Warm up on a chilly day with a comforting bowl of slow cooker chicken and rice soup! This hearty, wholesome soup is packed with tender chicken, fluffy rice, and lots of veggies, simmered all day in a flavorful broth.
This slow cooker soup will be a family favorite. It’s perfect for busy weeknights, cozy family dinners, or whenever you need an easy meal that practically cooks itself.
Chicken and rice soup is a staple in my family, especially during the colder months. There’s nothing like filling the house with the inviting aroma of chicken soup. I love the convenience and ease of making this in a slow cooker, so I can enjoy it without spending hours in the kitchen hovering and stirring.
Slowly simmering the chicken, vegetables, and rice together in a rich, seasoned broth intensifies the flavors. The rice adds a nice texture to the soup and also helps to thicken it, making it more substantial and satisfying.
If your idea of making soup involves opening a can, you might think this sounds like way too much work! But really, all you do is toss some veggies and leftover chicken in the slow cooker. With just a few basic ingredients and minimal prep work, you can have a flavorful, hearty soup that tastes like it came straight from grandma’s kitchen.
In this post, I’ll walk you through the simple process of making your own slow cooker chicken and rice soup. Embrace the comfort and convenience of slow cooking and discover your new go-to recipe for cozy, satisfying chicken and rice soup!
Are you looking for more delicious soup recipes? Try slow cooker pasta e fagioli, slow cooker potato soup, or French onion soup.
🥘Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Cooked chicken: I like to use leftover cooked chicken for this recipe because it’s a great way to use up any extra from a previous meal.
- Carrots
- Celery
- Onion
- Chicken stock
- Chicken gravy mix: This adds a ton of flavor and helps thicken up the broth.
- Seasoning: I use onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and black pepper.
- Rice: I used a long grain and wild rice mix in these photos, but white rice works great, too.
- Heavy cream
- Parsley: optional
🥣How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Soup
- First, gather all your ingredients and chop up your veggies. I like to slice my carrots and celery and dice my onion, but you can cut them however you like.
- Add the cooked chicken, chopped veggies, chicken stock, gravy mix, and spices to your slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Set your slow cooker to low and let it cook for 6 hours (or 4 hours on high if you’re in a rush).
- About an hour before serving, add in your rice and stir. This will give the rice plenty of time to cook and absorb the flavor, but not so long it gets mushy.
- Right before serving, stir in your heavy cream.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
🍴Serving Ideas
Whether you’re feeling under the weather, looking for an easy weeknight meal, or just craving something warm and cozy, this slow cooker chicken and rice soup has got you covered. Of course, you can’t go wrong with serving it up in a big bowl!
You may want to add some toppings. A sprinkle of fresh parsley or a spoonful of sour cream can take this soup from good to great. If you feel extra indulgent, you could add some shredded cheese or crumbled bacon.
If you’re serving this soup as part of a larger meal, pair it with a simple side salad or some crusty bread for dipping. It’s the perfect way to round out the meal and make sure everyone leaves the table feeling full and satisfied.
💭How to Store
Once the soup is cooled, transfer any leftovers to an airtight container. If you’re planning on eating the leftovers within a few days, you can store the soup in the fridge. It should keep for 3-4 days.
If you want to store the soup for longer, you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Leave a little extra room at the top of the container to allow for expansion as the soup freezes.
When you’re ready to eat the frozen soup, just transfer it to the fridge and let it thaw overnight. Then, reheat it on the stove or in the microwave until it’s hot and bubbly.
The rice in the soup may absorb some of the broth as it sits, so when reheating you may need to add a little extra chicken stock or water when reheating to get it back to the right consistency.
⭐Tips
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- I used a long grain and wild rice mix, but you can easily swap in any other type of rice you have on hand. If you want to use brown rice, add it to the slow cooker for the entire cooking time, not just the last hour.
- On the other hand, don’t add white rice for the whole cooking time. It will turn to mush.
- If your soup is a bit too thick, add some extra chicken stock or water to thin it out.
- You can swap the heavy cream with half-and-half or coconut milk for a lighter version of the soup.
- I don’t add any salt to the soup because chicken broth is usually salty.
- Add any other veggies you have on hand, like mushrooms, peas, or kale, for a pop of green.
- This recipe is also great with leftover turkey.
- You can make this on the stovetop instead of in a slow cooker. Just follow the same basic steps, but simmer the soup over low heat for about an hour, adding the rice for the last half hour of cooking.
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Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2-3 cups cooked chicken
- 3 carrots sliced
- 2 stalks celery sliced
- 1 onion diced
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 envelope chicken gravy mix
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ cup white and long grain rice mix or white rice
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- Add the cooked chicken, carrots, celery, onion, stock, chicken gravy mix, onion powder, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, and black pepper to your slow cooker.2-3 cups cooked chicken, 3 carrots, 2 stalks celery, 1 onion, 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock, 1 envelope chicken gravy mix, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours.
- About 1 hour before serving, add the rice to the slow cooker, stir, and cover.¾ cup white and long grain rice mix
- Right before serving, stir in the cream.1 cup heavy cream
- Garnish with parsley and serve.Parsley for garnish
Notes
- If you want to use brown rice, add it to the slow cooker for the entire cooking time, not just the last hour.
- You can swap the heavy cream with half-and-half or coconut milk for a lighter version of the soup.
- I don’t add any salt to the soup because chicken broth is usually salty.
- Add any other veggies you have on hand, like mushrooms, peas, or kale.
- This recipe is also great with leftover turkey.
- You can make this on the stovetop instead of in a slow cooker. Just follow the same basic steps, but simmer the soup over low heat for about an hour, adding the rice for the last half hour of cooking.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
You have Italian Seasoning listed in the ingredients, but poultry seasoning is shown in the instructions. Can you clarify?