My Mediterranean Chicken and Rice Soup is the soothing, comforting meal that we all crave at times. And when it comes to comfort food, few dishes compare with a warming, hearty bowl of homemade soup. This one pot soup has a flavoursome broth, filled with a medley of vegetables, tender poached chicken breast, aromatic herbs and rice. This rejuvenating elixir is certain to become a favourite.
Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- Like my Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup, this is an easy recipe to make, suitable for cooks of all skill levels.
- The soup is made in one pot which means less washing up. Always good!
- By poaching the chicken breast in the broth, there is a layering of flavours. The aromatic broth flavours the chicken which in turn adds flavour to the broth.
- The soup can be gluten-free. Check that your stock is suitable.
- You can customise the ingredients to suit your taste or what you have on hand.
Recipe Inspiration: I developed this recipe using some of my favourite Mediterranean ingredients, poached chicken for protein and gentle, soothing rice. It is a very satisfying combination of flavours.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
- Extra virgin olive oil: for the best flavour, we prefer to use this oil from the first pressing of the olives.
- Brown/yellow onion, carrot and celery: we sauté the diced onion, carrot and celery. This combination is a "soffritto", the flavour base for many Italian dishes. The vegetables become slightly caramelised, adding depth of flavour to the broth.
- Garlic: we use fresh garlic cloves; the flavour is superior to bottled varieties.
- Parsley: flat-leaf parsley is our preference. The stems are finely chopped and added to the broth. The finely chopped leaves are used to garnish the soup for serving.
- Chicken stock: use homemade stock or a good quality commercial variety. It is important to use a well flavoured stock as it is the basis for your soup.
- Chicken breasts: we poach skinless, boneless chicken breasts in the broth and then shred them to add just before serving.
- Fresh thyme, fresh rosemary and dried oregano: are traditional Mediterranean herbs and add complex flavours.
- Dried chilli flakes: add gentle spice. Use more if you like some heat.
- Parmesan rind: leftover Parmesan rind has so many uses. Use it to flavour soups, stews or pasta sauces. It adds a savoury note.
- Long grain rice: adds bulk, mild flavour and gentle texture. The starch from the rice slightly thickens the soup.
- Cherry tomatoes: these small, sweet tomatoes add colour and flavour.
- Baby spinach: a great way to include some greens.
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper: these are essential seasoning ingredients. Before serving the soup, check that the soup is seasoned to your taste.
- Parmesan cheese: finely grated Parmesan is added to the soup for serving.
Variations:
Chicken breast: if you prefer, you could use skinless, boneless chicken thighs. As well, you could use leftover Roast Chicken, added towards the end to just warm through.
Parsley: instead of garnishing the soup with parsley, you could use finely sliced fresh basil.
Baby spinach: you could use finely chopped kale as an alternative.
How To Make Mediterranean Chicken and Rice Soup:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 - Sauté the vegetables:
Add olive oil to a large saucepan, over medium heat, add diced onion, carrot and celery and sauté gently until the vegetables soften and the onion becomes translucent. Add the garlic and parsley stems and sauté.
2 - Cook the chicken in the broth:
Add chicken stock, chicken, herbs, chilli flakes and Parmesan rind. Ensure the chicken breasts are submerged by the liquid. Over low heat, gently bring to a simmer. Simmer until the chicken is cooked.
3 - Shred the chicken:
Using two forks, shred the cooked chicken finely.
4 - Combine remaining ingredients:
Add rice and cherry tomatoes and simmer gently until the rice is cooked. Return the cooked, shredded chicken to the pot, along with the baby spinach.
Season to taste and serve with a sprinkle of parsley and grated Parmesan.
Hint: a chicken breast is lean, and it will become dry if it is overcooked. For this reason, I recommend using a thermometer to determine when it is cooked as it is more accurate than timing.
Tips for Success, Storage and FAQs:
If you are not serving the soup straight away, you can make it two days ahead of time. The soup will thicken on standing, so you may need to add more stock.
Yes, it can be frozen. As soon as it is cool, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three months.
Top Tip:
A well flavoured stock, either homemade or store bought, is essential to a rich flavoured soup. For the best result, use good quality ingredients.
Serving Suggestions:
This satisfying and comforting Mediterranean Chicken and Rice Soup is ideal to serve:
- As a light, satisfying lunch.
- For a more substantial meal, serve with our No-Knead Spelt Focaccia.
- Take to a potluck; it will be well received.
- Gift some to a family member or friend who is unwell or doing it tough. It's a great way to show that you care.
I am certain this Mediterranean Chicken and Rice Soup will become a family favourite and look forward to hearing in the comments below if you give it a try.
Alex xx
More Delicious Recipes For You To Try:
Stay in touch!
Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Flipboard and Instagram and subscribe to my newsletter.
Mediterranean Chicken and Rice Soup
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil See Note 1
- 1 medium brown/yellow onion - peeled and finely diced
- 1 large carrot - washed, finely diced
- 2 ribs celery - finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic - finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon parsley stems - finely chopped, leaves set aside for garnish
- 6 cups (1.5 litres) chicken stock
- 2 skinless/boneless chicken breasts - approx. 400 g (14 oz total weight)
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary - finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves - finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli pepper flakes
- 1 piece Parmesan rind - about 7 ½ cm/3 inches See Note 2
- 150 g (¾ cup) long grain rice - rinsed and drained well
- 170 g (6 oz) cherry tomatoes - quartered
- 2 cups baby spinach - firmly packed
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste See Note 3
To Serve:
- 3 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley leaves - finely chopped
- Parmesan cheese - freshly grated
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a large saucepan, and over medium heat, add the diced onion, carrot and celery and sauté gently for about 5-7 minutes until the vegetables soften and the onion becomes translucent. Stir occasionally.
- Add the finely chopped garlic and parsley stems to the pan and sauté for 1 minute.
- To the vegetables, add in the chicken stock, chicken breast, Parmesan rind and herbs. Make sure the chicken breasts are submerged with the liquid.Over low heat, with the lid on, gently bring to a simmer.
- Simmer for about 12-15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked and registers 74 C (165 F) on a thermometer. Remove the chicken breasts and set aside on a chopping board to rest for 5 minutes before shredding with two forks. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, add the rice and cherry tomatoes and, with the lid off, simmer gently for 10 minutes, or until the rice is cooked. Add the shredded chicken and baby spinach to the pot, bring back to simmer and simmer for an additional 2 minutes to wilt the spinach.
- Remove the Parmesan rind and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.If the soup is too thick, add some additional stock or water.Serve with a sprinkle of finely chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese.If not serving immediately, keep in mind the soup will thicken on standing and more stock may be required.
Notes
- Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons). For readers located elsewhere in the world, please use 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon for each listed tablespoon.
- Parmesan Rind: a small piece of leftover Parmesan rind softens as the soup cooks and adds great flavour.
- Seasoning: adjust the seasoning to your liking - we recommend using freshly ground black pepper and sea salt flakes for the best flavour. Add more red chilli pepper flakes if you like the heat.
- Storage and reheating: store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. It can be reheated on the stove or in the microwave. The soup will thicken while standing, so add some more stock or water.
- Freezing: allow to cool completely before storing the soup in a freezer safe container for up to three months.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Leave a Comment