Hearty Chicken & Rice Soup

This chicken and rice soup is a family favourite passed down from my mum. We’d often have it a day or two after our Sunday roast when I was growing up. You knew it was in the post on Monday when you saw a pot of stock boiling up from the remains of our roast chicken. When my kids were little, my mum still made it, and it was the only way to get them to eat carrots - I’d told them carrots made their eyes shine! It’s a hearty, comforting winter soup—more of a meal in a bowl, really. And who doesn't love a little chicken soup when those winter bugs set in?

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped

  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced

  • 2 celery stalks, diced

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 tsp dried thyme

  • 1 tsp dried oregano

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1.5 litres chicken stock (homemade or shop-bought)

  • 150g cooked chicken, shredded (leftover roast chicken works well)

  • 150g long-grain white rice (or brown rice for a healthier option)

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • Fresh parsley or thyme, to garnish

Method

  1. Sauté the vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion, diced carrots, and diced celery. Cook for 5-6 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic, thyme, oregano, and bay leaf, and cook for another minute until fragrant.

  2. Add the stock and cook the rice: Pour in the chicken stock and bring the soup to a gentle boil. Add the rice, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cover the pot. Cook for 15-20 minutes if using white rice, or 35-40 minutes if using brown rice, until the rice is tender.

  3. Add the chicken: Once the rice is cooked, stir in the shredded chicken and let it warm through for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  4. Serve: Remove the bay leaf, ladle the soup into bowls, and garnish with fresh parsley or thyme.

Optional Add-Ins

  • A squeeze of lemon juice for brightness

  • Fresh spinach or kale for extra greens

  • A dash of hot sauce for a kick

How to Make Chicken Broth from a Leftover Roast Chicken

This method is an easy way to make flavourful homemade broth from a leftover chicken carcass!

Ingredients

  • 1 chicken carcass (from a roast chicken)

  • 1 onion, quartered

  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped

  • 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped

  • 3 garlic cloves, smashed

  • 2 bay leaves

  • A few sprigs of fresh thyme or parsley (optional)

  • 1 tsp black peppercorns

  • Salt, to taste

  • 2 litres water (or enough to cover the ingredients)

Method

  1. Prepare the ingredients: Place the chicken carcass into a large pot. Add the quartered onion, chopped carrots, chopped celery, garlic, bay leaves, herbs (if using), peppercorns, and a pinch of salt.

  2. Add water and bring to a boil: Pour in 2 litres of water or enough to fully cover the chicken and vegetables. Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat.

  3. Simmer: Once the broth is boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1.5 to 2 hours. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface during cooking.

  4. Strain and store: After simmering, strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl or container, discarding the solids. Taste and add more salt if needed. Let it cool before storing it in the fridge (for up to 3 days) or freeze for later use (for up to 3 months).

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