Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup is a great bowl of comfort on a chilly day.

creamy chicken and rice soup in bowl with spoon

Everyone loves a good bowl of soup on a cold winter day. This Chicken and Rice Soup is thick and creamy, and it’s full of vegetables and plenty of chicken. The rice is added in to make it a complete meal. It’ll fill you up and keep you satisfied!

Random Story:

I grew up near Lake Tahoe for the 2nd half of my childhood life, and I lived there for 4 years of my adult life too. If you’ve never visited Lake Tahoe, you’re totally missing out. It’s perfectly lovely in the summer… gorgeous lake, unbelievable sunsets, mountain hikes, fresh mountain air, and cute cabins to rent all around the lake. In the winter it’s covered in a thick layer of snow. Skiers take over the towns and inhabit the many world-class ski resorts that Tahoe has to offer. It was fun living close to Tahoe. As a kid I rode the ski bus every Saturday in the winter for lessons at the nearest resort. In high school, I talked my way onto the ski team, where we had the privilege of leaving school at 11am every Wed for a half-day on the slopes, and then I skied on Saturdays and Sundays too. Skiing makes you tired- exhausted, in fact-and it makes you ravenously hungry. After a full day of skiing, you really want to down a bowl of hot soup like this Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup

showing two pictures process of making chicken soup

How to make Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup:

In a soup pot, veggies and garlic are sautéed in a little bit of olive oil. Broth and seasonings are added in, and all is simmered for about 15 minutes. Flour is mixed with evaporated milk, and that’s mixed into the soup with corn and peas. Chicken and rice are added in last.

creamy chicken and rice soup in a pot

And then you’ll have a pot of super creamy chicken and rice soup!

creamy chicken and rice soup in a pot with a ladle

About evaporated milk:

People always ask if they can add in regular milk in place of evaporated milk. My answer is, “Why would you want to?!” Evaporated milk is wonderful when added to soup. It’s a more concentrated form of milk that gives it a creamy texture without adding too much fat. If you have to replace it with anything else, I recommend using half and half or heavy cream.

Ski Girl with a list of favorites

Back to my random story… of enjoying soup after a day of skiing:

Here’s what all of this crazy stuff means:

  • French fries with mayonnaise:  When I was in high school, I often skied with my friend Carrie.  Every time we went to the lodge for lunch, she ordered french fries with mayonnaise.  I never quite understood the appeal, but eating in a ski lodge always reminds me of that.
  • Adam Ant:  Back in high school, walkmans were popular (anyone remember what those were?!)  My friend Pattie and I listened to Adam Ant on the slopes, often plugging our headphones into the same walkman as we were skiing down the mountain together.  Crazy kids!
  • Hot beverages on the mountain:  There is absolutely nothing like drinking a hot chocolate with Baileys after you’ve skied the moguls all day long.  Best thing ever.
  • Hot blond, ski instructors:  When I was younger (not now… of course!) my friends and I were always on the lookout for hot, blond ski instructors.  There were always at least a few to chase down the mountain.
  • Soup:  The best-ever meal while spending a day on the slopes (or after) is soup.  Warmth floating into your belly is just what you need when you’re defrosting.

creamy chicken and rice soup in a white bowl

This Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup is creamy, but not in a “heavy cream” sort of way. It’s completely hearty enough to fill a freezing belly in the winter. And it’s a healthy choice, so if you happen to be following the Weight Watchers WW plan, you’ll find a link to the WW Points on the recipe card at the end of this post. Enjoy! 

creamy chicken and rice soup in two bowls

Here are a few more soup recipes you might like to try:

creamy chicken and rice soup in bowl with spoon
5 from 3 votes

Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup

An absolutely delicious and comforting soup to make on a chilly day!
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
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Ingredients

Instructions 

  • Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and green beans. Stir and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until slightly tender. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the broth, seasoning, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and milk until smooth. Stir it into the soup along with the peas and corn. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes, until thickened. Stir in the chicken and rice and heat through until the soup is creamy. If the soup thickens too much upon cooking or standing, it's okay to stir in a little extra chicken broth.

Notes

  • If you're counting WW Points be sure to use 2% evaporated milk.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 341kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 865mg, Potassium: 756mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 3020IU, Vitamin C: 30mg, Calcium: 155mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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30 Comments

  1. Eshee says:

    Delish! Made today and it turned out great!

  2. Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts says:

    Love this soup. Your list makes me laugh, and brings back all my days of skiing in the winter (in the Midwest, so completely different). My brother was a ski instructor, and he was blond…so I wonder what the girls thought about him. Probably dont’ want to go there in my head 🙂

  3. Erika @ The Hopeless Housewife says:

    Chicken and rice soup is quite possibly the most comforting soup ever!

  4. Megan {Country Cleaver} says:

    I’m totally that weirdo who orders mayo with my fries. And I need ketchup too. Then I made fry sauce – because that is the end all be all of fry dips.

  5. Michelle says:

    LOVE your Pampered Chef Stoneware you are using to show off the fantastic recipe!!! (yes, i’m a consultant lol)

  6. Elizabeth@ Food Ramblings says:

    thanks for sharing part of your childhood with us 🙂

  7. Carla @ Carlas Confections says:

    I grew up in Reno, so I was always skiing at Mt Rose, and I was also on the ski team in high school! I wasnt good at all, but it was a lot of fun 🙂 The best thing after a day of skiing is definitely a hot bowl of soup like this 🙂 This one looks so delicious!

  8. Shelia says:

    This soup looks so yummy! Staying indoors this weekend and now I know what we’ll be eating – thanks!

  9. Sommer@ASpicyPerspective says:

    Oh girl, I haven’t been skiing OR had creamy chicken soup in so long–it’s time!

  10. andrea says:

    Soup looks so good! I live overseas and haven’t seen evaporated milk…but will look. I am guessing plain milk could work? maybe just not as creamy?

    1. Lori Lange says:

      Perhaps- though I’d use whole milk.