Nothing warms the soul like a steaming bowl of Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Soup—tender chicken, hearty vegetables, and fluffy rice simmered in a yummy broth. This dump-and-go recipe requires just 10 minutes of prep and lets your slow cooker do all the work. Perfect for busy weeknights or when you're craving classic comfort food!
There’s something deeply comforting about a warm bowl of chicken soup, whether you enjoy a little kick of Mexican flavor, like this Instant Pot Chicken Taco Soup or something a little creamier, like Instant Pot Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup!
Today, I'm sharing my Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Soup consisting of tender shredded chicken, nutritious veggies, perfectly cooked rice, and a rich, savory broth that all comes together to create a dish that soothes the soul and satisfies the appetite.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Meal Prep Friendly: You can easily freeze the leftovers in small batches to enjoy later!
- Packs a Healthy Punch: It's hard to find a soup that is more comforting and hearty than this chicken and rice soup with lean protein, healthy veggies, and rich stock. The rice adds volume and an irresistible chewy texture.
- Enjoy Year Round: Ideal for those chilly months, although that doesn't stop my family from enjoying it throughout the year.
- Dump and Go: So easy to make! Simply add the ingredients to the slow cooker pot and set to cook.
Whether it’s a cold winter night or you’re just in need of a little homemade comfort, this soup delivers cozy goodness in every spoonful. The best part about this chicken and rice soup? It’s simple to make, nourishing, and perfect for meal prep. Just one pot, minimal effort, and maximum comfort—what’s not to love?
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Chicken – Boneless skinless chicken breasts are great as a lean protein choice for this soup, but you could use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead. The extra fat in thighs will add to the delicious flavors in this soup.
- Vegetables – Like many chicken soup bases, this chicken and rice soup calls for a combination of celery, carrots, and onion. Other vegetables that you could try in this soup include mushrooms, kale and spinach, chopped potatoes, zucchini, broccoli florets, or green peas.
- Broth – Store-bought or homemade chicken broth.
- Chicken bouillon – I've added 1 chicken bouillon cube for concentrated flavoring.
- Onion powder – Adds richness of flavor.
- Garlic powder – Adds another depth of flavor, frequently paired with onion powder to create that irresistible umami flavor.
- Garlic cloves – Freshly minced. You could also use pre-minced garlic in a pinch, but it won't deliver the same intensity of flavor.
- Butter – For additional richness. Use unsalted butter if you want to keep the sodium low in this soup. Remember that bouillon cubes and broth are usually already quite high in sodium.
- Rice – Uncooked rice is added directly to the slow cooker pot and cooked in the flavor liquid with the rest of the ingredients. It's a great way to infuse all those rich flavors into the rice.
The Best Rice To Use For Chicken and Rice Soup
This recipe calls for regular white rice (uncooked) that is added to the slow cooker an hour before the soup is ready to be served. This gives the rice enough time to cook through and absorb the rich flavors of the other ingredients without it overcooking and turning into a mush.
Apart from white rice, brown rice, wild rice, or a wild rice blend can be used, but you must be mindful of the differing cooking times that different types of rice require and adjust as necessary.
Cooking Times of Rice
- White Rice (long grain or Jasmine): This requires 1.5 to 2 hours on LOW or 45 minutes to 1 hour on HIGH.
- Brown Rice: This requires 3 to 4 hours on LOW or 1.5 to 2 hours on HIGH.
- Wild Rice: You will need to cook this for 4 to 6 hours on LOW or 2.5 to 3 hours on HIGH.
- Wild Rice Blend: This needs 3 to 4 hours on LOW or 1.5 to 2.5 hours on HIGH.
As you can see, the darker varieties of rice do require a longer cooking time. You will therefore need to add them to the soup mixture earlier than what is required for white rice.
MAKE-AHEAD INSTRUCTIONS
Refrigeration Instructions:
Cook the rice separately and ahead of time if you want to reduce the cooking time of this soup by an hour. Store the cooked rice in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 -2 days and simply add it to the slow cooker with the rest of the soup ingredients just before serving.
Another element of this soup that you can make in advance is the chicken broth, if you've chosen to make your own broth from scratch. Homemade chicken broth can be made up to 1 week before adding it to this chicken and rice soup.
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS
- Refrigeration: Store your leftover slow cooker chicken and rice soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Reheat your soup in the microwave for single servings or in a pot on the stovetop for larger portions.
- Freezer: This soup freezes really well in an airtight container or Ziploc bag for up to 3 months. Thaw the frozen soup overnight in the fridge before you reheat and serve it.
More Comforting Soup Recipes
Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 stalks of celery sliced
- 3 carrots peeled and diced
- 1 small onion chopped
- 9 cups chicken broth
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup uncooked rice
Instructions
- To your slow cooker add your chicken, celery, carrots, onion, chicken broth, bouillon cube, onion powder, garlic powder, garlic and butter.
- Cook on low for 5 hours or high for 3 hours until chicken is tender.
- Remove the chicken, shred and add it back to the slow cooker.
- Stir in the 1 cup of uncooked rice.
- Cover and cook another hour until rice is tender.
Notes
David's Tips for the Best Soup
For richer flavor: Brown chicken in a skillet first (optional but recommended).Herb boost: Add 1 tsp dried thyme or 2 bay leaves while cooking.
Rice alternatives: Use wild rice blend (adds nuttiness) or cauliflower rice (low-carb).
Spice it up: Stir in ½ tsp red pepper flakes or hot sauce.
Recipe FAQs
Can I Use Precooked Rice?
Yes. You will then need to add the precooked rice to the slow cooker soup just before serving as a way to mix the rice with the soup ingredients and meld the flavors. Don't add precooked rice to the slow cooker an hour before the end of the recipe cooking time as you end up with super mushy rice!
Can I use frozen Chicken?
Yes! Add 1 extra hour to cook time (ensure internal temp hits 165°F).
How do I make creamy chicken and rice soup?
If you love a creamy soup, add about 1 cup of heavy cream to the slow cooker soup just before serving it.
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