Enjoy a comforting bowl of this healthy high-protein chicken and rice soup, perfect for a lightened meal or cozy winter evening.

Healthy High-Protein Chicken & Rice Soup - Lightened Recipe 16

This easy recipe is great for healthy meals for two or a family dinner. Discover the details. Each serving provides about 30 grams of protein.

What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe
Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress
Time Needed From Start To Finish
How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues
Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life
Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them
How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture
Questions People Always Ask Before Making This Recipe

What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe

This healthy high-protein chicken and rice soup is a true weeknight hero. It’s incredibly simple to prepare, making it ideal for busy evenings when you want something nourishing without a lot of fuss. This recipe is designed for home cooks who appreciate wholesome ingredients and crave a satisfying meal that won’t weigh them down. It’s perfect for anyone looking for a lighter take on a classic comfort food, whether you’re trying to eat healthier, increase your protein intake, or simply enjoy a delicious, warming soup. You can serve it as a light lunch, a hearty dinner for two, or easily scale it up for a family meal. It’s especially comforting on a chilly evening but light enough to enjoy any time of year.

Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress

Gathering your ingredients ahead of time makes the cooking process smooth and enjoyable. This recipe uses common pantry staples and fresh produce that are easy to find at any grocery store. We focus on lean protein and wholesome grains to keep it light and nutritious.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

For simple substitutions, you can easily swap out brown rice for white rice or even quinoa if you prefer. Just make sure it’s already cooked before adding it to the soup. If you don’t have fresh parsley, a sprinkle of dried parsley or even fresh dill would work nicely for garnish. For the chicken, leftover rotisserie chicken is a fantastic time-saver; just shred it up and you’re good to go. You can also use chicken thighs if you prefer dark meat, just ensure they are cooked and shredded.

Time Needed From Start To Finish

This recipe is designed for speed and efficiency, perfect for a quick meal.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes

How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues

Follow these straightforward steps to create a delicious and healthy chicken and rice soup.

Sauté the aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, diced carrots, and diced celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5-7 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften and the onion becomes translucent. You’ll notice a fragrant aroma filling your kitchen.
Add the garlic and seasonings: Stir in the minced garlic and dried thyme. Cook for another minute until the garlic is fragrant, being careful not to let it burn. This step really builds the flavor base for your soup.
Pour in the broth: Carefully pour in the low-sodium chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let it cook for about 10 minutes, or until the carrots and celery are tender when pierced with a fork.
Incorporate chicken and rice: Add the cooked shredded chicken and cooked brown rice to the pot. Stir everything together to combine.
Season the soup: Season the soup with 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and salt to taste. Start with a small amount of salt and add more if needed, as broth sodium levels can vary. Allow the soup to heat through for 2-3 minutes.
Garnish and serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with fresh chopped parsley before serving. The fresh herbs add a pop of color and brightness.

Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life

This healthy chicken and rice soup is incredibly versatile and can be adapted to suit different tastes and occasions. For a kid-friendly twist, you can add a handful of small pasta shapes like ditalini or alphabet pasta along with the rice, or even some frozen peas in the last few minutes of cooking for extra veggies. If your kids are particular about textures, you can blend a portion of the soup (before adding chicken and rice) to create a smoother base, then stir in the other ingredients.

To add more vegetables, consider stirring in a cup of chopped spinach or kale during the last few minutes of cooking until wilted. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end can brighten up the flavors beautifully. For a bit of a kick, a pinch of red pepper flakes can be added with the garlic.

This soup is wonderful on its own, but it also pairs perfectly with a side of crusty whole-grain bread or a light green salad. For a heartier meal, you could serve it with a grilled cheese sandwich. If you’re serving it for a gathering, set out a small bowl of extra fresh parsley, a wedge of lemon, and perhaps some grated Parmesan cheese as optional toppings for guests to customize their bowls.

Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them

Even simple recipes can have small pitfalls. Here are a few common mistakes and how to steer clear of them for the best soup every time.

One frequent error is overcooking the vegetables at the start. While you want them tender, you don’t want them mushy. Cook them until they are just softened, about 5-7 minutes, before adding the broth. This ensures they retain some texture in the finished soup.

Another common issue is over-salting the soup. Since chicken broth can vary widely in sodium content, it’s best to use low-sodium broth and then add salt gradually at the end. Taste as you go, adding small pinches until the flavor is just right. Remember, you can always add more salt, but you can’t easily take it away.

Adding uncooked rice directly to the soup is another mistake that can lead to a starchy, overly thick soup and undercooked rice. Always use *cooked* rice for this recipe. This ensures the rice is perfectly tender and doesn’t absorb too much of your precious broth.

Finally, not mincing the garlic properly can result in harsh, uneven garlic flavor. Take the time to finely mince your garlic cloves so their flavor disperses evenly throughout the soup without any overwhelming bites.

How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture

This healthy chicken and rice soup is fantastic for meal prepping and leftovers. To store, allow the soup to cool completely to room temperature. Transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.

For reheating, gently warm the soup on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave. If the soup has thickened significantly in the refrigerator, you might want to add a splash of extra chicken broth or water to reach your desired consistency.

If you plan to make this soup ahead of time for future meals, a good tip is to store the cooked rice separately from the broth and vegetables. This prevents the rice from absorbing too much liquid and becoming mushy. When you’re ready to eat, simply combine the heated broth and vegetables with the cooked rice. This method ensures the best texture for both components. Freezing is also an option; divide the cooled soup into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Questions People Always Ask Before Making This Recipe

Can I use fresh chicken instead of cooked? Yes, absolutely! If you’re starting with raw chicken, you can dice 1-1.5 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs. Sauté it in the pot before adding the vegetables until it’s cooked through, then remove it, shred or dice, and add it back with the cooked rice.

What kind of rice is best for this soup? Cooked brown rice is recommended for its nutty flavor and fiber content, but cooked white rice or even wild rice would also work well. The key is to use *already cooked* rice.

Can I make this soup vegetarian? You can easily adapt this recipe to be vegetarian. Swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth and omit the chicken. You could add a can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans or chickpeas for extra protein.

How do I make the soup thicker? If you prefer a thicker soup, you can mash a portion of the cooked vegetables against the side of the pot with a spoon, or blend a small amount of the soup base before adding the chicken and rice. You could also stir in a tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with a little cold water (a slurry) at the end, bringing it to a simmer until thickened.

Is this soup spicy? No, this recipe is mild. If you enjoy a little heat, you can add a pinch of red pepper flakes along with the garlic.

**Can I add other herbs

FAQs

Can I make these ahead? Yes—prep ahead, refrigerate, then serve when ready.
How long do leftovers last? Store covered in the fridge for 3–4 days for best texture.
Can I adjust sweetness? Yes—add more or less sweetener to taste.
Can I change the fruit? Yes—swap strawberries for blueberries, raspberries, or sliced banana.