As soon as the cold weather hits, you’ll find me cooking up some of this rich and creamy chicken wild rice soup! I like to load mine up with shredded chicken, fresh herbs, and plenty of sautéed veggies. But the wild rice is the real star of the show–it’s so earthy, nutty, and chewy. My kids and I always go back for second helpings!
Top Reader Review
So so so good. The whole family liked it, even my picky 5 yr old. I had two bowls! Fantastic!
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Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
The first time I made this easy chicken and wild rice soup recipe for my family, they couldn’t believe how good it was. Even my picky eaters loved it. And not only is it tasty, but it’s also so easy to make! Once the chicken and veggies are cooked, it’s just a matter of adding in the wild rice and simmering until tender. It’s that simple!
This recipe is SO delicious that I let it break my ‘no more than 10 ingredients’ rule. But it’s worth it! Each ingredient adds tons of flavor to this creamy chicken wild rice soup, and I can’t imagine leaving any of them out.
Got a slow cooker? Check out my crockpot chicken wild rice soup, too!
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One Simple Tip!
While the soup is simmering, keep it covered for the full 45 minutes so the wild rice cooks through properly. Removing the lid will allow moisture/steam to escape, but the rice needs to absorb it to soften.
Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (⅜ stick, divided*)
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (**)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (divided)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 medium carrots (chopped)
- 3 ribs celery (chopped)
- ½ medium onion (chopped)
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried sage
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup dry wild rice
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup white wine (***)
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ¾ cup heavy cream (****)
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper.3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Cook the chicken on each side for 3-4 minutes until browned, but not cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
- To the same pot, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Once melted, add the carrots, celery, and onion. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and the dried herbs. Cook until the carrots are tender, about 6-7 minutes.2 medium carrots, 3 ribs celery, ½ medium onion, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon dried sage, ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- Add the garlic, wild rice, and flour and cook for another minute. Pour in the wine and cook for 1-2 more minutes.2 cloves garlic, 1 cup dry wild rice, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup white wine
- Gradually stir in the chicken broth.6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Place the chicken back into the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, turn down the heat and let it simmer, covered, for about 45 minutes until the wild rice is cooked and the chicken is fork tender.
- Remove the chicken from the pot, shred it with 2 forks, and add the shredded chicken back into the pot.
- Pour in the heavy cream and give the soup a good stir. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper and serve.¾ cup heavy cream
Notes
- I recommend using a Dutch oven, or another large pan with deep sides.
- The veggies can be chopped ahead of time and stored in the fridge to cut down on prep time.
- Be sure to keep the lid on while the soup simmers so that everything cooks through properly.
- Fully cooked chicken breasts should reach an internal temperature of 165F before consuming.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
Variations To Try
I’ve tried a couple of variations for this chicken and wild rice soup recipe over the years, including adding some chopped bacon for extra flavor. It adds a nice salty crunch to the creamy soup. Another variation is using brown rice instead of wild rice – it works great in a pinch, but the texture isn’t quite the same. Orzo pasta is also a good substitute for the rice!
How to Make Chicken Wild Rice Soup Step by Step
Prep: Gather the list of ingredients for this chicken wild rice soup recipe. Chop the carrots, celery, and onions. Then mince the garlic.
Cook the Chicken: In a large pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Once melted, add 1 ½ pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper. Sear the chicken on each side for 3-4 minutes. We are just browning it, it will cook through with the soup later on. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside.
Cook the Veggies: To the same pot, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Once melted, add 2 chopped medium carrots, 3 chopped ribs of celery, and ½ chopped medium onion. Then sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon of dried sage, and ¼ teaspoon of dried rosemary. Cook until the carrots are tender, about 6-7 minutes. Next, add 2 minced cloves of garlic, 1 cup of dry wild rice, and ¼ cup of all-purpose flour; cook for another minute. Finally, pour in ¼ cup of white wine and cook for 1-2 more minutes.
Simmer the Soup: Gradually stir in 6 cups of chicken broth. Then place the browned chicken breasts back into the pot, and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, turn down the heat and let the soup simmer, covered, for about 45 minutes. The wild rice should be softened and cooked through, and the chicken should be fork tender–soft enough to shred.
Shred the Chicken: Remove the cooked chicken breast from the pot. Shred it on a plate or cutting board using 2 forks. Then add the shredded chicken back to the pot of soup, and give it a good stir to distribute the chicken.
Make it Creamy: Add ¾ cup of heavy cream to the soup and stir everything to fully combine. This will create a silkier, thicker, creamier broth texture. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve: Serve bowls of creamy chicken wild rice soup while hot. I love to serve this with some warm, crusty sourdough.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store wild rice chicken soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stove over medium heat, stirring regularly until warmed through. You might need to add a little extra broth or water to thin out the soup if it thickens when refrigerated.
More Chicken Soup Recipes to Try!
Note: This recipe is one of those few exceptions on our site that has more than 10 ingredients. We try to keep things VERY easy around here, and limiting ingredients and time spent is one of our favorite ways. That being said, this recipe is too delicious to leave out of our recipe box! It’s an exception that is so flavorful and worth the extra ingredients if you have the time and resources to make it.
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