Chicken and rice soup (canja de galinha) is a Brazilian healing soup made with simple ingredients in 30 minutes. It is one of those one-pot, comforting easy dinner ideas you will want to make again and again.
If you are looking for nutritious, comfort food that is low budget, this chicken rice soup fits the bill!
Moreover, it's mess free, and you can put leftover rice or chicken to use.
It is so good!
Canja de Galinha Recipe
Have you ever sought comfort in food because you were missing someone special? I know I have!
Every time that I eat Caramel Flan or make Canja de Galinha (Chicken Soup), it is because I am longing for the presence of one of the most special people in my life: my Grandma Socorro!
She used to make this soup when we caught the flu or cold. According to her, it has healing properties because it is wholesome, nutritious, and can help lessen congestion.
By coincidence, it is a stormy, rain-soaked evening in Texas, and I feel a bit under the weather. What better than to be settled in here at home with the warm comfort of my grandma's chicken soup, right?
The recipe was not of her creation; it has roots in the classic Portuguese chicken soup (canja) that calls for long-grain white rice, chicken breast, assorted veggies, seasonings, eggs, and chicken broth.
She made it so many times that it became one of our family dishes.
This chicken and rice soup is so comforting that nothing prevented my grandma from preparing it at times when all of us were healthy, too. 🙂
The tradition of making this chicken soup was passed down to my mom.
And as you can see, it then was passed down to me, too. Three generations (at least as far as I know) ... the same simple, comforting homemade chicken soup.
Ingredients and Substitutions
To make this chicken and rice soup you'll need:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (you can replace it with any vegetable oil).
- 1 medium yellow onion, small diced (or white onion)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 10½ ounces skinless boneless chicken breast, cubed (You can use skinless boneless chicken thighs)
- ¾ cup raw long-grain rice, rinsed (for a more wholesome soup, or chicken and wild rice soup, use partially cooked wild rice. Raw wild rice usually takes about 40-45 minutes to cook while white rice takes around 15-18 minutes. If you use soaked wild rice, it should be ready in about 20-30 minutes.)
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- 10 cups homemade chicken broth (or a store-bought one, either regular or a low sodium chicken broth)
- ¾ cup white potatoes, peeled and cubed
- ¾ cup carrots, peeled and cubed (fresh or frozen)
- ¾ cup peas, fresh or frozen
- Salt and ground white pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 - 6 large eggs
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped (or cilantro if you prefer)
- Finely shredded Parmesan cheese, to sprinkle on (optional)
How to Make Chicken and Rice Soup
- Heat a medium pot over medium heat, add olive oil and sauté the onion for about 3 minutes or until translucent, stirring once and a while. Add the garlic and sauté for about 60 seconds. PIC. 1
- Then, sauté the chicken breast for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. PICS. 2 & 3
- Next, add the rice and sauté for 60 seconds. PIC. 4 Pour in the wine and let almost evaporate. Finally, stir in chicken stock, vegetables, salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf. PIC. 5
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let simmer for about 12 minutes. Uncover the pot, separate the eggs from the shells, and add them gently into the soup, letting simmer for 5 minutes (they will be slightly firm, not soft poached). Remove the bay leaf. PIC. 6
- Serve this chicken and rice soup warm with chopped parsley on top, a drizzle of some extra olive oil, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Garlic bread or this Portuguese corn bread makes a great side. Enjoy!
Variations
Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Soup:
- Sauté vegetables and chicken in a skillet. Add them to the slow cooker with the broth, herbs, and seasonings. Cook on low for about 5 to 6 hours.
- Add the white rice during the last 1.5 hours, making sure both the rice and chicken are cooked through. Add the eggs during the last 15-20 minutes and make sure the yolks are slightly firm.
Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup:
- Press the sauté button and let the pot heat for 2 minutes. Add the oil and sauté the veggies, the chicken, and then the rice as directed in the recipe. Add the other ingredients and turn off the sauté function.
- Lock the lid, turn the valve to sealing, and cook over high pressure for 10 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for about 10 minutes and release the rest manually.
- Open the pot, press the sauté button and add the eggs gently. Let them cook, without stirring, for about 5-6 minutes, or until the yolks are slightly firm.
Can I Use Leftover Cooked Chicken?
Yes, you can! If the chicken was raw, you'd have to sauté it for 3 minutes and then cook as directed in the recipe. But because your leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken is already cooked, you'll only have to add it to the soup for 5 to 8 minutes before removing the pot from the heat to warm up the chicken, right before adding the eggs.
Can I Use Leftover Cooked Rice?
Yes! But only add your leftover cooked rice 5 minutes before removing the pot from the heat (right before adding the eggs). You will be only warming up your rice.
What's the best rice for soup?
Most types of rice are great for making soup such as white, black, brown rice, wild rice, basmati, and jasmine rice.
But be aware that both brown and wild rice takes longer to cook than the simmer time for the soup. You'll need to partially or fully cook them separately before adding them to the soup.
Can You Cook the Rice in the Soup?
Yes! Our chicken and rice soup recipe call for cooking the rice in the soup.
Because rice absorbs most of the chicken broth when stored in the fridge, you will have to add more chicken broth when warming up the soup.
Another alternative it is to cook and store the rice and chicken soup separately in the fridge and mix them after warming them up.
Can I Use Chicken Breasts?
Yes! This chicken rice soup recipe asks for boneless skinless chicken breasts although boneless skinless chicken thighs are cheaper and work well too.
Just make sure to simmer the soup on low heat; otherwise, the chicken breasts will become dry.
How do You Keep the Rice from Getting Mushy?
The best way to ensure your rice doesn't get mushy in this soup is to use raw, high-quality rice. Make sure to avoid minute rice or any other type of par-boiled rice.
Is this a healing soup?
This soup recipe is full of nutrients such as protein and vitamins and is cooked over low heat which maintains most of the nutritional value of the food, making it easier for your body to assimilate nutrients.
Moreover, our chicken and rice soup may help lessen symptoms like congestion and could even boost the immune system to fight off flu or cold.
Tips for Making EASY Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe
- Ten cups of chicken broth will be necessary to balance out the other ingredients. On top, the rice will absorb most of the broth as it sits.
- Use a good quality chicken broth and rice.
- Never add minute rice, or parboiled rice to this soup, or they will get mushy.
- Depending on your chicken broth, especially if low sodium, you will need to add more salt to this soup. Don't be afraid of seasoning and adjusting it to your taste.
- Use either chicken breasts or chicken thighs that are skinless and boneless. Make sure to simmer the soup over low heat or the chicken will get dry. Do not be tempted to turn up the heat!
- To make this soup even more healing, add 1 teaspoon of turmeric and ¼ -½ teaspoon of ground ginger right before simmering. You may also stir in the fresh juice of ½ lemon after removing the pot from the heat. These ingredients are anti-inflammatory!
Storage
Store leftover chicken and rice soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Right before reheating the soup, add more chicken broth because most was already absorbed by the rice.
How to Freeze Chicken Rice Soup
Freeze it in an airtight container (or individual containers) for up to one month.
Thaw in the fridge, add more chicken broth to the soup and reheat it over low heat until hot.
Other Chicken Soup Recipes
- Weight Watchers Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Tortellini Soup
- Chicken Sweet Potato Chowder
- Creamy Chicken Orzo Soup
PIN & ENJOY!
Chicken and Rice Soup (Canja de Galinha)
Equipment
- 1 medium pot
- 1 wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil you can replace it with any vegetable oil.
- 1 medium yellow onion small diced (or white onion)
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 10½ ounces skinless boneless chicken breast cubed (You can use skinless boneless chicken thighs)
- ¾ cup raw long-grain rice rinsed (for a more wholesome soup, or chicken and wild rice soup, use partially cooked wild rice. Raw wild rice usually takes about 40-45 minutes to cook while white rice takes around 15-18 minutes. If you use soaked wild rice, it should be ready in about 20-30 minutes.)
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- 10 cups homemade chicken broth or a store-bought one, either regular or a low sodium chicken broth
- ¾ cup white potatoes peeled and cubed
- ¾ cup carrots peeled and cubed (fresh or frozen)
- ¾ cup peas fresh or frozen
- Salt and ground white pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 - 6 large eggs
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped (or cilantro if you prefer)
- Finely shredded Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a medium pot over medium heat, add olive oil and sauté the onion for about 3 minutes or until translucent, stirring once and a while. Add the garlic and sauté for about 60 seconds.
- Then, sauté the chicken breast for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Next, add the rice and sauté for 60 seconds. Pour in the wine and let almost evaporate. Finally, stir in chicken stock, vegetables, salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let simmer for about 12 minutes. Uncover the pot, separate the eggs from the shells, and add them gently into the soup, letting simmer for 5 minutes (they will be slightly firm, not soft poached). Remove the bay leaf.
- Serve this chicken and rice soup warm with chopped parsley on top, a drizzle of some extra olive oil, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Garlic bread or this Portuguese corn bread makes a great side. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.
Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.
Post first published on May 8th, 2012.
Doe says
OK we need to know more about the caramel milk balls! 🙂
Ana says
Oi Denise! I am from Brazil too and made this canja because I missed the one my Mom used to make for me and my brothers. It was so delicious! Thanks for another amazing recipe.
2pots2cook says
Cold weather arrived at last and this is great and healthy comfort food to have during working days. Great to know it's done under 30 minutes.
John / Kitchen Riffs says
Love soup season! This looks great. 🙂
BTW, just want to say we've just posted our last blog post. I've thoroughly enjoyed your blog, and I'll still be visiting. But we've got a lot of activities lined up that will be occupying my time, so my visits will be much more sporadic in the future. Best wishes to you.