Golden Chicken and Rice Soup

A nourishing golden chicken and rice soup made with tender poached chicken breast, sweet carrot, garlic and soft rice in a bone broth base brightened with a splash of white wine. Gentle enough for any night of the week, and exactly the kind of bowl that earns its place at the table when the weather turns cool.

A pot of golden soup on the stove has a way of making the whole kitchen feel settled. This one starts with onion and carrot softened slowly in olive oil, garlic added a little later so it stays sweet, and a small pour of white wine before the stock and bone broth go in. The chicken breast is poached whole and shredded back through at the end, keeping it tender rather than dry. The result is a soup that is simple by nature but carefully made, with a broth that tastes like it has been on the stove all day.

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 35 min · Cuisine: Australian · Category: Soup

Ingredients

Golden Chicken and Rice Soup

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2–3 carrots, diced
• 3–4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ¼ cup white wine
• 500g chicken breast
• 1 litre chicken stock
• 500ml chicken bone broth
• 500ml water
• ½ cup uncooked rice
• 1 bay leaf
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• Salt, to taste
• Fresh parsley, finely chopped, to serve
• Olive oil, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook gently for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until the onion has softened and the carrot has started to sweeten.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Pour in the white wine and let it bubble for 2–3 minutes, stirring the base of the pot, until the alcohol has cooked off and the wine has reduced slightly.
4. Add the chicken stock, bone broth, water, bay leaf and a good grind of black pepper. Add the chicken breast whole and bring the soup to a gentle simmer.
5. Simmer gently for 15–20 minutes until the chicken breast is cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate and rest for a few minutes.
6. Add the rice to the pot and stir well. Simmer for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is just tender.
7. Shred the chicken with two forks and return it to the pot. Stir through and add a splash of extra water or stock if the soup has thickened more than you would like.
8. Remove the bay leaf. Taste before adding salt, as the stock and bone broth may already carry enough seasoning. Serve with fresh parsley, a grind of black pepper and a small drizzle of olive oil if using.

Serving Suggestion

A bowl of this soup alongside Portuguese Bread Rolls (Papo Secos) or warm buttered sourdough is a complete and comforting meal. It also sits naturally next to other simple chicken breast recipes on The Grace Table.

Notes

Cook onions first, then garlic — it makes a real difference to the base. The onion needs time to soften and sweeten, and adding the garlic too early risks it turning bitter before the broth even goes in.

Poach the chicken breast at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil. Low and slow keeps it tender and easy to shred.

The white wine adds depth and brightness to the broth. Let it reduce for a couple of minutes before adding the stock so the flavour is absorbed into the base rather than sitting on top.

Salt in layers as you cook rather than all at once at the end. With this soup, taste before adding anything extra — between the chicken stock and bone broth, it is often seasoned enough already.

The Grace Table Tip

A small drizzle of good olive oil over each bowl just before serving lifts the whole thing. It adds a gentle richness and makes the golden broth shine in a way that feels considered rather than plain.