Creamy Wild Rice Chicken Soup
A comforting, hearty soup featuring tender chicken, wild rice, and a rich, creamy broth with earthy mushrooms and aromatic herbs. Perfect for a cozy meal on a cold day! For this rustic soup, precise measurements aren't necessary - use what you have. I often start with cooked chicken or rice and add add leftover veggies or dark leafy greens at the very end. See end notes and full article for tips.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 371kcal
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp canola oil or your preferred oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 carrots diced 1/2 inch pieces
- 2 celery stalks diced 1/2 inch pieces
- 8 oz mushrooms diced or sliced, any variety
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 cup uncooked wild rice or wild rice blend
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken 2-3 breasts or 4-5 thighs
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half for a lighter version
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp cold water optional for thickening
- 1/8 tsp hot pepper flakes optional
- Salt to taste
- 2 Tbsp parsley or celery greens garnish
Instructions
- In large pot or Dutch oven, heat butter and oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and celery. Sauté for 3 minutes until onions are glassy. Add mushrooms and sauté another 5 minutes until they have released their moisture and browned slightly. Add garlic and sauté until softened.
- Stir in thyme, oregano and wild rice, allow to cook for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken broth, lemon juice and black pepper. Stir well then add whole chicken pieces and bay leaf making sure they're fully covered. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer.
- Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove chicken and continue to simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until wild rice has split and is starting to curl. If using a blend of rice or other grains, follow cooking time suggested on package ensuring chicken cooks for at least 25 minutes and reaches an internal temp of 165F/74C.
- While soup continues to simmer, cut or shred chicken. When rice is done, return chicken to pot, reduce heat to low and remove bay leaves.
- Over low heat, stir in heavy cream. If using low fat dairy, temper the dairy by adding a little hot broth to dairy before adding to soup - this will help prevent curdling.
- For a thicker soup, add cornstarch slurry and simmer for an additional 5 minutes until soup thickens.
- Add hot pepper flakes, taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
Using Cooked Chicken: If you have pre-cooked chicken (like shredded rotisserie or leftover grilled chicken), add it during the last 10 minutes of cooking, just before adding the cream. This will warm the chicken through without overcooking it.
Using Cooked Rice: For pre-cooked wild rice, stir it into the soup along with the cream. Simmer for just 5-10 minutes to allow the flavours to blend. Reduce the amount of broth to 5 cups since cooked rice won’t absorb as much liquid.
Mushroom Variations: Use a mix of mushrooms for a more complex flavour, or omit them if preferred. Frozen diced mushrooms work too!
For more tips and ideas on using substitutions read full article.
Nutrition
Calories: 371kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 22g | Sodium: 1056mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Iron: 1mg