Name: Weeknight Chicken & Rice Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 cup finely chopped white onion; 1 cup diced carrots; 1 cup diced celery; 1 tablespoon minced garlic; 3 cups cooked shredded chicken (such as rotisserie); 4 cups chicken broth; 2 cups cooked white rice (I used basmati); 1 packet Ranch Dressing dry mix; 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 20 strips cooked crisp bacon (crumbled (I used microwave bacon)); 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

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My Weeknight Chicken & Rice Soup recipe is good for the stomach and the soul! It’s packed with chicken, rice, vegetables, bacon and more! Enjoy!

My Favorite Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe

Doesn’t get much better than my Weeknight Chicken Soup! Homemade soup doesn’t have to take all day in the kitchen. With my tips and tricks, you’ll have this gorgeous pot of comfort food on your table in about 30 minutes.

Try my Weeknight Chicken Noodle Soup too! Follow Picky Palate on Instagram for daily recipe inspiration.

What You’ll Need

Extra Virgin Olive oil– You’ll use the oil to saute your vegetables.
Onion– White onion is a great choice. Make sure you finely chop.
Carrots– Peel and dice carrots or chop the baby carrots.
Celery– Wash and cut celery same size as carrots to assure they cook the same time.
Garlic– fresh garlic is best, but I’ve used the jarred minced garlic many times too.
Shredded chicken– Pick up a rotisserie chicken, shred and keep on hand in the refrigerator for quick use.
Chicken broth– Look for reduced sodium chicken broth.
Ranch Dressing Seasoning packet/mix- Find the Ranch dressing packets in the salad dressing isle of the grocery strore.
Parmesan Cheese– The fresh parmesan cheese that is grated and packaged in the refrigerated section by the other cheeses is a great option if you don’t want to grate your own.
Cooked white rice– Any white rice of your choice works great.
Cooked bacon– The ready bacon is a good option if you don’t want to cook your own bacon.
Fresh chopped parsley– Fresh parsley adds a nice freshness to the soup.

What Kind Of Chicken Can I Use?

For speedy prep time buy a pre-cooked chicken such as a Rotisserie. It saves time and the chicken is tender and flavorful. Costco sells a large Rotisserie Chicken for a great deal if you have Costco near you.

I also LOVE getting my carrots, celery and onion already chopped. Trader Joe’s and many grocery stores have pre-packaged chopped vegetables ready for your soup needs. Cook the rice ahead of time and I also use microwave bacon to save even more time!

Once your oil is hot, saute the carrots, onion and celery along with minced garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, or until softened.

How To Make Chicken and Rice Soup

Heat oil in 5 quart pot over medium heat. When oil is hot add onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until softened. Stir in chicken, chicken broth, rice, Ranch Dressing mix, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Stir in crumbed bacon and fresh parsley. Reduce heat to simmer until ready to serve.

Add your cooked shredded chicken to the pot. Pour in the chicken broth. Stir in the cooked rice up next.

What Kind Of Rice Should I Use?

You can use white rice, brown rice, long grain, short grain, Basmati and even Jasmine. Whatever rice you prefer works great in this recipe.

Stir in one packet of Ranch Dressing mix. This gives the entire soup it’s flavor. Add the cooked, crumbled bacon after the Ranch mix.

Do I Have To Use The Ranch Dressing Mix?

This mix gives the broth/soup it’s delicious flavor, but if you don’t have it, or can’t find it at the grocery store, substitute 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt. You’ll need to taste at the end and add more seasonings if needed.

Stir all ingredients together and simmer until ready to serve. This is a weeknight favorite this time of year!

Tips For Making Chicken & Rice Soup

For weeknight meals, take advantage of using pre-cooked meats, pre-chopped vegetables and even cooked rice. Having these items in your refrigerator helps when whipping up quick fix weeknight meals.
Weeknight Chicken Rice Soup makes the perfect meal to bring to new moms or families in need of dinner. It’s comforting, quick to prepare and hearty.
Serve Weeknight Chicken Rice Soup with a green salad and crusty bread if desired.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

How To Serve

Serve Chicken and Rice Soup for any dinner occasion. It’s especially nice during cold months.

How To Store Leftovers

Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat as needed.