Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is the ultimate comfort food. Use a rotisserie chicken for the easiest chicken soup with a creamy base and tons of veggies!
I love a good hearty soup that fills me up and I have an entire meal in one bowl. That’s exactly what Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is!
CREAMY CHICKEN AND WILD RICE SOUP
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It’s definitely going to be made a lot all sweater season long. It has everything in it that makes a great comfort food. And it’s just like Panera chicken and wild rice soup with a creamy broth filled with veggies, shredded chicken, and beautiful wild rice.
I love using rotisserie chickens in soups. It cuts down on a lot of the cooking time and it’s so tender! It makes it so simple to make a truly amazing homemade soup in no time at all.
WHAT CAN I ADD TO CHICKEN SOUP TO MAKE IT TASTE BETTER
ROTISSERIE CHICKEN: You can use any pre-cooked or leftover chicken for this recipe. I make this chicken soup recipe even easier with a rotisserie chicken that’s perfectly cooked and seasoned! Just shred the meat and you’re done!
You could also use 3 to 4 cooked and shredded chicken breasts. Some nights I cook up some extra chicken when making dinner and keep it in the fridge for later. It’s great for salads, soups, and more!
WILD RICE: Unlike white rice, wild rice has a natural smoky flavor. It’s technically not even rice at all — it’s a seed! I use a long grain and wild rice mix for this creamy chicken and wild rice soup to get the best of both worlds.
I also use tons of veggies in my chicken and wild rice soup recipe. The onions, carrots, mushrooms, and celery bring a beautiful savory flavor to the creamy chicken stock.
HOW DO YOU MAKE CHICKEN WILD RICE SOUP FROM SCRATCH
- Start by placing a Dutch oven over medium heat on the stovetop. Add the butter to the post and let it melt.
- First, add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pot and sauté for a few minutes.
- Then, add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper, and cook until the mushrooms have softened.
- Now, add the shredded chicken and the chicken broth. Bring the soup to a simmer.
- While it heats up, mix the flour and heavy cream together and add to the soup.
- Finally, add the wild rice and give everything a stir. Cover the pot and cook the soup until the rice is tender, stirring occasionally. The longer it cooks, the more puffy and soft the rice will be.
- Once the soup is ready, remove it from the heat, check the seasoning, and season with salt and pepper to your taste. Then portion into bowls and top with some freshly chopped parsley.
This is the best chicken and wild rice soup because it’s so easy! Cooking the rice in the soup gives it such a great savory flavor and saves on clean-up after dinner, too.
HOW LONG DOES WILD RICE TAKE TO COOK
Typically, wild rice takes about 45 minutes to cook. However, I only cook it for about half an hour in this recipe, or until it’s tender.
When I’ve let the soup sit longer, the rice became VERY thick. I added more stock but, to be honest, I liked it both ways. If you like more al dente rice, check after about 25 minutes.
The times in this recipe are more a minimum than a maximum. If you like your rice softer and want to let it cook a little longer, feel free. Keep your soup on a low cooking temperature and an eye on things.
TOOLS USED TO MAKE THIS CREAMY CHICKEN AND WILD RICE SOUP RECIPE
Dutch oven: A Dutch oven is the best pot for homemade soups! It transfers heat evenly and is perfect for simmering all day.
Ladle: You want a big, sturdy ladle to serve this chunky soup! This is one of my favorites because it’s got a great handle and is strong enough for my thickest stews and chilis.
Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ large yellow onion peeled and chopped
- 3 medium carrots peeled and diced
- 8 ounces button mushrooms sliced
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 3 cups cooked chicken shredded (see note)
- 4 cups chicken broth (or chicken stock)
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup long grain and wild rice mix
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Flat-leaf parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Melt butter in a heavy bottom pot over medium heat.
- Add onion, carrots, and celery and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add in mushrooms and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Allow to cook until mushrooms are soft.
- Add in the shredded chicken and chicken stock.
- In a small bowl whisk together the flour and heavy cream until smooth. Pour flour/cream mixture into the soup and stir.
- Add in rice, give everything a stir, and allow to cook covered for 25 to 30 minutes. Once the soup is done the rice should be tender.
- Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper to taste as needed. Serve warm with some chopped parsley on top, if desired.