Rice-a-Roni Chicken Soup

A pot of creamy soup with rice, and chicken and veggies. A soup ladle inside the pot of soup.

This one pot creamy Rice-a-Roni Chicken Soup is simple to make and the best way to use up leftover chicken or a rotisserie chicken. Chicken broth is the base of this soup, with rice pilaf rice-a-roni mix, chicken, vegetables, and it's made creamy with cream cheese and cream of chicken soup. This soup is so warm and comforting!

Course Dinner, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword creamy chicken soup with rice, rice-a-roni soup

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings

Calories 438kcal

Author Jessica - Together as Family

Equipment

Ingredients

6-7 cups chicken broth
1 box (7.25 oz) Rice-a-Roni Rice Pilaf
2 cups small chopped broccoli ^{(fresh broccoli not frozen)}
1 cup finely shredded carrots
1 small white or yellow onion ^{finely diced}
2½ cups cooked chicken ^{(chopped or in chunks)}
1 can (10.75 oz) cream of chicken soup
8 ounces cream cheese ^softened

Instructions

In a large soup pot, over high heat, add the chicken broth, rice-a-roni contents (including the seasoning packet), broccoli, shredded carrots, and onion.
Stir together and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, cover the pot with a lid, and reduce heat to medium-low. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes.
^{* At the end of the simmer time vegetables should be softened and the rice should be cooked.}
^{* Stir the soup a few times during the summer time to ensure that nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan, and that the soup is not too thick.}
Add in the cooked chicken, cream of chicken soup, and softened cream cheese.
Stir together and let simmer for about 10 more minutes or until everything is smoothly incorporated. Stir occasionally.
^{* I like to cover the soup pot with the lid during this simmer time to prevent all the moisture from evaporating. If the soup is to thick add an additional 1 cup chicken broth.}
Serve immediately with bread to dip, saltines and/or oyster crackers.

Notes

Chicken Broth Tip : I start with 6 cups of broth and then add more, during the second simmer time (the 10 minute one) if it's too thick. I prefer it thicker and creamier so I don't usually add that additional 1 cup of broth. This recipe has been tested using full-salt chicken broth.

Recipe Tips -

Chicken Broth : This recipe calls for 6-7 cups of broth. If you want a thicker soup then use 6 cup. If you prefer a thick + creamy soup, but it still has some broth in it, then use 7 cups. You can also use 6 cups to begin with and then add the additional 1 cup if needed as it simmers. I use full salted chicken broth in this recipe. If using reduced-sodium broth, you may want to taste at the end and some salt if needed. The packet of seasoning inside the rice-a-roni box adds plenty of flavor and seasoning so you will probably be just fine.
Use Full Fat Cream Cheese : I recommend sticking with the regular cream cheese mainly because it has a thicker texture, but most importantly, it tastes so much better than the reduced-fat cream cheese.
Softened Cream Cheese : In order for the cream cheese to mix in smoothly, without any lumps, make sure it is well softened. I place the cream cheese into the microwave for about 40 seconds to make sure it's well softened before adding it into the soup.
Small Chopped Broccoli Pieces : The broccoli chunks need to be small in order to cook properly during the cook time.
Shredded Carrots : Shred the carrots on a cheese grater for this recipe. The pre-shredded carrots you can buy at this tore are too thick and big for this recipe, and they don't really blend well (size wise) with the other ingredients.
Creamed Soup : You can use any variation of creamed soup that you prefer. Other great options are cream of celery or cream of broccoli. I think the cream of chicken adds the best flavor which is why the recipe calls for it.
Chicken : I like to throw in 2-3 chicken breasts into the crockpot, with a can of chicken broth, and let it cook on low heat for 6 hours. Chop it up and they're ready to go. This is also a great recipe to use up leftover chicken or buy a rotisserie chicken at the store. I have even made this soup with canned chicken before and it was still so delicious. If using canned chicken make sure that you drain it well and flake it into larger pieces.

Recipe FAQ's -

Serving Suggestions
- Serve inside bread bowls. Either make Homemade Bread Bowls, buy some at a local bakery, or at the grocery store.
- Make my buttery & soft One Hour Rolls.
- Make it really simple and buy some frozen or refrigerated rolls or bread sticks. Cook them according to package directions.
- This soup is also really good with these Honey Cornbread Muffins.
- My family loves this soup served with some saltine crackers or those fun oyster crackers (like what is pictured).
Can I Make This Lighter/Lower Fat?
- Although I recommend using full-fat cream cheese and the regular cream of chicken soup, there are a few ways to 'lighten up' this soup if wanted.
  - Healthy Request or Low-Sodium Cream of Chicken Soup - This is a great option to lighten it up a bit or reduce the sodium content.
  - Use 1/3 Reduced-Fat Cream Cheese
  - 33% Reduced-Sodium Chicken Broth - I prefer using regular salted chicken broth when making this recipe (that is what the recipe has been tested with) you can substitute for the lower-sodium broth. You may need to add additional salt at the end, depending on preference and taste, if needed.
How To Store Leftovers
- Store any leftover soup inside an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 4-5 days.
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave or on the stove top inside a saucepan.
- Depending on how thick the soup is, once reheated, you may need to add some additional broth or milk to thin it out.

Nutrition