Easy One-Pot Chicken Soup (Printable)

Tender chicken, rice, and veggies simmered together for a wholesome, fuss-free meal.

# What You Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz), cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Rice

06 - 2/3 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed

→ Liquids

07 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
08 - 1 tablespoon olive oil or unsalted butter

→ Seasonings & Herbs

09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1 bay leaf
11 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
12 - 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

→ Finishing Touches

13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
14 - Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Heat the olive oil or butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften.
02 - Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in the chicken pieces and cook for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned on the outside.
04 - Add the rice, chicken broth, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and chicken is cooked through.
06 - Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
07 - Stir in fresh parsley before serving.
08 - Serve hot, with lemon wedges on the side if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pot, which means fewer dishes and more time enjoying what you made.
  • The rice absorbs all that savory broth while the chicken stays impossibly tender, turning this into something that feels far more elegant than the effort required.
  • It's naturally comforting without being heavy, the kind of soup that works for lunch, dinner, or when someone needs feeding back to wellness.
02 -
  • Do not skip rinsing the rice—the first time I ignored this step, the broth turned cloudy and starchy, and the whole soup felt heavy instead of clean and nourishing.
  • Always remove that bay leaf before serving; learned this when my mother-in-law bit into hers and gave me a look I'll never forget.
  • The soup continues to thicken as it cools because the rice keeps absorbing liquid, so what seems like the perfect consistency at dinner becomes nearly stew-like by lunch the next day; add more broth when reheating.
03 -
  • Use a timer for the simmering stage rather than eyeballing it; consistency matters more than you'd think, and 20 minutes is genuinely different from 25.
  • If your chicken pieces are particularly large or uneven, consider pounding them to a similar thickness so they cook at the same rate and nothing ends up tough.
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