Cooking Tips
Swap in chicken breasts. Chicken thighs give this soup recipe a rich, authentic taste. However, if you prefer a lower fat soup, lower in calories, you can use chicken breasts.
Use rotisserie chicken. Making the extra effort to cook the chicken thighs gives the soup the best flavor. But if you’re short on time and still want to make this soup, then grab a rotisserie chicken or any leftover chicken. You can even use leftover turkey.
Add the shredded rotisserie chicken in at the last 5 minutes and continue cooking until hot. Here are some other ideas for leftover rotisserie chicken recipes.
Cook the brown rice ahead of time. Brown rice takes longer to cook than the soup, so to bring the soup together quickly, I recommend cooking the rice a day or two before you plan on making this chicken and rice recipe.
Use minute brown rice. You can also use minute brown rice if you don’t have rice made ahead of times. Keep in mind that minute brown rice is more processed than brown rice. Add the minute brown rice at the end and let it cook for about 10-15 minutes or until tender.
Any leftover rice will work in this soup. I prefer using long grain brown rice because it’s whole grain and has all its benefits. You can also use wild rice for a classic chicken and wild rice soup.
However, you can certainly use white rice, jasmine rice, or any of your favorites. Again, I recommend cooking the rice ahead of time because it won’t interfere with the soup cooking time.
Bulk up the veggies. Classic Chicken and Rice Soup recipes keep it simple with carrots and celery, but you can use any of your favorite soup vegetables. We love mushrooms and leeks.
Make it creamier. Milk is a healthier option for a creamy soup without the extra fat. However, if you want a little extra creaminess, you can use half and half.
Make it dairy-free. Unsweetened coconut milk is a great dairy-free option; it offers a nice creamy texture.
Leave the milk out altogether. If you prefer a chicken and rice soup without any cream or milk, then leave it out of the recipe – it will still be delicious.
