Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup (Stovetop or Slow Cooker)

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Comfort food at its finest! This nourishing creamy chicken and rice soup is both delicious and extremely easy to make. Great for a family dinner or make a big batch to feed a crowd. And be sure to save some because this soup tastes even better heated up later.

Soup is one of those perfect foods in my book. It’s super economical, it can easily be made to serve a crowd, it’s full of nourishing ingredients, and all of this while still being delicious and satisfying.

We eat a big pot of soup at least once, if not multiple times, each week. This creamy rice and chicken soup is a family favorite in our soup rotation, along with broccoli cheddar, creamy tomato, southwest chicken, sausage and potato, and butternut squash chili.

Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup Ingredients

I like to add this disclaimer to all of my soup recipes… while I’m sharing what I use, soup is such a flexible food. Feel free to experiment, use what you have, and adjust the recipe to your liking!

Garlic – Fresh minced garlic is the base to all of my soups. 

Tip: Always let the garlic rest for 10 minutes after mincing and before heating to get the maximum nutritional benefits from this robust plant.

Onion – I prefer yellow onions but any diced onion will work. Along with garlic, this is a must in all soups.

Carrots – Chopped carrots are the perfect complement to creamy chicken and rice soup, and they give it a perfect pop of color.

Rice – We use a medium grain white rice that we buy in bulk at Costco but any white or brown rice will work in this recipe. If you are planning to cook this in a crock pot or slow cooker, brown rice is preferable because white rice can turn mushy.

Broth – Chicken broth is our favorite in this recipe but you could use a vegetable broth in a pinch if needed, or even whey leftover from cheese making.

Chicken – We always make this creamy chicken and rice soup after slow cooking a whole chicken and simultaneously making broth. Pull some of the chicken off of the carcass and strain the broth and you are ready to make this soup!

Milk or Cream – For an extra creamy soup, go with using cream in this recipe. We typically use whole milk or half milk and half cream but you can’t go wrong either way!

Sea Salt

Italian Seasonings – We buy our Italian seasonings in bulk from Azure Standard. It pairs perfectly in this soup.

Dried Nettle or Minced Fresh Kale (optional) – We always dry out several quarts of greens in the spring to preserve for the year ahead. I love to add dried or fresh greens to soups for a bit of color and extra nutrients.

How to Make Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup

Stovetop Instructions:

In dutch oven or stockpot, sauté garlic, onion, and carrots over medium heat until vegetables are beginning to soften.

Add broth and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, add in rice, seasonings and salt, greens if using, and chicken.

Bring to a simmer stirring regularly for 30-45 minutes until rice is cooked and vegetables are soft. You may also want to cover the pot for the rice to cook. Just check on it and stir every few minutes.

Add in milk/cream until desired texture is achieved. 

Slow Cooker Instructions:

Add all of the ingredients* to your slow cooker except for the milk and cream.

Set on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4.

After several hours have passed, the rice should be cooked and the veggies soft. Stir in milk and/cream until soup is your desired consistency.

*Brown rice is better if you are using a slow cooker as white rice can become mushy.

Serve and enjoy!

Can you make this soup in advance?

Yes! In fact, I prefer to make it in advance because I think it tastes even better when it’s cooled and reheated and the flavors have had a chance to meld together. Store in an airtight container for 3-5 days in the refrigerator.

Note: I usually add more milk or broth when reheating because the rice absorbs more of the liquid in that time.

Can I freeze creamy chicken and rice soup?

Yes, but I would recommend freezing it before adding the milk or cream. Then when you want to reheat, just thaw and heat and add your milk/cream until it reaches the desired consistency. The texture of milk/cream can change once frozen, so it’s best to add after.

Creamy Chicken and Soup Recipe

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
2 cups carrots, chopped
1 cup rice (uncooked)
2-3 cups cooked chicken, diced
5 cups chicken broth
2-3 cups milk or cream (or a combination)
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
¼ cup dried or fresh nettle, spinach, or kale, finely chopped (optional)

Stove Top Directions:

1. Sauté garlic, onions, and carrots over medium to high heat in a Dutch oven or stockpot for a few minutes until aromatic.

2. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.

3. Once boiling, add rice, chicken, salt, seasoning, and greens (if desired).

4. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring regularly until rice is cooked and carrots are soft. You may also want to cover the pot for the rice to cook, just check in a stir every couple of minutes.

5. When the rice is cooked and carrots are soft, add your cream/milk until you achieve the desired consistency.

6. Stir everything together and serve.

Slow Cooker Directions:

1. Add everything* except the milk/cream to your slow cooker.

2. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4.

3. After it’s finished, stir in your milk/cream until the desired consistency is achieved.

*Brown rice is best if cooking in a slow cooker because white rice may become too mushy.

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More soup recipes you’ll love:

Creamy Southwest Chicken Soup
Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Chicken
Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Chili
Creamy Sausage and Potato Soup

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