Description
Few dishes embody comfort as perfectly as a steaming bowl of creamy chicken and wild rice soup. With tender chicken, nutty wild rice, vegetables, and a silky cream base, this dish balances rustic warmth with elegant flavor. Perfect for cozy nights, meal prep, or serving guests.
Ingredients
For the Base:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
2 celery stalks, diced (about 1 cup)
3 garlic cloves, minced
For the Soup:
1 cup uncooked wild rice blend (or pure wild rice for nuttier flavor)
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups cooked chicken breast or thighs, shredded (rotisserie works well)
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 2 teaspoons fresh)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Cream Base:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk (or half-and-half for richness)
½ cup heavy cream
For Garnish (optional):
Fresh parsley, chopped
Freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
Sauté Vegetables
In a Dutch oven, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook 6–7 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic; cook 1 more minute.
Build Soup Base
Add wild rice, broth, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 45–50 minutes until rice is tender but chewy.
Add Chicken
Stir in shredded chicken. Simmer gently until heated through.
Prepare Cream Base
In a saucepan, melt butter. Whisk in flour to form a roux. Cook 2–3 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk. Cook 5–6 minutes until thickened. Stir in cream.
Combine and Finish
Stir cream base into soup. Simmer uncovered 5–10 minutes until thickened. Remove bay leaf. Adjust seasoning.
Serve
Garnish with parsley and fresh pepper. Enjoy with bread or salad.
Notes
For best freezing results, freeze soup before adding the cream base. Add fresh cream base when reheating.
The rice will continue absorbing liquid during storage. Add extra broth when reheating if soup thickens too much.
Use chicken thighs for richer flavor, or turkey for a holiday variation.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
Keywords: creamy chicken and wild rice soup, hearty soup, chicken wild rice recipe