This thick, creamy, Chicken Bacon Rice Soup is so easy to make and comes together quickly in one pot!
You guys.
I think this is the best soup I’ve ever made.
I mean, there was this soup, and the hubby thought that one was the best soup I’d ever made. But, it turns out bacon wins every time. I think this one might take the cake.
It’s really hard to compare though, as they are totally different kinds of soup. One with potato, the other rice. One with sausage, the other bacon. Both creamy. Both insanely good.
But about this Chicken Bacon Rice Soup.
It has bacon.
Are you convinced yet?
As I started cooking my bacon on the stove for this soup, the hubby calls down from upstairs and says, “I don’t know what you’re cooking, but it smells good.” The bacon takes it to the next level.
Bacon takes everything to the next level.
Moving on. So I had made a creamy Chicken Bacon Rice soup of some sort back in the fall, and I remember thinking it was so absolutely delicious, but just way too much work. It just took so long for everything, especially the rice, to cook. So this week I was thinking about it and I really wanted to try making a quick version with all the same flavours.
I always keep a box of brown Minute Rice in my pantry for rice emergencies. You know, for those times when you’re making something that you really want to serve with rice, but the rice was kind of an afterthought, and you really don’t have an hour to cook long grain brown rice. I thought this was the perfect opportunity to dig it out.
I added a good amount of veggies, because I am not a huge veggie lover (surprise!), but I will eat just about anything if you put it in a thick creamy soup. With bacon.
I dice my vegetables quite small so that they cook really quickly. I used cooked chicken from a whole chicken I had cooked in the slow cooker the day before, but it would be super easy to use uncooked chicken breasts — I’ll include tips for doing that in the recipe notes below.
Best. Creation. Ever.
Just perfect for a cool, rainy spring day.
*Recipe and photos updated January 25, 2016
Creamy Chicken Bacon Rice Soup
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon (chopped)
- 2 ribs celery (chopped)
- 2 large carrots (chopped)
- 1 small onion diced finely
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon salt (reduce if using salted broth)
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb. uncooked)
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1 cup low fat milk
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
Instructions
- In a large pot, cook bacon 3-4 minutes over medium-high, until starting to crisp.
- Remove bacon with a slotted spoon.
- Add celery, carrots and onion to the pot with the bacon fat and saute until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, salt, parsley, thyme, and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute.
- Add broth and bring to a boil. Stir in chicken breasts (uncooked) and rice. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 12-14 minutes, until chicken is cooked through (it will reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F) and rice is al dente.
- Remove chicken to a cutting board and shred.
- Whisk together milk and corn starch and stir into the pot with the shredded chicken.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes, until thickened, and stir the bacon back in before serving.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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Jo R says
Can I substitute the brown rice with a white rice such as Arborio rice or a risotto type white rice as I can’t have brown rice due to gastroparesis?
Ashley Fehr says
I would substitute with white minute or instant rice and reduce the cook time to 5 minutes
Melanie says
Hi Ashley,
This looks so good! If I use raw chicken, do I leave it in the pan with the veggies and add the broth?
There aren’t any steps that mention the chicken, so I want to be clear.
Ashley Fehr says
Sorry for the confusion! Instructions for raw chicken are listed in the recipe notes
DamePounce says
I’m in the process of making this right now and I don’t see where I’m supposed to put the chicken in. It’s precooked (leftovers from a whole chicken in the crockpot yesterday!) so I’m waiting until I put the milk in, but what step did you actually do it?
Christy says
This was VERY delicious!!! I work for my dad who owns a small local bar and grill. Made this today for the soup special it was a hit!! Every one loved it. I’ll definitely be making this again! Thanks for sharing.
Ashley says
Thanks Christy! So glad it was enjoyed!
Cindy Eikenberg says
Hi Ashley! This soup looks and sounds amazing – I know my hubby would love it – he loves soup and bacon! 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing at Best of the Weekend and pinned! Hope you have a wonderful rest of the week and a great Wednesday!
Vickie says
Chicken and bacon – what’s not to love! This sounds really good and easy, which is right up my alley. Thanks for the recipe!
Ashley says
Thanks Vickie! Good and easy are two things we love 🙂
Kristina & Millie says
Looks and sounds so delish!! pinned 🙂
Ashley says
Thanks so much!
Jess @ On Sugar Mountain says
Chicken and rice soup is always one of my faves, and throw in bacon and make it quick/easy? Count me in! New favorite soup recipe indeed. 😀
Ashley says
Haha, thanks Jess! It must have been the bacon that got him 😉