Cajun Chicken and Rice Soup
This warming Cajun Chicken and Rice Soup is packed with flavor and makes for the perfect comfort food on a chilly day. Loaded with tender chicken, vegetables, and seasoned rice, it's a dish that the whole family will love.
Equipment
- stockpot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 sweet bell pepper diced
- 2 cups chicken chopped
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 cup rice (or 1 1/2 cups cooked rice)
- 2 tablespoons butter (or oil)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning
- 4 cups chicken broth
Instructions
- Heat a stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat and melt half of the butter or oil.
- Season the chopped chicken with salt, black pepper, and half of the Cajun seasoning. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken to the pot and cook it until it turns golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, which should take about 6-8 minutes.
- While the chicken is cooking, rinse your rice, then bring 1 1/3 cups of water to a boil. Stir in the rice, reducing the heat to low, and cover it. Let it simmer until all the water is absorbed, which usually takes around 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and let it rest, covered, for about 5 minutes.
- Next, add the diced vegetables to the pot with the chicken. If needed, add a little more oil. Cook the onions until they're translucent and the vegetables become soft and slightly charred — this takes about 6-8 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste and let it cook for around 2 minutes until it darkens slightly.
- Finally, mix the cooked rice and chicken broth into the pot with the veggies and chicken. Bring it all to a boil, then reduce the heat and serve warm.