You can make this hearty, comforting Chicken Soup with Rice inspired by Maurice Sendak with zero chopping required. The recipe is so easy, you’ll want to make it every single month of the year!
You might be surprised that Chicken Soup with Rice is my first foray into the world of Maurice Sendak for The Reader's Kitchen. Surely Where the Wild Things Are or In the Night Kitchen would be more obvious choices?
I assure you those classics are on the list (the ever-growing list!) but Chicken Soup with Rice holds a special place in my heart not only because of the charming poem that makes up the book, but because of a sleeper-hit musical.
About Chicken Soup with Rice: A Book of Months
Maurice Sendak (1928-2012) was an American author and illustrator of over 80 books for children in his lifetime. He was especially known for bringing to life fantastical worlds, often with dark edges, in his stories and illustrations. He was one of the most celebrated children's authors in history, earning a Caldecott Medal for Where the Wild Things Are in 1966, the Hans Christian Andersen Award for children's book illustration in 1970, a National Book Award for Outside Over There in 1982, and a National Medal of Arts in 1996, among many other honors.
What I love about Maurice Sendak, though, is that he pushed beyond children's books to also explore the worlds of ballet, opera, theater, and more, right up until the time of his death. Over the course of his career, he designed the sets and costumes for award-winning productions of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker, Mozart's The Magic Flute, and Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel. He even adapted the story and music from Peter and the Wolf into an all Klezmer version called Pincus and the Pig: A Klezmer Tale, featuring himself as the narrator.
But my personal favorite project of Sendak's, beyond his picture books of course, was a musical that he co-wrote with the great Carole King: Really Rosie.
In 1975, Sendak and King got together to turn a collection of Sendak's books—Chicken Soup with Rice, Pierre, One Was Johnny, Alligators All Around, and The Sign on Rosie's Door—into a musical, with Sendak writing the book and lyrics and King writing the music. It aired as an animated special on CBS in 1975, with King voicing Rosie, and an expanded live version ran off-Broadway in 1980.
Why do I know and love this pretty obscure musical from the 1970s and 80s? Well, I was lucky enough to grow up with not one but two theater director parents. My dad was the chair of the Theatre Department at the University of Maine, and my mom ran the Theatre of the Enchanted Forest, a children's theater company, from 1980 to 1993. I spent my childhood bouncing between their rehearsals, coloring book in tow, absorbing all sorts of storytelling along the way.
In 1987(ish—we think!), my mom selected Really Rosie for TEF's summer youth theater program. I was about four or five years old, and I was completely enchanted by the "big kids" on stage—especially the glamorous, brassy Rosie, flaunting sunglasses and a feather boa. Day after day, I listened to the songs as the group rehearsed, and they never got old. The music is funny, irreverent, a little bit dark—just like Sendak's books—and honestly, catchy as hell. When I found a copy of the soundtrack on vinyl (recently re-released in a 50th anniversary edition), it took me right back to that summer. And the best song of them all just happens to be all about food.
Recipe Inspiration
In January
it's so nice
while slipping
on the sliding ice
To sip hot chicken soup
with rice.
Sipping once
sipping twice
sipping chicken soup
with rice.— Maurice Sendak, Chicken Soup with Rice: A Book of Months
Chicken Soup with Rice: A Book of Months is an ode to one of life's simplest pleasures: a nice hot bowl of nourishing soup. The book is a sneaky way for kids to learn the calendar, with each page offering a rhyming poem describing how chicken soup with rice should be enjoyed in each month of the year. Of course, I can't read it without hearing the song, indelibly and delightfully inked into my brain as it is.
And yet, soup is not usually my first pick as a recipe for kids. Though the method for making soup is typically simple—add ingredients to a pot and let them go!—there are often a long list of ingredients, each of which needs some prep, and soups often require long cook times, which can be hard for kids who don't love to wait.
So, my challenge was clear: Could I develop the quickest, easiest recipe for chicken soup with rice, but still make it delicious enough to crave it all year long?
To accomplish this goal, I used one of my favorite shortcut ingredients: pre-prepped mirepoix. Mirepoix (“meer-PWAH”) is the French name for a mix of chopped onions, carrots, and celery that are the foundation of many recipes (including this soup!). You can make your own by peeling and chopping the vegetables (two parts onion to one part each carrots and celery), but that can be a tall order for kids who are still working on their knife skills—and that's before you've even turned on the stove. Grabbing a container of pre-prepped veggies in the produce section at the grocery store is a big time- and energy-saver here.
For the chicken, I opted for boneless, skinless chicken thighs, which cook quickly right in the broth of the soup (no messy, splattery browning required), have deep chicken-y flavor, and stay tender as they simmer away while the rice finishes cooking through. Shredding them apart into pieces with two forks after cooking is easy to do, ensuring every spoonful has some hearty chicken in it. A scoop of long-grain white rice brought tender, soft bulk to the soup, and skipping rinsing it not only saved a fussy step, but also allowed the rice's starch to make every sip of the broth extra-creamy.
When I realized I had gotten this far with the recipe without picking up a knife, I decided I couldn't stop there. A sprinkle of garlic powder and Italian seasoning offered lots of flavor without any mincing to round everything out. And yes, you could use a knife to slice a lemon in half at the end and juice it for a boost of flavor, but the soup is just as delicious without it (and bottled juice works, too!).
Hearty, creamy, comforting, and ready in under an hour, this soup is so simple to make that you can enjoy it every single month of the year!
Ingredients You'll Need
To make this No-Chop Chicken Soup with Rice, you'll need:
- Olive oil
- Pre-prepped mirepoix: Most grocery stores carry this mix of chopped onions, carrots, and celery in containers in the produce section. Or, if you do feel like doing some chopping, see the recipe card for how to prep your own.
- Salt and pepper
- Garlic powder: Much easier than peeling and mincing a sticky garlic clove! You can use granulated garlic, too, if you prefer.
- Italian seasoning: A blend of dried herbs like basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Every blend is different, but they all work!
- Chicken broth: Use a nice-quality broth or stock here. (Have you ever wondered what the difference is between stock and broth? I wrote about it!)
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs: Thighs have tons of flavor and hold up well in the soup. You can swap in boneless, skinless chicken breasts if you really want to, but they may get a bit dry and tough during the time it takes for the rice to cook.
- Long-grain white rice: I tested with jasmine rice (my favorite!), but any long-grain white rice will do. Brown rice will need much longer to cook.
- Lemon juice and parsley: These are optional, for finishing and brightening up the soup at the end, but you can easily skip them or swap in another acid (a splash of white wine vinegar would be nice) or another fresh, tender herb (like torn basil or cilantro).
How to Make No-Chop Chicken Soup with Rice
The full recipe with detailed timing and instructions for this No-Chop Chicken Soup with Rice is below, but here are some key moments to look out for along the way:
- Soften the vegetables: In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the mirepoix until soft, then add the seasonings.
- Build the soup: Add the broth, chicken thighs, and rice to the pot, and cook until everything is tender.
- Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken from the pot, let it cool a bit, then shred it into bite-sized pieces with two forks.
- Finish the soup: Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, warm everything through, and finish with lemon and fresh herbs, if you like!
Why This Recipe Is Great for Kids
I've spent years writing cookbooks and creating recipes that are safe, fun, and engaging for kids and home cooks of all ages. Here are some key features of this recipe that make it perfect for kids and families to make together at home:
- You can make the whole thing without picking up a knife once! Kids can focus on measuring, stirring, shredding, and using the stovetop safely.
- Using pre-prepped mirepoix, jarred seasonings, and boneless, skinless chicken thighs makes this soup come together fast, keeping kids engaged at every step.
- The soup makes a generous batch that reheats well, so kids can enjoy it over a few days, with no need to make another meal!
Let's Cook!
Gather your equipment, measure your ingredients, and get cooking with this kid-friendly recipe! If you loved making it together, please leave five stars and share your stories in the comments.
No-Chop Chicken Soup with Rice
Good To Know
- Mirepoix (“meer-PWAH”) is the French name for a mix of chopped onions, carrots, and celery that are the foundation of many recipes (including this soup!). Many grocery stores sell containers of pre-prepped mirepoix in the produce section, meaning you can skip any peeling and chopping. But if you’d like to practice your knife skills in this recipe, use one small onion, one medium carrot, and one stalk of celery, chopped into ½- to ¼-inch pieces, measuring about 2 cups total.
Equipment You'll Need
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Wooden spoon
- Tongs
- Cutting board or large plate
- 2 forks
- Spoon
- Serving bowls
Measure Your Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 (8- to 10-ounce) container pre-prepped mirepoix (chopped onions, carrots, and celery)
- ½ teaspoon table salt (plus more to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (plus more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 to 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of extra fat
- ¾ cup long-grain white rice
- Juice squeezed from ½ lemon (about 2 tablespoons, optional)
- Fresh torn parsley or basil (for serving, optional)
Let's Cook!
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 (8- to 10-ounce) container pre-prepped mirepoix, ½ teaspoon table salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepperIn a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it’s shimmering, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mirepoix, salt, and pepper and stir with a wooden spoon until the vegetables are evenly coated. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon garlic powderAdd the Italian seasoning and garlic powder and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- 8 cups chicken broth, 1 to 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of extra fat, ¾ cup long-grain white ricePour in the broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Use tongs to add the chicken thighs to the soup, then pour in the rice. Turn the heat up to high and bring to a simmer (small bubbles will gently break all over the surface), 2 to 4 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain the simmer and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pot to keep the rice from sticking, until the chicken is cooked through and the rice and vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Turn off the stove. Use clean tongs to transfer the chicken to a cutting board or large plate. Let the chicken cool slightly, 2 to 5 minutes, then use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot and turn the heat back on to medium-low. Cook until the soup is warmed through, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Juice squeezed from ½ lemonStir in the lemon juice, if using. Scoop a little bit of soup onto a spoon, let cool slightly, then taste. Stir in a little bit more salt and pepper as desired until the soup tastes just the way you like it. Turn off the stove.
- Fresh torn parsley or basilLadle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve.
Conversation Starters
As your soup simmers away and when you sit down to enjoy it together, talk about what it was like to make the recipe and the themes in Chicken Soup with Rice. You can help young readers make connections to the book and share your own answers, ideas, and stories with them with the following prompts:
- Is there a food you love so much that you would write poems and songs about it? What is it, and how would your poem go?
- What do you think is the silliest moment in this story when the main character is eating chicken soup with rice? Which month was it, and what was so silly about it?
- What is your favorite season of the year, and why? Which months are in that season?
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