Cooking Time & Servings

Kentucky Homestead Chicken & Rice Soup Recipe

Make a comforting homemade chicken and rice soup in just over 30 minutes with Frontier Soups Kentucky Homestead Chicken & Rice Soup Mix. This classic recipe combines tender chicken, wholesome rice, vegetables, and bright lemon for a light yet satisfying meal that's perfect for busy weeknights or cozy weekends.

Ingredients

You Will Need

  • Kentucky Homestead Chicken & Rice Soup
  • 8 cups chicken broth (64 oz.)
  • 2 cups cooked chicken breast, cut up (8-10 oz.)
  • 2-3 stalks celery, sliced or 1 bulb fennel, chopped
  • 1-2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Instructions

Here's What You Do

  1. In a 3 or 4-quart pot, bring broth to a boil. Reduce heat, stir in the Kentucky Homestead Chicken & Rice soup mix, chicken and celery.
  2. Return the chicken and rice soup to a simmer, cover, and cook for 35 minutes.
  3. Stir in lemon juice. Salt & pepper to taste and serve.

Optional: Prefer a creamy chicken and rice soup? Omit the lemon juice and stir in 1 cup of light or heavy cream instead.

Anderson House Kitchen Tip

Fresh lemon juice is added at the very end of cooking to brighten the broth without overpowering the herbs. Start with one tablespoon, taste, and add a little more if you prefer a brighter finish.

Got leftovers? This homemade chicken and rice soup reheats beautifully for lunches throughout the week. Learn how to cool, store, and reheat soup safely in our guide to soup storage and food safety.

Cooking & Nutrition Tips

Use the tips below to customize nutrition, boost flavor, or stretch the soup to fit your needs.

Reducing Sodium

Broth:

To reduce sodium, use an alternative broth such as: low-sodium, organic, stock, bone broth, unsalted, or try making a homemade broth.  See chart below to compare.

All our mixes contain no added salt, only what occurs naturally in the ingredients.  In the interest of transparency, we use regular (full-sodium) store-bought broth to create our recipes and calculate the nutrition panels — which is why the sodium levels may appear higher than you desire. 

While we don’t like it from a health standpoint, salt is a major flavor booster.  If you are using reduced sodium broth and looking to enhance flavor, try adding these depending on your preferences: fresh ground pepper, herbs & spices, lemon juice, garlic, onion, red pepper flakes, hot-sauce, flavored vinegar.

Variety (1 cup) Sodium (mg) % Daily Value
Standard Broth 860 mg 37%
Low-Sodium Broth 570 mg 25%
Organic Broth 550 mg 24%
Stock 510 mg 22%
Bone Broth 400 mg 17%
Organic Low-Sodium Broth 100 mg 4%
Unsalted Broth 35 mg 2%

Boosting Protein

  • Add ½ cup – 1 cup 4% cottage cheese. This will make the soup creamier. If using cottage cheese, we highly recommend you: 1) liquify/smooth entirely in blender or with immersion blender before adding, and 2) turn off the heat and let the soup cool slightly before adding so it does not curdle and/or lose its silky texture.  See chart below for nutritional info.
  • Add a can of your favorite bean such as black, white/cannellini, lentil, chickpea, navy, etc.
  • Add additional chicken, you can increase chicken to 20-24 oz.
  • Swap standard broth for bone broth.
Nutrient Per 1 Cup Full-Fat 4% Cottage Cheese
Protein ~23 – 25 g
Calories ~220 – 240 kcal
Total Fat ~9 – 10 g
Sodium ~820 – 850 mg

Nutritious Options/Swaps

  • As mentioned above, add cottage cheese (or Greek yogurt)
  • Add cannellini or navy beans for a creamy texture boost.
  • Add 1 ½ cups chopped fresh or frozen vegetable, such as cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, leeks, in the final 5-10 minutes of cooking.
  • Toss in nutrient-dense greens such as spinach or kale for the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Starting With Raw Chicken

Our recommendations:

  1. Sear Option: In 3 or 4-quart pot, heat 2 Tbsp. oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear 4-5 minutes per side.  Remove chicken to cutting board to cool.  In same pot, begin recipe as stated bringing broth to a boil.  Reduce heat, stir in soup mix and celery, simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, dice or shred the cooled chicken and add to pot.  Simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.  Stir in lemon juice, salt & pepper to taste and serve.
  2. Poach Option: Bring broth to a boil. Reduce heat, add raw chicken, cover, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove chicken to a cutting board to cool.  Stir in soup mix and celery, simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, dice or shred cooled chicken, add back to pot, and simmer covered for 10-15 minutes.  Stir in lemon juice, salt & pepper to taste and serve.
  3. Simmer Option: Begin recipe as normal and simply add cubed raw chicken at the same time you would normally add cooked chicken and soup mix. Follow directions as normal. 
  4. Rotisserie Chicken Shortcut: Have cooked chicken on hand? Shred 2–3 cups of rotisserie chicken and add it during the final 5 minutes of cooking. It’s an easy way to turn this chicken and rice soup recipe into an even faster weeknight meal.

      Recipe Variations

      Looking to switch things up? A few simple tweaks can make this recipe your own.

      Creamy Chicken & Rice Soup:
      Skip the lemon juice and stir in heavy cream or half-and-half for a rich, comforting version reminiscent of a classic creamy chicken soup.

      Chicken and Rice Soup With Whole Grains:

      Add ½ cup brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, or barley.  If so, add an additional 1 cup water.  Boost fiber further by adding hearty vegetables like leafy greens (kale, spinach), diced sweet potatoes, or legumes (chickpeas, white beans).

      Protein Swap:
      Use cooked lentils instead of chicken for a plant-forward variation.

      Add a Little Pasta:
      Stir in a small handful of orzo during simmering for a heartier bowl.

      Souper Food Rice & Bean Side Dish:
      In 3 or 4-quart pot, sauté 2 cloves minced garlic and 1 Tbsp. fresh minced ginger in 2 Tbsp. oil over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Add in soup mix and stir for 1 minute.  Add 3 cups water or chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook 15 minutes. Stir in one 15 oz. can drained white or red beans and one 8 oz. can chopped water chestnuts. Simmer 5 minutes more, or until liquid is absorbed. Serve alongside grilled chicken breasts, pork tenderloin, or enjoy on its own.

      Garden Vegetable Chicken & Rice Soup:
      Add carrots, peas, spinach, or green beans during the final 10 minutes of cooking for extra color, flavor, and nutrition.

      Inspired by our customers. Thanks to Cindy and Heather for sharing their ideas.
      Have a favorite twist of your own? Send us an email or leave a review on the product page.

      Dietary Adaptations

      These mixes are flexible by design. Use the adaptations below to meet your dietary needs or cooking preferences.

      Vegan/Vegetarian

      You Will Also Need:

      • 2 Tbsp. oil
      • 3 stalks celery, sliced or 1 bulb fennel, chopped
      • 6 cups vegetable broth (48 oz.)
      • 1 can artichoke hearts, quartered, and drained (12-14 oz.)
      • 1 tsp. lemon juice
      • 1 cup walnuts, chopped

      Here’s What You Do:

      1. In a 3 or 4-quart pot, sauté celery or fennel in oil.
      2. Stir in soup mix, add broth and bring to a boil.
      3. Reduce heat, add artichoke hearts and bring to a simmer. Cook, covered for 25 minutes.
      4. Add lemon juice to taste.
      5. If desired, place walnuts into small skillet and lightly toast for 5 minutes and sprinkle on soup before serving.
      6. Salt & pepper to taste and serve.

      Gluten Free

      This soup is naturally gluten free when prepared as directed. No special substitutions are needed.

      Dairy Free

      This soup is naturally dairy free when prepared as directed. No special substitutions are needed.

      Cooking Methods

      Slow Cooker 

      We do not recommend using a slow cooker due to the short cooking time on the stovetop.

      Pressure Cooker

      We do not recommend using a pressure cooker due to the short cooking time on the stovetop.