Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
This creamy chicken and wild rice soup is made with tender shredded chicken, carrots, celery, and 100% wild rice simmered directly in the broth. Giving the wild rice a head start allows the rice and chicken to finish with the right texture.
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 360kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoon butter
- 2 medium yellow onions - diced
- 5 ribs celery - chopped
- 4 large carrots - chopped
- 6 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves - plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon salt - plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper - plus more to taste
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups 100% wild rice
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- Fresh chopped parsley or thyme - to garnish, optional
Instructions
- Cook the veggies. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the onions, celery, and carrots. Cook until softened, approximately 10-15 minutes.1 tablespoon olive oil, 4 tablespoon butter, 2 medium yellow onions, 5 ribs celery, 4 large carrots
- Add the aromatics and flour. Stir in the garlic, thyme, salt, and black pepper and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir until evenly incorporated. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, to remove the raw flour taste.6 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- Add the wild rice. Stir in the wild rice until evenly combined with the vegetables and flour mixture.1 ¼ cups 100% wild rice
- Add the broth and simmer. Slowly pour in the chicken broth and water, stirring well to prevent the flour from clumping. Add the bay leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.8 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 4 cups water, 2 bay leaves
- Cook the chicken. Add the chicken breasts to the pot. Cover and continue simmering for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 166°F in the thickest part and the wild rice is tender but pleasantly chewy. Remove the chicken to a clean plate and let it rest for several minutes.1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Shred the chicken. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it using two forks (or your hands).
- Return the chicken to the soup. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and stir to combine. Simmer for about 5 minutes, then remove the pot from the heat. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
- Finish with cream. Stir in the heavy cream until fully incorporated. Taste and season with additional salt and black pepper as needed. Garnish with fresh parsley or thyme before serving, if desired.1 cup heavy whipping cream, Fresh chopped parsley or thyme
Notes
- Wild rice: Use 100% wild rice rather than a wild rice blend. Wild rice generally takes about 75-90 minutes total to become tender with a bit of bite. Cooking time can vary, so use texture rather than the clock alone to determine when it is done.
- Using cooked chicken: Substitute about 3 1/2 to 4 cups cooked shredded or rotisserie chicken. Add it near the end of cooking and heat just until warmed through.
- Gluten-free: Substitute a trusted 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour. Alternatively, omit the flour and thicken the finished soup with a cornstarch slurry.
- Leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Wild rice continues to absorb broth as it sits, so add a splash of chicken broth when reheating if the soup becomes too thick.
Nutrition
Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 453mg | Potassium: 631mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5447IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 1mg
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