Chicken Vegetable and Rice Soup

Sautéing the chicken first makes this Chicken Vegetable and Rice Soup extra flavorful. It is also nutritious and packed with vegetables, hitting the spot any time of the year.

Update: This post was originally published in 2020. Most of the original content is below, but it has been updated with an added Recipe Highlight section and additional images. Minor changes have been made to make the soup even more flavorful than it was before!

Disclaimer: The new images do not include corn, but feel free to add it to your soup!

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Happy New Year!! I hope you had a great start to 2020! I’ll have to get used to seeing and writing that number. It seems so futuristic, don’t you think?

My first blog recipe of the year is this Chicken Vegetable and Rice Soup. Chicken soup is always satisfying when you need a simple, healthy, and comforting meal.

This particular recipe came to me one day by happenstance. I had a container of leftover sautéed chicken pieces that I did not want to waste. As I was craving chicken soup that day, I incorporated the chicken into the soup. After sampling the first spoonful, I knew I had a winner! The flavor of the preseasoned, pan-seared chicken permeated my mouth and was a standout. It was so flavorful and so good!!

Recipe highlights:

• Brown chicken pieces in batches in a skillet. Set aside.
• Cook carrots covered for 4 minutes in a soup pot. Add celery, green beans, and onions. Cook for two minutes.
• Next, add garlic, spices, and Italian seasoning. Cook for two minutes.
• Add chicken broth. Cover and bring to a boil.
• When the broth boils, add rice. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, covered.
• Finally, return the chicken to the pan. Add corn. Simmer for 5 minutes. Serve.
• Refer to the recipe card below for detailed instructions.
  

Don’t crowd the chicken while sautéing for optimal flavor and searing. Doing so will cause too much liquid to release, hindering a good sear and browning. Sauté the chicken in a really large pan or in two batches for best results. 

After the photoshoot for this post, I sent my daughter home with some of the soup. Although she couldn’t eat it since she turned vegetarian on me (sigh), her boyfriend thoroughly enjoyed it. He loved how hearty and satisfying it was and appreciated the extra veggies.

Who doesn’t love a recipe that allows the use of leftovers? This one does just that. I find this soup is most flavorful using leftover sautéd chicken. It has had time to absorb the seasoning and seal in the flavor. The next time you pan-sear chicken for a recipe, make extra to use for chicken soup. But, if precooked chicken is unavailable, freshly sautéed chicken makes a huge difference in intensifying the soup’s flavor.

I love the versatility of this soup. The vegetables can easily be swapped out. Feel free to use whatever combination of vegetables you have on hand. It’s great for emptying out the vegetable bin. Adjust cooking times according to the firmness or softness of the veggies. In a pinch, frozen vegetables are fine. I prefer fresh.

See you back here next time!!

Recommended supplies:

(Affiliate links. The products I recommend are either what I use, are on my wish list, or come highly rated.)

• 12-inch skillet for browning the chicken. This is non-stick and is PFOA-free.
• This stainless steel 5-quart soup pot has a heavy bottom base and is suitable for all cooktops, including induction.
• Slotted spatula—this has a thin edge design to slide under food easily.
• Sodium-Free Chicken Granulated Bouillon—I like sodium-free because it adds flavor without making the broth overly salty.

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Chicken Vegetable and Rice Soup

Author: Thao | In Good Flavor Cooking Method:Stovetop Cooked Cuisine:American Courses:Main, Soups Recipe Keys: C Carbohydrate High Protein

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time: 50 minutesTotal time:1 hour 5 minutesServings:4 Servings

Description

Sautéing the chicken first makes this Chicken Vegetable and Rice Soup extra flavorful. It is also nutritious and packed with vegetables, hitting the spot any time of the year.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped green beans
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup corn kernels (fresh, canned, or frozen)
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 1 teaspoon onion powder, divided
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2 1/2 teaspoons sodium-free chicken bouillon 
• 8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup uncooked rice
• olive or canola oil for sautéing 

Instructions

1. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch bite-size pieces. Season with 1/3 teaspoon each of salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.
2. Preheat a large skillet on medium-high heat. Cover the bottom with a thin layer of oil. Add chicken in a single layer. Don’t overcrowd. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally to evenly brown. Reduce heat slightly if the chicken starts to burn while cooking.
3. Cook chicken in batches if necessary. Transfer chicken to a plate after each batch. Add enough oil to cover the bottom of the skillet between batches. Set aside.
4. Preheat a 4-quart (or larger) saucepan to medium. Pour in a thin layer of oil. Add carrots. Cover and cook for 4 minutes, stirring a couple of times. Add celery, green beans, and onions. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic, spices, and Italian seasoning. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Lower the heat if the garlic browns quickly.
5. Add broth and bring to a boil. Stir in rice. Bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add chicken and corn. Simmer for 5 minutes or until rice is tender. Adjust seasoning to taste. 
7. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Keywords:Chicken Soup, Chicken Rice Soup, Comfort Meal

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