Slow cooker chicken rice soup is a hearty, broth-based soup of shredded chicken, carrots, celery, and rice seasoned with parsley, thyme, rosemary, and sage. It cooks on low for four hours and requires about fifteen minutes of prep. The batch serves eight, making it a practical choice for batch cooking.

This recipe comes from Echo Blickenstaff at Favorite Family Recipes, published cookbook authors. The version stands out for adding parboiled rice from the start rather than holding it back until the last hour of cooking. One pot, nothing to time separately, and a result that’s ready when the four hours is up.

Most chicken rice soups hold the rice back until the last hour to stop it going mushy. This recipe avoids that with parboiled rice, which has been partially cooked and dried, so it holds its shape. Use standard white rice instead and it breaks down over four hours, turning the broth thick and starchy.

Slow Cooker Chicken Rice Soup

Recipe by Shili MohamedCourse: SoupsCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

4

hours 

Calories

239

kcal

A broth-based soup designed for batch cooking as much as dinner: chicken and rice both reheat without losing quality. Shredding the chicken rather than serving it in chunks means every spoonful has evenly distributed meat.

Ingredients

• 3 chicken breasts, trimmed of fat and cut in half

• 1 cup parboiled rice (also called converted rice)

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 3 carrots, chopped

• 3 celery stalks, chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 9 cups (approx. 2.1 litres) chicken broth

• 3 tsp salt

• Pepper, to taste

• 2 tsp dried parsley

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• ½ tsp dried rosemary

• ½ tsp dried sage

• 1 bay leaf

• 2 tbsp butter (optional, adds richness to the broth)

Directions

• Place all ingredients into the slow cooker in the order listed.
• Cook on low for 4 hours.
• Remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker and shred with two forks.
• Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and cook for a further 5 to 10 minutes.
• Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve.

FAQs

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?

Yes, and chicken thighs actually give a richer broth because of their higher fat content. The meat shreds just as easily after four hours on low, but the finished broth is slightly darker and more savoury. Bone-in thighs add even more flavour, though you’ll need to remove the bones and skin before returning the shredded meat.

Can I freeze this soup?

Rice-based soups thicken noticeably after freezing because the grains keep absorbing liquid in the freezer. This soup freezes well for up to three months, but add a cup of stock when reheating to restore the right consistency. For the cleanest result, freeze it in individual portions before the rice has time to swell too much.

Does this soup need fresh or dried herbs?

Dried herbs work fine here since the four-hour cook fully rehydrates them and draws out their flavour into the broth. Fresh herbs add a slightly brighter note but aren’t necessary for a good result. If you do use fresh, add them in the last 30 minutes to keep the flavour from turning bitter.

What do you serve with slow cooker chicken rice soup?

Crusty bread or warm dinner rolls absorb the broth well without competing with the herby flavour of the soup. A simple green salad on the side keeps the meal light without adding richness alongside the chicken and rice. For another filling slow cooker soup to batch-cook on the same day, creamy potato soup uses the same set-and-leave method.

Can I use pre-cooked or leftover chicken instead of raw?

Yes, but adjust the method: cook just the vegetables and broth on high for two hours first. Stir in pre-cooked chicken and cooked rice in the last 20 minutes, just long enough to warm through without drying the meat. If you batch-cook chicken specifically for soups, slow cooker poached chicken is worth keeping in the freezer for exactly this.