Chicken Rice Soup
This recipe makes a generous amount of soup and is perfect for sharing, enjoying left over or freezing.  If desired, however, the recipe can easily be cut in half. For those who enjoy garlic, feel free to stir in two or three minced cloves about a minute before adding the broth. Occasionally, I add 3/4 teaspoons of smoked paprika and sauté along with the celery mixture for a minute before adding the broth.

Yields 4 quarts.


Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 4 ribs celery, sliced
  • 4 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 2-1/2 quarts (10 cups) low-sodium chicken broth (may use 2 quarts stock plus 2 cups water; in this case, you may wish to add a little extra salt)
  • 3 cups cooked rice (from one cup uncooked; see notes*)
  • 4 cups skinned, boned, and chopped rotisserie chicken (about 1 regular rotisserie chicken or 1 to 1-1/4 pounds cooked chicken meat)
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add the onion, and sauté for 2 minutes or until starting to soften.  Add the celery and carrots, and continue cooking for approximately 5 minutes, or until the carrots are just beginning to soften, stirring occasionally.
  2. Add the chicken broth, increase the heat, and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, about 10 minutes more or until carrots are just tender.
  3. Stir in the rice, chicken, and parsley. Cook for a few more minutes or until heated through. Season the soup with salt and pepper, to taste.  (When using store-bought broth, I typically do not add salt. When using homemade stock, I add 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of kosher salt.)

Notes

  • I typically use a wild rice blend, but long grain brown or white rice are equally excellent options. Cooking the rice separately (according to specific package directions) and allowing it to rest in the pot, covered, for 10 minutes after removing from the burner helps to reduce the amount of liquid the rice absorbs later.  As a result, I do not find the need to thin leftovers of this soup with additional broth.

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