Place chicken in Dutch oven or stock pot and cover with water. Add seasonings.
Add diced onion; one stalk of celery, diced; one carrot, diced; and
Cook 1-2 hours until chicken is falling off the bone and broth is reduced.
Remove chicken from the broth and debone and remove skin. Make sure any bones are removed from the broth. Strain broth if you choose. Personal preference here!
Add the remaining 2 diced carrots, potatoes, 2 stalks diced celery, and green peas into the broth.
Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and place into the pot.
Season more, if needed, and cook for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
Add in 1/2 to 1 C of rice and continue cooking until the rice is cooked and thickened the broth a bit. TIP: Add more broth, if desired.
Notes
This is one of those recipes that just was created by the ingredients in my pantry--like my Mother would make-- that just seemed to make the best homemade chicken and rice soup!It really tastes like a bit of chicken pot pie in a bowl! We are soup lovers and this one did not disappoint! Take my advice, start with that chicken and feel free to add what you have that sounds amazing to you. Then it truly becomes your own!