Chicken Rice Soup-Meal
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A hearty chicken and rice broth with tender vegetables and peppery greens. Cooked slowly until rice swells, colors blend, aromas lift. Uses paprika for subtle warmth, Herbes salées add depth. Swapped plain water with broth for richness. Roquette substitutes for baby spinach. Timing flexible, watch textures not clocks. Chunky chicken pieces add heft. No dairy, nuts, or eggs—friendly for many diets. Simple, easy to tweak, forgiving in cooking times. Rustic, straightforward. Feed four with leftovers. Ideal when cold hits or when craving home style, soul-warming soup. Rustic bread optional but highly recommended. Satisfying, comforting, no flash. It’s about patience, familiarity, and that first rich spoonful punch.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
35 min
Total:
55 min
Servings:
4 servings
#soup
#chicken
#French-Canadian
#comfort food
#homemade
#rice
#fall recipes
Soup that feels like a hug from inside. The subtle smoky touch of paprika wakes up the chicken broth, but beware—too much smoke and it overpowers. I learned this by trying stronger paprika types; ended with subdued sweet paprika instead of the usual hot. Cooking rice in broth—never water—makes the grain soak flavors, plump juicy, avoid sticking or turning pasty. Arugula instead of spinach adds bite and peppery brightness. Herbes salées blend anchors herbal base without cluttering. The bubbling simmer is key; too hard, veggies break down, too low, rice stays firm. Watch steam, smell changes, and texture, not clock. Past attempts with instant veggies killed the soup. Fresh figures steaks—not mush.
Ingredients
- 1.6 litre (6 2/3 cups) chicken broth
- 3 carrots, sliced very thin
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 65 g (1/3 cup minus 1 tbsp) parboiled rice
- 8 ml (1 1/2 tsp) smoked paprika
- 320 g (2 cups) cooked chicken, chopped
- 50 g (2 cups) arugula, chopped
- 10 ml (2 tsp) Herbes salées blend or homemade
About the ingredients
The chicken broth is the soul here; homemade is better if time allows, but quality store-bought works, avoid watered down or too salty. Carrots sliced thin speed cooking and add subtle earthy sweetness. Celery diced finely keeps flavor while softening evenly. I cut rice quantity 5% less to avoid excessive thickening after resting; better slightly looser soup. Switched plain paprika for smoked version for character—feel free to revert based on preference or pantry. Arugula gives peppery crunch when fresh; swap for baby kale or spinach if unavailable but adjust timing since these greens wilt quicker. Herbes salées blend essential—no plain herbs; you want salt-herb combo. Cookware matters: heavy bottom pot prevents scorching when simmering long.
Method
- Heat broth in a large pot to rolling boil. The crucial base. Now toss in carrots, celery, rice, smoked paprika. No stirring yet. Reduce to medium-low to gentle simmer; tiny bubbles tell you it’s almost done. Let soften and imbibe flavors 18-22 mins — look for rice edges swelling and veggies tender but still with a hint of bite. The aroma will shift recognizable now; paprika turning subtle warmth in air. Push wooden spoon gently to test softness. If rice still too firm after 20, a few more minutes needed but no mush — texture balance.
- Add chicken chunks, chopped arugula, and Herbes salées. These brighten, freshen the broth. Stir gently just to mix; don't over-stir—greens wilt fast turning slimy. Cook 5-7 mins more. This step melts chicken warm but doesn't dry it out. The soup thickens slightly from rice starch release. Check for pepper to your liking now, add fresh cracked pepper if too mild.
- Portion hot into bowls. Quiet moment — steam rising, smell draws you in. Optional rustic bread on side, best slightly toasted so crunch contrasts tender soup. Keeps it rustic, no fuss. If soup thickened too much, a splash of hot broth or water rescues consistency. Serve immediately, but flavors deepen if left to rest 10 mins. Reheat gently, avoid boiling again or greens lose vibrance.
Cooking tips
Start with a proper boil of broth to ensure even heat distribution. Adding rice and veggies too early or in the wrong order leads to uneven texture; rice benefits from full immersion upfront. Simmer, not boil hard—tiny bubbles, light steam rising, gentle stirring occasional but minimal to avoid breaking up rice. Carrot thinness machines quick doneness; thicker slices need longer. Add chicken and arugula near end—chicken needs just warming through, and greens must stay vibrant, not slapped into mush. Herbs last for seasoning punch, added only at close to end for freshness. Taste at all steps saves disasters. If stuck, add small water splash to loosen thickened broth rather than more broth dilution. Serve piping hot; leftovers thicken — reheat gently with splash of broth or water.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Start broth at full rolling boil before adding carrots, celery, rice, paprika. Sets temp baseline for even cooking. Don’t stir till simmer steady. Tiny bubbles signal perfect heat. Patience to catch rice edges swelling, veggies tender but firm. Avoid mush by adjusting heat not time alone. Wooden spoon tests softness best; no timer obsession.
- 💡 Add chicken, arugula, Herbes salées near end—greens wilt too fast if early, lose peppery crunch, turn slimy. Stir gently once only to combine; over-stir ruins texture. Chicken chunks gently warm, no drying. Keep simmer low, rice starch thickens soup just right. Salt and cracked pepper adjusted last step, taste often.
- 💡 Thin slices carrots quick cook but control thickness for texture. Celery diced fine for even flavor release without overpowering. Reduce rice just under usual amount to keep broth loose after rest. Broth quality matters—homemade preferred but store-bought ok if not watered down or salty. Sub smoke paprika if preferred plain, changes aroma profile completely.
- 💡 Fresh arugula key for peppery bite; baby kale or spinach swap possible but timing tweaks needed. Spinach wilts quicker so add even closer to end. Herbes salées blend—salt plus herbs—mandatory, no plain herb sub. Avoid dried plain herbs alone or lose seasoning punch. Heavy bottom pot recommended to prevent scorching during long simmer.
- 💡 If soup thickens too much on standing, loosen with splash hot broth or water, not cold water. Reheat gently, avoid hard boil or greens lose vibrancy. Rustic bread toasted side contrast great texture. Watch aromas shift—smoked paprika warming in air signals right timing. Texture and smell over strict timing counts.
Common questions
How to avoid mushy rice?
Keep simmer gentle, no hard boil. Watch bubbles. Rice edges swell signal done. Wooden spoon push test works better than timer. Adjust heat more than time. Add exact rice less than usual 5% to avoid thick paste after rest.
Can I substitute spinach for arugula?
Yes but spinach wilts faster than arugula, add very last minute to avoid slimy texture. Baby kale maybe but tougher leaves, cook longer. Flavor shifts—arugula peppery, spinach mild. Adjust timing to keep greens fresh crisp.
What if broth tastes bland?
Use quality broth, homemade best. Store brands vary salty, sometimes watered down. Add Herbes salées late to boost flavor. Fresh cracked pepper at end helps punch. Splash water or broth if too thick but watch dilution. Adjust seasoning incrementally.
How to store leftovers?
Cool quickly, fridge up to 3 days fine. Soup thickens when cooled, reheat adding hot broth or water to loosen. Avoid boiling on reheat greens turn dull, stir gently warming. Freezing okay but texture loss on rice and greens likely. Consume soon if frozen.
