Gluten & Dairy Free Chicken and Rice Soup | Allergy Awesomeness (2024)

Gluten free dairy free chicken and rice soup is a wonderful way to keep warm this winter! With pantry staples and a delicious vegetable broth, this will become a cold weather dinner staple! Allergy friendly, this soup can be enjoyed by many. I have instant pot as well as stove top directions. This winter dinner soup is free of: gluten, dairy, egg, soy, peanuts and tree nuts, making it top-8-free as well!

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Why This Gluten and Dairy Free Chicken and Rice Soup is Bomb

Unlike some chicken and rice soups that don’t use many spices, my broth is full of dried herbs like thyme, parsley and bay leaves; as well as aromatics like garlic, onion, and even a secret ingredient for extra flavor: a splash of lemon juice, which doesn’t make it taste lemony at all, but really enhances all of the flavors. No bland flavors here! You’ll love slurping up this chicken and rice soup all winter long because it’s such a comfort food.

How this chicken and rice soup is gluten-free

When making chicken and rice from scratch it’s easy to control and make sure there’s no gluten. Since you’re not using noodles, that really cuts down on there being gluten. Everything you’re buying should be naturally gluten free, but one place that it can hide is in the chicken bouillon. The brand we like isOrrington Farms Chicken Broth Base.

If you’re going to use chicken stock or chicken broth instead of bouillon, use as much as the water calls for. Once you have that figured out, it’s really a great meal for those with food allergies as it’s free of the top-8-allergens.

Can I use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken?

You can certainly use up leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken. Simply shred whatever chicken you’d like to use. You can use a whole chicken, or less. The amount of chicken is very flexible and can be suited to your liking. You can then reduce the cooking time to 5 minutes in the instant pot (with at least five minutes natural release) or 15 minutes on the stove top. Basically, all you need to do is give it a little time to meld the flavors, but it will save you time, which is always nice.

Also, you’re welcome to use chicken thighs or chicken breasts . I prefer breasts (less fat to trim off) but either work great. And, don’t forget about this soup the day after Thanksgiving! Leftover turkey is fabulous as well!

What type of rice is good for chicken and rice soup?

Really any kind of rice will work. I prefer to use a simple long grain white rice , but use whatever you have on hand: brown rice, short grain rice, sushi rice…etc. Just follow the directions on the bag (or box) for the cook time and liquid to rice ratio. I prefer to use my wild rice blend in my creamy chicken wild rice soup and keep it simple for this recipe, especially for my kids so the whole family will love it..

How you should cook your rice in this chicken and rice soup recipe

I’ve tried to make this soup all in one pot. I really wanted to. But no matter who’s recipe I tried, the rice would end up bloating way too much and would end up soaking up way too much of the broth. It always felt more like a casserole than a traditional soup. So, I gave in and made my rice in it’s own pot, and then only added it right before I serve the soup and what a difference that makes!

The only concern was if the rice would still have a good flavor, since it didn’t cook in the broth. My work around is to add the chicken bouillon to the rice as it cooks, so it’s already got flavor infused in it. #Winning

How do You Keep the Rice from Getting Mushy?

You don’t want your rice to become mushy and bloated, so you need to take extra precautions when making it. To prevent this, only add the rice when it’s time to serve, so it’s not sitting in the broth longer than is needed. If there are any leftovers, take a slotted spoon and scoop out the rice, veggies, and chicken, and store them separately from the broth. When ready to eat and reheat, you can combine them again.

How to store leftovers

Of course you’ll want to store the leftovers in an airtight container. But the real issue, again, becomes the rice. If you are a purist and really don’t want the rice to make the soup gelatinous, then it’s best to take a slotted spoon and separate the chicken, vegetables and rice in one container, and put the rice in a separate. Then, mix them back together when you’re warming them up. That way, the rice isn’t sitting in liquid while it’s waiting to be enjoyed again on the next cold day.

Can This Soup Recipe Be Made Ahead?

This soup can be made ahead. However, as noted earlier, be sure to not add the rice until you’re ready to serve. This will help the rice from becoming overcooked.If I want to make this ahead of time, I’ll use the instant pot directions.

The instant pot will turn to the “warming” function after it’s done cookingand will stay like that until you unplug it. I just let it stay on “warm” until I’m ready to add the rice and serve. It’s great for making earlier in the day for when you know you’ll have a busy evening.

How to cook gluten-free chicken and rice soup?

Because me and my instant pot are best friends (I even have an entire published cookbook dedicated to instant pot cooking), I like to make the bulk of the soup in the pressure cooker because it’s so fast (and I can even use frozen chicken that way). But for those who don’t have one, I include stove top directions as well. No matter if you make it a Dutch oven, stock pot or instant pot, I do recommend having the rice cook separate.

What to serve with it?

Really, this should has it all: carbs, protein and vegetables all wrapped up in a warm homemade soup . But, you can never go wrong with adding more carbs, in my opinion. My gluten-free bread (dairy free too!) is always a welcome side dish, or even my gluten free vegan breadsticks would be delicious.

What do you need for this chicken rice soup?

You will need these simple ingredients:

• Olive oil
• Yellow onion
• Garlic
• Celery
• Carrots
• Dried parsley
• Black pepper
• Dried thyme
• Water
• Chicken broth base (or bouillon)
• Bay leaf
• Shredded chicken
• White rice
• Lemon juice
• Salt

Looking for more gluten free dairy free soups?

I seriously look forward to soup season, and like to have soup at least a few times a week all winter long. Soup is heavenly, especially if you have a good variety. Here are my family’s favorite soups:

• Instant Pot Dairy Free Loaded Baked Potato Soup
• Allergy Friendly Taco Soup
• Slow Cooker Green Enchilada Soup
• Slow Cooker Pizza Soup
• Gluten Free Vegan Minestrone
• Dairy Free Tomato Basil Soup
• *Don’t forget I have an entirewinter meal plantoo!

And if you’d like to try other bloggers, you can check out this Ground Turkey Rice Soup from Perchance to Cook. Or, this Beef Vegetable Soupfrom the Clean Eating couple. Or, if you need an instant pot soup for your friends who can eat gluten and dairy–check out Instant Pot Tortellini Soup by Food Doodles.

Want to see how to make it? Watch this video!

I created an overview video so you can see just how easy it is to make this gluten and dairy free chicken and rice soup. Once you realize how it’s not complicated, you’ll be adding it to your winter monthly dinner rotation.

@allergyawesomeness Gluten & dairy free chicken and rice soup. Something warm to get us through this last bit of winter. Uses pantry staples & easy. #glutenfreedairyfree #glutenfreesoup #dairyfreesoup #allergyfriendly ♬ BORN FOR THIS – Foxxi

Gluten and Dairy Free Chicken and Rice Soup

Yield: 7-8 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Both stove top and instant pot directions for this pantry staple soup below. Naturally gluten free and dairy free this chicken and rice soup is perfect for winter nights.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 and 1/2 tsp of jarred minced garlic)
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 4 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 3/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 10 cups water
• 1/3 cup chicken broth base (or bouillon)
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 large frozen or thawed chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup rice (see post for options)
• 2 tsp chicken broth base
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• Salt, to taste

Instructions

INSTANT POT DIRECTIONS:

Hit sauté on the instant pot. Add the olive oil and sauté the onions until softened. Turn off sauté and add garlic, carrots and celery. Stir. Add spices: parsley, pepper and thyme. Add the water and broth base. Add the chicken and bay leaves. Close lid and set pressure cooker to 15 minutes if the breasts are thawed and 20 minutes if the breasts are frozen. Let cook. Once done, allow to sit for an additional 10 minutes so the steam can escape naturally.

While the chicken is cooking, in a medium sauce pan over high heat, add your 2 remaining cups of water and 2 tsp broth base. Once boiling, add one cup of rice. Turn the heat to low, and cover. Allow to cook for 15 minutes. Then, let stand five minutes. Remove the lid and fluff with a fork.

Once the soup is done, remove the chicken and shred. Discard the bay leaves. Return the chicken to the pot. When ready to serve, add the rice to the soup, and lemon juice. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. (Will vary depending on how salty your bouillon is.)

To ensure leftovers don't become stodgy and the rice become a big, over-puffed mess, it's recommended to scoop the chicken, vegetables and rice with a slotted spoon and keep it separate from the broth. When ready to enjoy again, put everything back together again and re-heat.

STOVE TOP DIRECTIONS:

In a large stock pot or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until softened. Add the garlic, carrots and celery. Stir. Add spices: parsley, pepper and thyme. Add the water and broth base. Add the chicken and bay leaves. Allow to come to a boil. Once boiling, lower the temperature to medium-low and place a lid. Cook for 20 minutes (would only recommend using thawed breasts, only use frozen if using the instant pot). Or, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

While the chicken is cooking, in a medium sauce pan over high heat, add your 2 remaining cups of water and 2 tsp broth base. Once boiling, add one cup of rice. Turn the heat to low, and cover. Allow to cook for 15 minutes. Then, let stand five minutes. Remove the lid and fluff with a fork.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove the chicken and shred. Discard the bay leaves. Return the chicken to the pot. When ready to serve, add the rice to the soup, and lemon juice. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed (varies depending on how salty your bouillon is.)

To ensure leftovers don't become stodgy and the rice become a big, over-puffed mess, it's recommended to scoop the chicken, vegetables and rice with a slotted spoon and keep it separate from the broth. When ready to enjoy again, put everything back together again and reheat.

See Also

Gluten-Free Cream of Chicken Soup {Dairy-Free Option}

Notes

I do not recommend cooking the rice in the soup. It tends to absorb too much liquid, leaving your soup more casserole like, and making the rice be too water logged.

If you'd rather use chicken broth or stock, use ten cups, and omit the bouillon. I think bouillon has a better taste, which is why I recommend it.

Check out my other gluten free dairy free soups or my winter meal-plan.

*Our allergies, while severe and that get re-tested yearly, are such that we can go strictly by what's on the label. I do not call companies to see what things are derived from, or call manufacturers to see about potential cross contact. If your allergies require you to do so, please do your own homework. I cannot assure you of any ingredient's safety, only you can do that. I simply share what works for our family

**If you are going to feed this to someone with food allergies, and you yourself do not have food allergies, I HIGHLY recommend having them check every single brand and ingredient you are using, to ensure they're OK with each part of the recipe. And, to make sure you've talked to them about how to avoid cross contamination in your kitchen.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 86Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 164mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 6g

DON’T FORGET TO PIN IT, SO YOU DON’T LOSE IT. WHILE YOU’RE THERE, BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY OTHER DIETARY SPECIFIC PINTEREST BOARDS.