Chicken and Brown Rice Soup
This chicken and brown rice soup is very easy to make and combines fresh herbs with rotisserie chicken for a comforting flavor. Gluten and dairy free, it's the perfect cozy soup.
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 2 large carrots, chopped or about 10 baby carrots chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2/3 cup brown rice (long grain preferred)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 small bunch herbs (thyme, parsley, or rosemary tied together with kitchen string)
- 5-6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1-2 cups water
- 3 cups rotisserie chicken meat, lightly chopped about 1 rotisserie chicken
- fresh black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic cloves, shallots, chopped celery, carrots and kosher salt. Stir occasionally until slightly softened and fragrant, making sure the garlic doesn't burn, about 5-6 minutes. Add the rice and toast it for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, then add the herbs and bay leaf.
- Pour in 5 cups of chicken broth + 1 cup of water, bring to a boil then turn the heat down to a low simmer and cover with a lid.
- Cook for 35 minutes covered, then check to see that the rice has cooked through. Remove the bundle of herbs and add chopped rotisserie chicken. If the soup is too thick, add another cup of water or broth. I find 5 cups of broth and 2 cups of water to be a delicious combination without being too watered down.
- Bring everything to a simmer again and season with more kosher salt and fresh black pepper to taste. Serve warm or cover and store in the fridge till ready to use. The soup will thicken with time, so add more water and broth to thin out to your liking before serving.
Notes
- When looking for a rotisserie chicken, I pick one without seasonings added, otherwise known as a "naked chicken". You can typically find these at Sprouts, Fresh Market, Whole Foods, and HEB. They will just have salt and pepper, or nothing at all.
- This soup thickens with time so you may need to add more broth or water to thin it for leftovers.
- This soup will freeze well, although the texture of the rice may soften. Overall I find this doesn't bother anyone, especially if you add more broth when reheating.
- Your bouquet garni can contain whatever your personal favorite herbs are, but my favorites are parsley, thyme, and rosemary. You can also substitute dried herbs, but I prefer to have the flavor without little pieces floating about.
- My favorite broth to use is this homemade rotisserie chicken bone broth (you can use the chicken meat for this soup!)
Nutrition
Serving: 12oz | Calories: 456kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 154mg | Sodium: 1746mg | Potassium: 640mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3880IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg
