Some soups have the most welcoming and delectable aromas and this Curry Chicken and Rice Soup will have people coming in off the street to eat. It is another easy soup to make that will feed your whole family, filled with vegetables, chicken, and tasty spices topped with a dash of lime, slices of jalapeno, and fresh cilantro.
If you're looking for more filling and delicious soups, try our Italian Wedding Soup, EASY Chicken Farro Soup, or White Bean Lentil Soup.
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Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Chicken Breast. I always use chicken breast when I'm shredding chicken or making this from scratch. An easy way to cut this step out is by buying a rotisserie chicken and shredding the chicken right out of the already-cooked chicken. We do this all the time and it's a big time saver.
Vegetables. I would say that most of the vegetable ingredients can be substituted or left out. I love this combination though. It's so delicious, but definitely feel free to use what you have.
Seasonings. A lot of the flavor and aromas come from the specific seasonings used in the soup, so I'd stick to these. If curry isn't your favorite flavor, then maybe another soup might be a better option! But you do like it, check out our Butter Chicken Soup!
Step-by-step Instructions
I like to start every recipe by prepping as much as I can. Whenever I make soup. I always chop all of the vegetables and set them up on the cutting board so they are easy to add to the soup. Then I combine all of the seasonings in a bowl. I then rinse the rice and set it to the side.
Prepare the chicken breast by cutting off any excess fat or cartilage. Then salt and pepper both sides.
Step 1: Place the dutch oven on the stovetop and bring to medium-high heat. Add olive oil and when the oil is shimmering, lay the chicken flat at the bottom of the pot. Sear both sides of the chicken for 3 minutes until it is golden brown then set them aside
Step 2: Lower the heat to medium. Then add olive oil to the pot. Stir in the carrots, celery, and onion. Saute for about 5 minutes
Step 3: then add the jalapeno and leeks. Saute for another 5 minutes until the vegetables soften. Then add the minced garlic and ginger. Saute for 2 minutes or until you really start smelling the garlic.
Step 4: I like to season the vegetables during this process too. Add half of your seasoning mixture to the vegetables and combine. Let them toast for a minute or two in the pan and then make a small well in the middle of the pot for the tomato paste. Caramelize the tomato paste for 3 minutes and then stir really well throughout the mixture.
Step 5: Finally, add the zucchini and the red pepper and combine.
Step 6: The key to the curry chicken and rice soup is the layered seasonings. Add in the chicken broth, cilantro, and the rest of the seasoning including the bay leaves. Stir it well and then add the chicken back in. Bring the entire soup to a boil and then return it to a simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Step 7: Pull the chicken breast out of the pot after 20 minutes. Let it cool for a moment. Add the rice to the dutch oven and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. Stir well when adding the rice so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
Place the chicken in a bowl and shred the breast using two forks. Add it back to the pot once the rice is fully cooked.
Pro-Tips
- When you add rice to soup, you have to make sure you stir often in the first couple of minutes. The rice is prone to falling to the bottom of the pan and sticking. It can then burn and ruin the dish.
- Don't overcook the chicken. Seems obvious, but only cook until it is 165 degrees and then remove. Let it cool slightly before shredding it. Otherwise, it will lose every ounce of moisture.
Serving Curry Chicken and Rice Soup
Serve this soup with slices of jalapeno, a squeeze of lime juice, and cilantro. The soup is slightly spicy because of the cayenne and jalapenos. Its warm flavors of curry and cardamom peak through making this a delightful and flavorful dish.
I've always been a soup hater, but I've finally become a soup guy. I feel like Elaine in the soup nazi episode of Seinfeld. I've always felt like soup was just broth. What's the big deal? But now I use soup to feed my family a nutritious and filling meal and I finally understand.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, of course. Your house will smell really really good. It's a delicious flavor and the aroma is no different. It will go away just like everything else that smells when you cook.
Yes! It freezes really well. I love to freeze my soup in Super Cubes. Not an ad, just really love their product. Or I'll just use a Ziploc bag. Reheat by warming on the stovetop in a pot and adding more broth as necessary.
I love this recipe and I make it so often. It's an easy way to make sure everyone is getting a balanced meal. If you love chicken soup, you might also like our Chicken Tortellini Soup!
Video Recipe
Our Other Favorite Soups
Please leave a comment and star rating below in the recipe card! I love to hear what you think of our recipes. Feel free to tag us on Instagram @vindelgiudice.
📖 Recipe
Curry Chicken and Rice Soup
Equipment
- dutch oven
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 leek, chopped
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- ⅓ cup white rice, rinsed
- 2 tablespoon cilantro, rinsed and chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Seasonings
- 2 teaspoon curry
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 2 bay leave
Instructions
- Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breast.
- Bring a dutch oven to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sear both sides of the chicken for 3 minutes and remove from the pot. Set aside.
- Bring the heat down to medium and olive oil. Add carrots, celery, and onion. Saute for 5 minutes, then add the jalapenos and leek. Saute for another 5 minutes and add garlic and ginger. Combine all of the seasonings in a bowl. Take about ½ of the seasoning and add it to the vegetable mix. Toast for 2 minutes.
- Add tomato paste to the dutch oven and stir with the vegetables. Let the tomato paste caramelize for about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini and red pepper and combine. Pour in the chicken stock and add the rest of the seasoning, the cilantro, and bay leaves. Stir well. Then add the chicken back in. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove chicken from the pot and let it rest. Add rice and stir often. Simmer for 15 more minutes until the rice is cooked. Shred the chicken and return it to the pot. Serve with fresh cilantro, lime juice, and jalapeno slices.
Notes
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- When you add rice to soups, you have to make sure you stir often in the first couple of minutes. The rice is prone to falling to the bottom of the pan and sticking. It can then burn and ruin the dish.
- Don't overcook the chicken. Seems obvious, but only cook until it is 165 degrees and then remove. Let it cool slightly before shredding it. Otherwise, it will lose every ounce of moisture.
Vinny
This soup is one of my wife's favorites because it makes the house smell so good! It is an unbeatable fragrance in the Fall and Winter.