This Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup recipe combines the goodness of tender chicken, earthy wild rice, and fresh vegetables in a creamy, flavorful broth. With the use of rotisserie chicken, this cold weather soup is relatively quick and easy to prepare. This is one classic soup that will warm your heart, and satisfy your tastebuds on any chilly fall or winter evening.
Why You Should Make This Chicken and Rice Soup
- Comforting and Cozy: Perfect for chilly nights, this creamy chicken and wild rice soup is a comforting, hearty option that warms you up from the inside out. Ideal for a satisfying dinner that feels like a warm hug.
- Nutrient-Rich: Packed with protein from chicken and essential nutrients from wild rice, this soup is a wholesome, nourishing choice that supports a balanced diet and overall well-being.
- Easy to Make: With simple ingredients and straightforward instructions, this recipe is easy to prepare, making it a great option for both busy weeknights and relaxed weekends.
- Versatile Ingredients: Adaptable to your taste preferences and dietary needs, you can easily substitute ingredients such as using gluten-free wild rice or low-fat cream to suit various dietary requirements.
- Family-Friendly: This creamy chicken and wild rice soup is a hit with both kids and adults, offering a delicious, creamy texture that appeals to all ages. A great addition to any family meal plan.
- Meal Prep Friendly: Ideal for batch cooking and storing, this soup can be made in advance and enjoyed throughout the week, saving you time and effort on busy days.
- Deliciously Filling: With a rich, creamy base and hearty wild rice, this soup is filling and satisfying, making it an excellent choice for a complete and enjoyable meal.
Ingredients
- Rotisserie Chicken: Feel free to sear and dice boneless chicken breasts or thighs prior tosautéing the vegetables. You can also use pre-cooked chicken or leftover roasted chicken.
- Wild Rice: Optionally, use white rice, brown rice, or a mix of wild and brown rice for a different texture and flavor.
- Heavy Cream: Substitute with half-and-half or whole milk for a lighter option, or use coconut milk for a dairy-free alternative.
- Chicken Broth: Vegetable broth or low-sodium chicken broth can be used as substitutes. For a richer flavor, try using homemade chicken stock.
How to Make Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Preparing this Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup is a breeze, with straightforward steps and simple ingredients, it’s a perfect comforting soup recipe for an easy weeknight meal. Here’s the step-by-step guide to making this flavorful soup:
- Prepare the Base:
- Heat olive oil and butter in a soup pot over medium heat.
- Add minced carrot, celery, garlic, and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
- Coat the vegetables with flour. Cook for a few minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
- Cook the Soup:
- Pour in chicken stock, add bay leaves, thyme, and wild rice. Bring almost to a boil.
- Reduce heat, cover partially, and simmer for at least 20 minutes until rice is tender.
- Finish the Soup:
- Stir in heavy cream, diced chicken, and fresh parsley.
- Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes until the chicken is warmed through, and the soup is creamy.
Recipe Tips
- Use diced rotisserie chicken for ease. Alternatively, sear and cook two chicken breasts in the pot prior to sautéing the mirepoix. Dice and reserve.
- Soften the mirepoix on medium to avoid browning or burning.
- Season the vegetables with salt and pepper as they sauté.
- Experiment with other fresh herbs. Rosemary would be a great addition or alternative to fresh thyme.
- Be sure to cook off the raw flour taste prior to adding the stock.
- A roux can be used instead of dusting the vegetables with flour.
- Vegetable stock can be used instead of chicken stock.
- For a lactose-free soup, use only olive oil to sauté the vegetables and replace the cream with your favorite dairy-free option.
- Medium or long-grain rice, or even orzo can be used instead of wild rice.
- Wilt spinach or other greens in the final minutes of cooking to incorporate even more vegetables.
- Do NOT forget to discard the bay leaves!
NOTE: It may seem like a lot of chicken broth. Rest assured, the rice will soak up a fair amount and you will need the extra soup stock once the chicken is added.
How to Serve and Store Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup
How to Serve: Ladle the Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup into bowls. Garnish with extra parsley, freshly cracked black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
Pair This Hearty Soup With:
- Garlic Bread: A classic choice, perfect for dipping into the creamy soup.
- Mixed Green Salad: A refreshing contrast, drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette for extra flavor.
- Roasted Vegetables: Serve alongside the soup for a healthy and hearty combination.
How to Store Leftovers: If you have leftovers, store this creamy rice soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, gently warm it on the stove over low heat, stirring occasionally to maintain its creamy texture. Add additional stock/heavy cream as the rice will have the tendency to soak up the soup based once stored.
Freezing: This creamy chicken soup can be stored in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Thawing and Reheating: To thaw, transfer the frozen soup to the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight. Reheat the soup gently on the stove over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally to maintain its creamy texture. Add additional stock or cream as needed. Avoid boiling the soup, as it can cause the cream to separate.
More Creamy Soups to Love
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Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup recipe combines the goodness of tender chicken, earthy wild rice, and fresh vegetables in a creamy, flavorful broth. Warm up your evenings with a bowl of this creamy goodness!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups rotisserie chicken, diced small
- 1 cup wild rice
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 carrot, minced
- 1 stalk celery with leaves, minced
- 1/4 yellow onion, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, plus
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
- Drizzle of olive oil, for garnish
- Cracked black pepper, for garnish
Instructions
- Melt the butter and warm the oil in a heavy bottom soup pot to medium.
- Add in the minced celery, carrot, onions and garlic.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Soften for about five minutes.
- Add in the fresh thyme. Cook for another minute.
- Coat the vegetables with the flour and cook out the “raw” flour taste for a few minutes.
- Pour in the chicken stock.
- Add the wild rice and bay leaves.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil.
- Turn down the heat. Partially cover and simmer for about 20 -25 minutes, or until the rice is fully-cooked.
- Remove and discard the bay leaves and any woody stems of the fresh thyme.
- Taste for salt.
- Add in the diced chicken, heavy whipping cream and fresh chopped parsley.
- Warm through for about 5-10 minutes.
- Serve piping hot.
- ENJOY!
Equipment
Notes
- For ease, use rotisserie chicken.
- As an alternative to rotisserie chicken, sear and cook two chicken breasts in the soup prior prior to sautéing the vegetables. Remove and dice.
- Wild rice has a unique texture. Be sure to cook thoroughly in the stock to ensure tenderness.
- A medium, or long-grain rice can be substituted for the wild rice. Orzo is also an option.
- Add additional seasonings to your liking.
- Allow the raw flour taste to cook off for a few minutes before adding the stock.
- Easily replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock.
- If the rice seems to be soaking up too much of the broth while simmering, add a touch more.
- Make this a dairy-free soup by replacing the butter with an additional tablespoon of oil and choosing a dairy-free heavy whipping cream.
- Add spinach or other greens in the final minutes of cooking for added nutrients and freshness.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a touch more stock and/or heavy cream.
- If you want seconds, I suggest doubling this recipe!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup, Bisque
- Method: Easy
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
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WELCOME! My name is Melissa Latin, aka. Charlotte Fashion Plate. Happy to meet you! I am more than just recipes. I love fashion and style too! Most importantly, I love my Family (my Hubby and my Fur Babies). My Husband (aka my “Kitchen Bitch”) means the world to me. He’s pretty damn cool too. Not only is he one of the nicest guys you will ever meet, he also has had a lengthy career in professional hockey. Not only winning two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the early ’90’s, but most recently winning the Calder Cup with the Charlotte Checkers, amongst many other accolades. If you live in Charlotte and play hockey, or have a family member who plays, be sure to contact him!
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