When the endless Pacific Northwest rain gets me down, I fight back with this cozy, healthy chicken and rice soup recipe. It’s almost no work at all! My trick? I simmer the chicken breasts whole in the chicken soup base, making prep super easy.
Lots of fresh lemon and dill brighten this simple soup up so much, even on the dreariest day! It’s also gluten-free, and still so comforting. For more simple, homemade chicken soup recipes, try my easy chicken noodle, chicken soup with wild rice, or a deliciously creamy version of this chicken and rice soup.
Chicken and Rice Soup Ingredients
Find the exact measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Chicken broth: Homemade is great if you’ve got it, store-bought is also fine.
- Chicken breast: Make sure they are boneless and skinless, in this recipe it really matters.
- Long-grain white rice: If you want, you could swap in wild rice.
- Seasonings: Garlic, onion and fresh dill. If you don’t have 2 tablespoons of fresh dill, use about 1-2 teaspoons of dried dill.
- Veggies: Carrots, celery, and spinach.
- Lemon juice: A lot of lemon juice is my secret ingredient! More about that below.
How To Make Chicken Soup With Rice
See the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom.
- Sauté the onion and fresh garlic.
- Pour in the broth, chicken breasts and rice.
- Bring the soup to a boil.
- Shred the chicken once it is cooked. Note: Shredding chicken is much easier when the chicken is warm!
- Add the chicken, carrots, celery, and dill.
- Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir in spinach and lemon juice.
- Eat up!
How To Freeze + Store
I love to make a big batch of this soup on the weekend and eat it for lunch well into the week. It keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days. This soup also freezes beautifully! Let it cool and freeze it in well-marked, freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw it overnight in the fridge and then warm it in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
My Secret Chicken Rice Soup Ingredient: Lemon!
People who watch their salt intake, take note: Did you know that adding lemon juice acts as an overall flavor enhancer, similar to salt? Not that you have to forgo salt to enjoy the flavor-boosting power of a little lemon juice. Or, in this case, a full ¼ cup lemon juice, which probably qualifies as a lot of lemon juice! Especially when paired with fresh dill, the other ingredient that gives this chicken rice soup a little bit of a bright zing, lemon juice brings this simple chicken and rice soup to life.
4 More Easy, Healthy Chicken Soup Recipes
Ditch the canned stuff for good. These four soup recipes are just as fast and delicious as this chicken and rice version:
Happy Once, Happy Twice, Happy Chicken Soup With Rice
There’s a reason that Maurice Sendack wrote an entire book about chicken soup with rice—there’s just nothing quite as purely comforting as a big bowl of homemade soup. For more recipe inspiration, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest or order our cookbook. We love when you share your meals. Tag us on Instagram using #themodernproper, and we’d love to hear what you think of this recipe in the comments below. Happy cooking!
