Description
Crack Chicken and Rice Soup is a comforting one-pot meal featuring tender shredded chicken, hearty long-grain rice, creamy cheeses, bacon, and flavorful ranch seasoning all simmered together in a rich chicken broth for an easy and satisfying dish.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Sautéed Vegetables
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 ribs celery, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 large carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
Soup Base
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 (1-ounce) package dry ranch dressing mix
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
Protein and Cheese
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened and cubed
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup cooked bacon, chopped
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add diced onion, celery, and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add Broth and Seasoning: Pour in 8 cups of chicken broth, then stir in the dry ranch dressing mix and ½ teaspoon black pepper until well combined.
- Cook Rice: Bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in 1 cup of uncooked long-grain white rice. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 25 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
- Add Chicken and Cheese: Stir in the cooked shredded chicken, cubed cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, and cooked bacon. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the cheeses are melted and the soup is creamy and well combined.
- Serve Warm: Ladle the soup into bowls and enjoy immediately for a hearty, comforting meal.
Notes
- Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze cooled soup in a ziplock bag laid flat for up to 3 months for convenient meal prep.
- When reheating frozen soup, thaw overnight in the fridge and warm on the stovetop or microwave; add a splash of chicken broth or milk if the soup is too thick.
- For a lower sodium version, use low-sodium chicken broth and reduced-sodium bacon.
- Use rotisserie chicken for quick preparation of shredded chicken.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
