Bowl of hearty brown rice chicken soup with tender chicken pieces, brown rice, and vegetables in a clear broth

Soups & Salads

Hearty Brown Rice Chicken Soup – Wholesome and Delicious! 🍲

Name: Hearty Brown Rice Chicken Soup – Wholesome and Delicious! 🍲
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: North American
Ingredients: 1 3 pound whole chicken (or see notes); 2 tsp kosher salt (or half as much if using fine table salt); 1 onion, roughly chopped; 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped; 2 stalks of celery, roughly chopped; 2 bay leaves; 1 cup brown rice; 2 cups chicken stock (or the amount as per your rice package); 2 tbsp oil for sautéing; 2 celery stalks; 1 carrot; ½ medium onion; 1 cup frozen peas, optional; kosher salt, to taste; pepper, to taste; fresh herbs such as green onions, dill, basil, parsley or combination, for serving; 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste plus lemon slices for serving

This brown rice chicken soup is the perfect comfort dish—hearty, filling, and packed with goodness that comes together in just 30 minutes.

Prep

15 min

Cook

30 min

Total

45 min

Serves

Style

💰 Everyday

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This brown rice chicken soup is the perfect comfort dish—hearty, filling, and packed with goodness! You can easily prepare portions of this soup the day before, so when it's time to cook, everything comes together in just 30 minutes. It's similar to the classic chicken noodle soup we all know and love, but with a healthier twist—nutrient-rich brown rice replaces the pasta for extra fibre and wholesome flavour. Plus, a splash of lemon juice adds a fresh, zesty kick!

I love making this soup for dinner and enjoying it again the next day for lunch. The consistency can be customised to your liking—make it as thick or as thin as you prefer! For a vibrant finish, I like to garnish mine with dill, green onions, and basil, but feel free to use any herbs you love or skip them altogether.

If you're a fan of Greek Avgolemono soup, you'll notice some similarities in flavour. But while Avgolemono uses a lemon-egg mixture to thicken the broth, this version sticks to a classic chicken and rice base. I love herbs, so I garnish my soup with dill, green onions and basil. Use all or some of these herbs or omit entirely if it's not up to your taste.

This soup is actually very similar in flavour and preparation to the Greek Avgolemono soup, except that in Avgolemono soup, the broth is thickened with lemon-egg combination. I contemplated making avgolemono soup, but decided to make chicken rice instead. Both are delicious!

Ingredients

Servings:

### For the Homemade Chicken Stock
1 3 pound whole chicken (or see notes)
2 tsp kosher salt (or half as much if using fine table salt)
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
2 stalks of celery, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
### For the Soup
1 cup brown rice
2 cups chicken stock (or the amount as per your rice package)
2 tbsp oil for sautéing
2 celery stalks
1 carrot
½ medium onion
1 cup frozen peas, optional
kosher salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
fresh herbs such as green onions, dill, basil, parsley or combination, for serving
3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste plus lemon slices for serving

Instructions

1
Combine all of the stock ingredients in a large stock pot. The liquid should just barely cover the chicken; add a bit more stock if needed. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer for 60–75 minutes until the chicken is cooked through, tender, and falling off the bone. If you are using chicken pieces instead of a whole chicken, you may only need 35–45 minutes. Strain the stock into a heat-resistant container. Cool the chicken and shred it once it's cool enough to touch. Use the stock and chicken right away or store them in the fridge if you are planning to make your chicken pot pie at a later time. Discard the bones, bay leaf, and cooked vegetables (or snack on the boiled carrots and celery like I do!).
2
Cook the rice according to the package instructions (typically, 1 cup (200g) of brown rice will need 2 cups (480ml) of liquid and about half an hour of cooking); however, use chicken stock instead of water.
3
Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed stock pot. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook for 7–10 minutes until soft and just starting to turn golden.
4
Add the chicken stock and bring everything to a simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice, chicken, and peas. Simmer until they are just heated through, around 5 minutes or so. Taste your soup and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper.
5
Add some fresh lemon juice to the soup. We are adding only a little bit of lemon juice just to brighten up the flavours; then we serve the soup with extra lemon wedges so each diner can adjust the amount of lemon juice according to their own taste. I personally add a lot of lemon juice to my bowls of this delicious chicken rice soup.
6
Ladle the soup into your serving bowls. Garnish with the herbs of your choice. Serve with extra lemon wedges.

FAQ

Can I make this soup ahead of time?+

Yes! This soup actually tastes better the next day as flavors meld together. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months—just let it cool completely first.

Can I use white rice instead of brown rice?+

You can, but you'll need to reduce the cooking time to about 15-20 minutes since white rice cooks much faster than brown rice; just add it later in the process so it doesn't get mushy.

What's the most common mistake when making this soup?+

Overcrowding the pot or not maintaining a gentle simmer—boiling too vigorously can make the chicken tough and broth cloudy instead of clear and clean-tasting.

How do I know when the chicken is done cooking?+

The chicken is ready when the meat is so tender it falls off the bone easily and the internal temperature reaches 165°F; this usually takes 60-75 minutes for a 3-pound bird.