
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil a nonstick pot over medium-high heat.
- Add onion, garlic, carrots, celery, green pepper and saute for about 4-5 minutes until garlic is fragrant. Transfer to slow cooker (6 quart or larger).
- In the same pan, add remaining 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil.
- Add chicken and saute both sides until no longer pink. Transfer to slow cooker too.
- Tip: Use a multifunctional slow cooker that allows you to saute the veggies in the slow cooker. This way, you won’t have to make another pot or pan dirty.
- Add broth, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, ground cumin, salt, pepper, bay leaf, rice and mix everything until combined.
- Cover and cook on High heat for 4 hours or until vegetables are tender and rice is cooked through.
- Remove chicken from crockpot and shred it with two forks or cut it into small slices. Transfer it back into the crockpot.
- Also, mix in corn and peas. If you feel that the soup is too thick per your preference, this would be the time to mix in additional broth to thin it out.
- Let it cook on High heat for 30 minutes. If you want to reduce the liquid, then cook uncovered but if you are happy with consistency, cook covered.
- Mix everything one final time.
- Discard bay leaf.
- Garnish with fresh parsley.
- Optional: Squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top of the soup for a zesty flavor and enjoy.
Notes
- If you are short on time, don't saute the vegetables and chicken. Just add everything in the crockpot and continue with the rest of the steps.
- Do not replace brown rice with white rice because it will cook faster and become very "mushy."
- You must use uncooked rice in this recipe. Rice absorbs the broth and thickens the soup as it cooks.
- Please wash and drain your uncooked rice a few times to get rid of excess starch.
- If you like a very chunky soup, you can add up to ¾ cups uncooked rice.
- If the soup is too thick for your liking, mix in some more broth. If it's too thin for your liking, cook uncovered on High heat to reduce excess liquid.
- Adjust amount of seasonings based on your preference.
- Try other seasonings and blends to create different flavor profiles such as taco seasoning or Cajun seasoning or garam masala.
- Use unsalted butter and low sodium brother to prevent the meal from becoming too salty.
- Read additional tips and variations above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave with a splash of broth.
Nutrition
Calories: 246kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 20gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 776mgPotassium: 715mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 4086IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 77mgIron: 2mg
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.
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