Love a smoky soup with bacon? Try this White Bean Soup with Bacon next! This is hands down one of the best soups I’ve ever made, and I’ve made a lot of soups! My husband’s favorite used to be this Smoky Sausage and Potato Chowder, but as it turns out, bacon wins every time. Bacon takes everything to the next level, and with the juicy chicken and comforting rice, this soup is perfection. When I originally made this soup a while back, I remember thinking it took way too long. I’ve since made some adjustments to make it quick and easy, so it’s perfect for those busy weeknight dinners. It’s the perfect comfort food for a rainy spring or cool fall day! For more delicious soup recipes for soup season, check out my Sausage Potato Soup with Kale, Instant Pot White Chili Chicken Recipe, Ham and Potato Soup, and this Italian Sausage Gnocchi Soup!
Ingredients Needed:
Bacon: adds an irresistible smoky bacon flavor to the soup. Use your favorite kind! Vegetables: a classic mirepoix of celery, carrots, and onion, brings wonderful savory flavors to this dish. Seasoning: use a combination of freshly minced garlic, salt, dried parsley, dried thyme, and red pepper flakes to Broth: I always use a low-sodium chicken broth so I can better control the salt content of dishes. Chicken: use raw, boneless skinless chicken breasts for this soup. Boneless skinless chicken thighs will work, too. Rice: long grain white rice works best for this recipe, you can use other kinds of rice but the cook time may vary. Milk: I used low-fat milk for this recipe, but you can use full-fat milk if you prefer for a richer flavor. Corn Starch: helps thicken the soup.
How to Make Creamy Chicken, Bacon, & Rice Soup
This recipe is quick and easy to make. Full instructions are included in the recipe card below.
Tips and Notes
Shredding chicken. You can use forks to shred chicken on a chopping board, or you can put the chicken in a mixing bowl and use a hand mixer on low speed to shred it. Leftover chicken. I originally wrote this recipe using leftover rotisserie chicken, so I know it works great if you’ve made Instant Pot Shredded Chicken and have some extras, and even Thanksgiving turkey leftovers!
Chicken Bacon Rice Soup Variations
Use other veggies. You can use other kinds of veggies in this recipe to suit your preferences. Try mushrooms, corn, and bell peppers. Fresh greens. You can also add in some baby spinach leaves near the end of the cooking time for extra nutrients if you like. Or use fresh basil or fresh parsley leaves for a different flavor. Swap the rice. Use wild rice or a wild rice blend to make this a creamy wild rice soup, or brown rice to add some more nutrients! Keep in mind that wild rice and brown rice both require a longer cook time and you may have to add additional liquid. Broth. Chicken broth has a great, warming flavor, but you can use vegetable broth or water with chicken bouillon added if you prefer. Make it creamy. You can add a little bit of heavy cream to make this creamy soup even more decadent if you like. Garnish. Garnish your soup with extra crispy bacon bits, chopped green onions, and a sprinkling of cheddar cheese for extra flavor!
Serving Suggestions
This chicken soup is a hearty soup on it’s own, with chicken, rice, and veggies in the one pot, but we always love some bread on the side. Some crusty bread would go perfectly, try my No Knead Artisan Bread, or these Homemade Breadsticks would work well too. You can also try this soup with my Garlic Bread or Garlic & Herb Dinner Rolls for more garlic flavor. Turn it into a complete meal with more veggies on the side like Air Fryer Broccoli, Roasted Green Beans, and my Roasted Carrots.
More Delicious Soup Recipes To Try
Crockpot Potato Soup
Slow Cooker Creamy Vegetable Soup
Easy Crockpot Chili Recipe
Slow Cooker Creamy Tomato Soup (with hidden veggies!)
Create an account easily save your favorite content, so you never forget a recipe again. Register Now Tag @thereciperebel or hashtag #thereciperebel — I love to see what you’re making!
