Creamy Chicken & Rice Soup

Ingredients

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (trimmed)
• 1 Sazón packet (such as Goya)
• 2 tsp Creole seasoning
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 2 tbsp cooking oil (for searing chicken)
• 1 onion (small, diced)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 stalks celery (diced)
• 2 carrots (large, diced)
• 1.5 tbsp flour (all-purpose)
• 7 cup chicken broth
• fresh thyme (to taste)
• fresh rosemary (to taste)
• fresh sage (to taste)
• 1 tbsp basil (chopped)
• 2 tbsp parsley (chopped)
• 2 cup white rice (uncooked)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tsp adobo seasoning (for finishing)
• 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper (for finishing)
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper (for finishing)

Steps

1. 1

   In a large bowl, season the chicken thighs with the Sazón packet, Creole seasoning, smoked paprika, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Drizzle with a good amount of oil to coat.

2. 2

   Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken thighs on both sides until they are golden brown with a nice char. Do not cook them all the way through at this stage. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

3. 3

   In the same pan with the remaining chicken fat and oil, add the diced celery, carrots, onion, and minced garlic. Sauté until the vegetables begin to soften, making sure to scrape up the browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan.

4. 4

   Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook for about 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.

5. 5

   Gradually stir in the 7 cups of chicken broth. Continue to stir until the liquid slightly thickens.

6. 6

   Add the chopped basil, parsley, fresh sage, thyme, and rosemary back into the pot along with the seared chicken thighs.

7. 7

   Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is fork-tender and falls apart easily.

8. 8

   Remove the chicken thighs from the pot, shred the meat using two forks, and set aside.

9. 9

   Add the 2 cups of uncooked white rice to the broth and simmer for another 20 minutes, or until the rice is soft.

10. 10

    Stir the shredded chicken back into the pot and pour in the heavy cream.

11. 11

    Finish the soup by stirring in the adobo seasoning, cayenne pepper, and crushed red pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve hot.

Notes

The transcript mentions that the chicken should not be cooked all the way through during the initial sear as it will finish cooking during the simmer. If the soup becomes too thick after adding rice, you can add a splash more broth to reach your desired consistency.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• soup
• comfort food
• chicken
• rice
• one-pot
• dinner