One-Pot Chicken and Rice Soup

One-Pot Chicken and Rice Soup! Throw bone-in chicken, rice, and vegetables together in a pot and simmer until they're done. It's the easiest soup ever, ready in under an hour.

This easy one-pot chicken and rice soup definitely deserves to be in your collection. It's just the thing for warming you up on a cold night, or providing comfort when you’re feeling under the weather.

The best part? You literally throw all the ingredients in the pot and let them simmer in the stock until the soup is done. No sautéing or browning. So easy.

Use Bone-In Chicken Breasts  

For this recipe, get bone-in chicken breasts, which add more flavor than boneless, but without the skin. To prep, just pull away the skin and discard.

 If you prefer, boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs can be substituted, but your soup will be less rich and flavorful.

The Best Stock for Chicken and Rice Soup  

Many people prefer to use unsalted stocks in their cooking so that they can control how much salt they add. Homemade stock is best if you have it, of course, but also look for low-sodium or sodium-free stocks and broths at the grocery store.

If you end up using regular, salted stock, then omit the salt added at the beginning of the recipe, and add to taste at the end of cooking instead. This soup is finished with a swirl of garlic paste and some lemon juice to add a hint of brightness. Enjoy!

How to Store or Freeze This Soup  

 Leftovers will keep for about a week refrigerated, or up to 3 months frozen. To freeze, let the soup cool completely, then transfer to freezer containers or bags. Thaw overnight in the fridge, or warm the frozen soup in a saucepan over low heat on the stove top.

Ingredients

• 2 bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed (1 to 1 1/2 pounds)

• 1 cup long-grain white rice, like basmati

• 2 ribs celery, diced small

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced small

• 1 onion, diced small

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled but left whole

• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste (see Recipe Note)

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 2 quarts unsalted or low-sodium chicken stock

• Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)

• Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Method

1.  Assemble the soup and bring to a simmer:  

   Combine the chicken, white rice, celery, carrots, onions, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large pot. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Once the soup is boiling, reduce the heat to keep the soup at a gentle simmer.

   
   

2. Simmer for about 25 minutes:  

   As the soup simmers, skim off any foam that collects on the surface with a spoon. Continue to simmer until the rice and vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat.

   
   

3. Shred the chicken and make the garlic paste:  

   Remove the chicken and garlic cloves using a slotted spoon or tongs. Transfer the chicken breasts to a bowl and shred with two forks. Discard the bones. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.

   
   

   Smash the garlic cloves into a paste against a cutting board using a fork or the flat of your knife. Stir the paste back into the soup.

   
   

4. Season and serve:  

   Stir the lemon juice into the soup, and taste. The soup should taste rich, barely salty, and with just a hint of lemon. Add more salt or lemon juice as needed until it tastes good to you. Divide among bowls and sprinkle with some parsley for serving. Leftovers will keep for about a week refrigerated, or up to 3 months frozen.

[Source: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/one_pot_chicken_and_rice_soup/]