Nourishing, savory, and super brothy, gluten free chicken soup with rice brimming with all the good stuff—garlic, carrots, and tender bits of chicken. Treat yourself during cold weather (and cold season) to a bowl of this hearty soup that will warm you from the inside out.
Chock full of silky basmati brown rice, shredded bits of roast chicken, and chopped spinach, gluten free chicken soup is the perfect meal for those times when you want something comforting, hearty, and scrape-the-bowl-clean good. Serve steaming bowls of soup with fresh baked gluten free sweet potato biscuits or a batch of gluten free honey cornbread muffins. I also love slices of gluten free pumpkin cornbread with chicken soup during fall.
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This Chicken Soup is So Comforting!
Chicken soup is a classic example of creating something lovely from the simplest of ingredients. A little garlic is sauteed in olive oil, then you'll add chopped carrots, then broth and chicken are cooked until cozy, with a handful of rice added at the end. Bulk up this nourishing soup with more vegetables if you like or keep it as-is (my kids prefer this soup quite plain and it is still plenty flavorful). I also like to add some dried herbs but you don't have to— the straightforward, homey flavors of rice, vegetables, and chicken are all you need.
- Adaptable. As noted, you can play around with the add-ins in this soup and I've included some ideas lower down.
- Keeps well. The longer this soup rests in the fridge the more the flavor deepens, so go ahead and enjoy it all week long!
- Gluten free. I make this soup with rice so it's naturally gluten-free and the rest of the ingredients are also gluten free. If you use chicken broth, check the package just to make sure that it's made in a facility that doesn't also process gluten.
Ingredients Needed
This is a simple, homey soup, and the ingredients list reflect that. You will find the full ingredient amounts and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Rice - Your choice of rice here—I used short grain long rice—rounds out the soup. Cook it ahead of time to save time.
- Chicken - Any kind of cooked chicken works, from leftover roast chicken to shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Olive oil
- Garlic - Add more garlic if you like a lot of garlic flavor.
- Carrots
- Chicken broth - Or use water or vegetable broth.
- Salt and pepper
Soup Add-In Ideas
- Add celery and onion - To add even more flavor to the base of the soup, start by sauteeing 1 chopped onion + 2 chopped celery ribs + the carrots and saute until soft, about 10 minutes. Then add the garlic and continue with the recipe.
- More vegetables - Try vegetables like peas, green beans, or sliced and sauteed mushrooms to the soup.
- Greens - I love adding baby spinach at the end of cooking time and letting it wilt. Other options could include chopped (and massaged, to break up its tough fibers) kale and chard.
- Noodles - Swap the rice for gluten-free noodles. I especially like gluten-free egg noodles in this soup.
How to Make Gluten Free Chicken Soup
Prep time for this soup is brief, but if you have a little extra time, set the soup pot on a back burner over low heat and let it simmer for up to an hour to develop the flavors.
- Sautee aromatics: In a large soup pot, cook the garlic and carrots on low heat for a few minutes.
- Add broth: Pour in the chicken broth.
- Stir in chicken: Now stir in the chicken and bring to a gentle boil, then simmer.
- Add rice: Season with salt and pepper, stif in the rice, and serve hot.
Soup Tips
- What kind of rice? You can use any type of rice in this soup. I like short-grain brown rice or long-grain (or basmati) white rice, but any variety works great!
- Cook the rice separately OR in the broth. I usually cook the rice separately and add it in at the (tip: save a bit of leftover rice the next time you make it, about 1 cup). You can also just cook the rice straight in the soup. Add ½-3/4 cup of dry rice to the pot when you add the broth and cook until tender. The amount you add is up to you.
- Homemade or store-bought broth. A store-bought chicken broth works really well, and of course, if you have homemade chicken stock that will add even more flavor!
- In a pinch use water. I've also made chicken soup with water as the base rather than broth and it also works very well.
- Make it turkey soup. This recipe is a great base for that leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Shred it up or cut it into chunks and add it to the soup pot rather than chicken.
- Think about add-ins! See my suggestions above for extras like noodles, vegetables, or greens.
- Herbs. Fresh or dried herbs like thyme or oregano add earthy flavor to the soup.
What Goes Well with Soup?
- Bread - A loaf of homemade or store-bought gluten free or regular bread is the best.
- Grilled cheese - Make a super cheese-packed grilled cheese to dip into soup.
- Salad - A simple salad of fresh baby greens or spinach tossed with halve cherry tomatoes and crunchy diced cucumber and dressed with a tart vinaigrette is perfect with soup.
How to Store and Reheat Extras
- Fridge - Transfer soup to an airtight container such as a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To Reheat - Place soup in a pot and warm it over low heat until heated through, or microwave a bowl of soup for 1 minute, give it a stir, then microwave for another minute. Check to see how hot it is; you may need to heat it for another minute.
More Easy Soup Recipes
If you try this gluten free chicken soup recipe, please let me know! And if you have any questions, always feel free to reach out in the comments or by email. I hope you love it! ❤️
Gluten Free Chicken Soup
Ingredients
Make separately
- ½-1 cup rice , your choice of rice made according to package directions
- 1 pound chicken , roasted until well done and chopped/shredded once cooled (I do mine rubbed in a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper, and dried basil on 375 F for 30-40 minutes depending on thickness). I like to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
For the soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic , thinly sliced
- 2 medium carrots , peeled and diced
- 4-5 cups chicken broth , or water
- Salt and pepper , to taste
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the 3 cloves garlic and 2 medium carrots and cook on low for 1-2 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the 4-5 cups chicken broth and raise the heat, then stir in the 1 pound chicken. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the ½-1 cup rice.
- Heat the soup a few minutes more if needed, then serve.
Notes
- What kind of rice? You can use any type of rice in this soup. I like short-grain brown rice or long-grain (or basmati) white rice, but any variety works great!
- Cook the rice separately OR in the broth. I usually cook the rice separately and add it in at the (tip: save a bit of leftover rice the next time you make it, about 1 cup). You can also just cook the rice straight in the soup. Add ½-3/4 cup of dry rice to the pot when you add the broth and cook until tender. The amount you add is up to you.
- Homemade or store-bought broth. A store-bought chicken broth works really well, and of course, if you have homemade chicken stock that will add even more flavor!
- In a pinch use water. I've also made chicken soup with water as the base rather than broth and it also works very well.
- Make it turkey soup. This recipe is a great base for that leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Shred it up or cut it into chunks and add it to the soup pot rather than chicken.
- Think about add-ins! See my suggestions above for extras like noodles, vegetables, or greens.
- Herbs. Fresh or dried herbs like thyme or oregano add earthy flavor to the soup.
helen says
Beautiful post with lovely imagery and great recipe!
Laurie says
Sierra looks as though she's loving the soup! Although I'm strictly vegetarian, I do enjoy seeing recipes that aren't overly meaty. Besides, you have to nourish your baby. My son loved chicken, so chicken it was. She looks like a good little eater (which is quite a relief and should make your life easier). Anxious to try some recipes from your cookbook. Be well.