1-Step 1: Prepare Your Vegetables and Mise en Place Before you turn on the stove, chop all your vegetables uniformly. Finely dice the celery, peel and chop the carrots into small pieces, and dice the onion. Mince the garlic cloves and set everything in separate small bowls. Cut your chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces, about 3/4 inch cubes, which ensures even cooking throughout the soup. Having everything prepped and ready makes the actual cooking process flow smoothly.

2-Step 2: Build the Flavor Base Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the chopped celery, carrots, and onion to the pot. Sauté these vegetables for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they’ve softened and the onion has turned translucent. This step, called “sweating” the vegetables, releases their natural sugars and creates the aromatic foundation for your soup. The vegetables should be tender but not browned. You’ll notice a wonderful fragrance filling your kitchen as the aromatics cook together. This foundational step is what separates a good soup from a great one.

3-Step 3: Add Garlic and Create the Roux Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Be careful not to let it burn, as garlic can turn bitter quickly. Then sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for about 1 minute. The flour will coat the vegetables and begin to toast slightly, cooking out the raw flour taste. This mixture forms a roux that will thicken your soup to the perfect consistency.

4-Step 4: Add the Liquid and Rice Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring constantly. This gradual addition, combined with continuous stirring, ensures the flour dissolves smoothly without clumping. Use your spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, as these contain concentrated flavor that will enrich your soup. Once all the broth is incorporated and smooth, add the Italian seasoning and uncooked jasmine rice. Pour in the heavy cream and stir everything together. The cream might look like it’s separating slightly at first, but continued stirring as the soup heats will bring it together into a silky, unified mixture.

5-Step 5: Simmer and Cook the Rice Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a gentle boil. Once you see bubbles forming, immediately reduce the heat to low for a simmer. Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar to allow some steam to escape. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. During this time, the rice will begin to soften and absorb the flavorful broth. The soup will start to thicken as the rice releases its starch into the liquid.

6-Step 6: Add the Chicken and Finish Cooking Add the bite-sized chicken pieces to the pot, stirring gently to submerge them in the liquid. Continue simmering for 7-10 minutes more, or until both the chicken and rice are fully cooked. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F and appear opaque throughout. Cut into one piece of chicken to verify doneness if needed. The rice should be tender with no hard center. Season with salt and pepper to taste, starting with about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, then adjusting according to your preference.

7-Step 7: Serve and Enjoy Ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve immediately. This creamy chicken rice soup pairs wonderfully with crusty bread for dipping or a simple side salad for a complete meal. The soup will continue to thicken as it sits, so if you’re not serving it right away, you may want to add a splash of extra broth when reheating. For those who enjoy preparing components ahead of time, you can grill chicken separately and add it at the end, which is perfect for meal prep scenarios.