This creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup is the perfect meal on a cold day. You’ll love this deliciously thick soup that’s full of tender chicken, flavorful rice, and tons of veggies.
For more tasty chicken dishes, you should try our yummy mini chicken pot pies (video) and crispy air fryer chicken tenders.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
I love serving this Chicken Wild Rice Soup on a cold day. It’s hearty, flavorful, and really easy to make.
- TASTE: This soup is made with dark meat for more flavor and a host of veggies that contribute lots of great taste.
- TEXTURE: Tender chicken in a thick, creamy soup with chewy wild rice and softened vegetables is the perfect meal during the winter months.
- TIME: This dish will take 45 minutes to make.
- EASE: Soups are some of the easiest recipes to make and this delicious Chicken Wild Rice Soup is no different. It’s simple and versatile, perfect for any occasion.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken- I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this soup as they are easy to work with and have more flavor than white meat.
- Wild Rice Blend– This rice blend has a distinct nutty, earthy flavor and a texture that’s chewier. While you can use any rice in this soup, wild rice brings the most flavor.
- All-purpose flour- This ingredient will thicken the soup.
- Chicken broth and Heavy Cream- These are the components for the creamy broth. The flavor and thickness are thanks to them.
- Vegetables- We’ll use Yellow onion, Carrots, Celery, Garlic cloves, and Baby Bella mushrooms. They’re cooked until softened and impart the most amazing flavors to this Chicken Wild Rice Soup.
- Seasonings- You’ll need Dried thyme leaves, Dried oregano, Salt, and Pepper. These spices are a nice complement to the other flavors in the soup.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Heavy cream substitutes- If you don’t have heavy cream, you can also use coconut milk, or for a lighter version, you can use fat-free or regular Half & Half.
- Use chicken breasts- While chicken thighs are juicier, you can also use leaner chicken breasts. You may want to shred them after cooking as they don’t fall apart as easily as thighs.
- Substitute a different rice- Different rice will work in this, too. Brown, white, or whatever you have on hand can be substituted if you have no wild rice.
- Add other herbs. Chicken Wild Rice soup also tastes great with other seasonings, including dried chives, parsley, and basil.
How to Make Chicken Wild Rice Soup
- Cook the chicken. Add the olive oil to a large pot over medium-high heat. Then add the chopped chicken thighs and cook them until they are fully cooked.
- Saute the vegetables. Now add the chopped onion, diced carrots, diced celery, and minced garlic to the pot and saute until the onion becomes translucent. Then add the sliced mushrooms and stir them for about 3-4 minutes, until tender.
- Add the rice and flour. Add the wild rice blend to the pot, then the flour. Stir for about 1 minute.
Pro Tip: Stir the flour in well, making sure that there are no clumps as you thicken the soup.
- Add the chicken broth. At this point, add the chicken broth to the pot and let the rice simmer over medium heat for about 40 minutes, or until fully cooked.
- Season the Chicken Wild Rice Soup. Add the salt, pepper, dried thyme leaves, and dried oregano to the soup, and stir.
- Add the heavy cream. Pour in the heavy cream and bring the soup to a simmer one more time. Serve.
Recipe Tips
- Fully cook the chicken first- Before adding anything else, cook the chicken so you can easily make sure it is fully cooked. You wouldn’t want underdone chicken in your soup.
- Check for doneness- Chicken should be at 180 degrees Fahrenheit for doneness. Use an instant read digital meat thermometer to be sure.
- Don’t pre-soak the wild rice- While this does cut down on the cooking time, pre-soaking the rice will make it softer and you’ll lose some of the great texture it’s known for.
- Don’t rush the soup- There are a lot of times this soup needs to sit and simmer as the ingredients meld and soften. This is essential to getting the best flavor and right texture, so be patient.
FAQs
Should I cook rice before adding it to soup?
It’s best to add uncooked rice to soup because as it cooks, it absorbs the flavors of the broth, making it even more flavorful and delicious.
Do you need to rinse wild rice?
It’s best to always rinse wild rice (or any rice) to remove any dirt or excess starch clinging to the grains. Give it a quick rinse in cold water before adding it to the soup.
Serving Suggestions
This Chicken Wild Rice Soup is versatile and easy to pair with other dishes. It’s great as an appetizer, lunch on a cold day, or served for dinner.
- Bread: Serve this soup with some Focaccia Bread, Sourdough Bread, Garlic Cheese Bread, or Moist Buttermilk Cornbread.
- Main dishes: Make this the appetizer before a Ribeye Steak, Air Fryer Pork Chops (VIDEO), Cedar Plank Salmon, or Braised Beef Short Ribs (VIDEO).
- Salad: Pair this Chicken Wild Rice Soup with a Spinach Salad, Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad, Cucumber Radish Salad, or Antipasto Salad.
- Sides: Serve with along with some Bacon Wrapped Asparagus, Crispy Air Fryer Broccoli, Keto Stuffed Mushrooms, or Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: You can make the soup in advance up to the step where you add the rice. From there, you can either freeze it or store it in the fridge until you’re ready to finish and serve it.
Storing: Leftovers of this yummy Chicken Wild Rice Soup will stay fresh for 2-3 days if kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Freeze: Unfortunately, this soup doesn’t freeze well because of the dairy and rice. But you can make it up to the step where the rice is added and then freeze it for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw and complete the steps.
More Delicious Soups!
Full Recipe Instructions
Chicken Wild Rice Soup
This creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup is thick, flavorful, and easy to make. Full of vegetables and tender chicken, its savory warmth is delicious.
Print Pin Rate Servings: 8
Calories: 289kcal
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs chopped
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 medium carrots diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 8 oz baby Bella mushrooms sliced
- 3/4 cup wild rice blend any brand works
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 10 cups chicken broth
- 2 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Start off by adding 1/4 cup of olive oil to a large pot and bring the heat to medium-high.
- Then add 1 pound of chopped chicken thighs. And cook until the chicken is fully cooked through.
- Mow add 1 finely chopped yellow onion, 3 medium diced carrots, 2 diced celery stalks, and 3 minced garlic cloves. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent.
- Then add in 8 oz of sliced baby Bella mushrooms and stir them for about 3-4 minutes until they become tender.
- Then add in 3/4 cup of any wild rice blend. Then add 1/4 cup all-purpose flour. Stir for about 1 minute.
- Now pour in 10 cups of chicken broth and let the rice simmer over medium heat for about 40 minutes or until fully cooked through.
- Then season with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano.
- Pour in 1 cup of heavy cream and let the soup come to a simmer one last time.
Notes
Substitutions and variations
- Heavy cream substitutes- If you don’t have heavy cream, you can also use coconut milk, or for a lighter version, you can use fat-free or regular Half & Half.
- Use chicken breasts- While chicken thighs are juicier, you can also use leaner chicken breasts. You may want to shred them after cooking as they don’t fall apart as easily as thighs.
- Substitute a different rice- Different rice will work in this, too. Brown, white, or whatever you have on hand can be substituted if you have no wild rice.
- Add other herbs. Chicken and Wild Rice soup also tastes great with other seasonings, including dried chives, parsley, and basil.
Nutrition
Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 1431mg | Potassium: 640mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3866IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2mg
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Hi, I’m Dina, so glad you stopped by! I believe life is too short for bad coffee and boring meals. With my easy to follow step-by-step recipes, you’ll be surprised at how quickly a wholesome and delicious meal can come together. I hope you find something you enjoy!
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