Is there anything more comforting than a bowl of soup? This chicken & rice soup for two is a favorite probably because it is fast and easy to make. But also because it is light and healthy and makes me feel good when I eat it. There must be something to that whole chicken soup for the soul thing. The thing I like most about this recipe, is that you can take a ton of help from the grocery store and get this on the table really fast OR you can take it slow, roast your own chicken, make your own stock and really savor the process. You decide.
I had made a roast chicken dinner and after removing all the left over meat, I made a fabulous chicken stock from the carcass and some fresh herbs and vegetables. That stock is now tucked away in my freezer for several more dishes to be made over the next several weeks or months. But, I saved three cups to make this delicious soup. Most people will have the rest of the soup ingredients right in the fridge and pantry, making this a perfect weeknight supper. I add a salad and/or hard roll and butter and I’m good to go for a complete meal.
Food substitutions you can use in this chicken & rice soup recipe
On the other hand, if you are in a rush but still want to make the soup you can easily use store-bought ingredients. Here are a couple of helpful tips to make this an easy meal:
. If you don’t have homemade stock, feel free to use boxed stock. Just taste your seasoning. If it tastes bland (which can sometimes happen with boxed stock), add a bouillon chicken cube. (my secret ingredient) That will kick up the chicken flavor and seasoning of the broth. This works as a quick fix. Watch the salt level. These cubes contain a lot of salt, so be careful when adding additional seasoning.
. Don’t want to chop all those veggies? Use frozen chopped veggies (carrots, celery and onion) or already chopped veggies from the produce section of the grocery store. Then, you can add any of your frozen veggies to the soup base – Corn, carrots, peas, green beans, onions, etc. They all will work just fine.
. Don’t like rice? Use noodles or small pasta instead. To increase protein, use whole-wheat pasta instead. Don’t want the carbs? Don’t use the pasta or rice and up the veggies.
. Don’t want to roast a chicken? No problem. Pick up a cooked rotisserie chicken or a package of shredded chicken in the deli section and use that. Any poultry will work here so if you have cooked turkey or cornish hens, you can use that meat too.
Keep this recipe as a general guideline for making your next chicken soup. The homemade stock makes the biggest difference in flavor but using all the shortcuts I’ve noted is still making a better and healthier soup that dumping one out of a can. Homemade soup will always be better than canned!
How to make chicken & rice soup for two
To get started, chop up your veggies and pull your chicken off the bones and chop into small soup size pieces.
Spray a stockpot with cooking spray and then add the teaspoon of olive oil. When hot, add the chopped celery, carrot and onion and sauté until veggies are starting to get soft. About 2 minutes.
Add the rice and stir into the veggies to coat. You can use your favorite rice – brown rice is used around here a lot. I use a quick cooking rice to speed things up, but regular rice is just fine. If you are using small pasta (orzo, shells, etc) you could precook those and just add to the heated soup OR you can cook the pasta right in the pot with the stock until it is cooked al dente. Just test the pasta to be sure it is cooked through.
Add the chicken stock and heat until boiling. Lower the heat to simmer and add the frozen veggies and chicken. Cook until heated through – about five minutes. Taste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Note: you can play with your seasoning here. I have a friend that likes a little heat in her soup and adds some chili flakes…you decide.
Add the thyme and stir into the mixture. Serve piping hot in soup bowls and serve with crackers or rolls.
Did you like this recipe? Please leave a rating and comment below. I’d love to hear from you.
Want to try more of my soup recipes? Try some of my favorites:
Pumpkin & Sweet Potato Soup with Brittle
Avgolemono Soup with Gremolata
Spinach & Cheese Tortellini Soup
Spring Peas, Shrimp and Lobster Soup
Chicken & Rice Soup for Two
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 Cups Chicken Stock
- 1 Cup Chicken meat, cooked and shredded or diced
- ¼ Cup Uncooked rice (brown or white)
- ¾ Cup Frozen mixed vegetables
- 1 Celery stalk, chopped finely diced
- 1 Carrot, peeled and chopped peeled and finely diced
- 1/2 Shallot, chopped (or 1/4 small Onion) finely diced
- 1 Tsp. Olive Oil
- Cooking Spray
- Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 Tsp. Fresh Thyme chopped
- Parmesan cheese, grated (optional) to taste
Instructions
- Spray a saucepan with cooking spray and then add the teaspoon of olive oil. When hot, add the chopped celery, carrot and onion and sauté until veggies are starting to get soft. About 2 minutes.
- Add the rice and stir into the veggies to coat.
- Add the chicken stock and heat until boiling. Lower the heat to simmer and add the frozen veggies and chicken. Cook until heated through – about five minutes. Taste. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the thyme and stir into the mixture. Serve piping hot in soup bowls. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese if using.
4 thoughts on “Chicken & Rice Soup for Two”
Your rice only takes five minutes to cook?
Tasted delicious!! Will be saving this recipe to make again!
Glad you enjoyed it!
If I use brown minute rice or Success 90 second rice, yes. When I’m going for a quick and easy recipe, I’ll use that and I’ve got a meal on the table fast.