Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

When Comfort Calls, This Soup Answers

Hey there, soup squad! Isla here from BiteTide, and if you’re anything like me, the minute that autumn chill hits the air, your soul starts screaming for something warm, creamy, and hug-in-a-bowl worthy. Enter this Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup – the culinary equivalent of your coziest sweater. Imagine tender chicken bobbing in a velvety herb-kissed broth, earthy mushrooms doing a flavor tango with nutty wild rice, and carrots adding little pops of sunshine. It’s rich without feeling heavy, fancy enough for guests, yet simple enough for a Tuesday night. I’ve packed this recipe with all my favorite chef hacks (like searing the chicken first for insane depth and using a roux for foolproof creaminess). Whether you’re thawing out after leaf-raking or soothing a sniffly crew, this soup is your edible security blanket. Grab your Dutch oven – we’re about to make magic!

Grandma’s Kitchen & The Blizzard That Started It All

This soup always takes me back to being ten years old at my grandma’s house during the Great Coastal Blizzard of ‘98. Snowed in for three days, we raided her pantry like flavor pirates. She had wild rice from a Minnesota pen pal, carrots from her garden, and a whole chicken defrosting (because Nan always had a backup chicken). As the wind howled, we danced around her old gas stove, searing chicken thighs until golden, giggling as flour dusted our noses during roux-making, and sneaking bites of mushrooms. That pot simmered for hours while we played cards, the scent wrapping around us like a promise. When we finally slurped it, cheeks flushed from the steam, Nan winked: “Child, good soup isn’t just cooked – it’s bragged about.” Every time I make this, I still feel her hands guiding mine – and that’s the real secret ingredient.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

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• Author: islamerrick
• Total Time: ~1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

Hearty, herb-filled, and ultra cozy — this creamy chicken and wild rice soup is the ultimate cold-weather comfort. Loaded with tender chicken, earthy mushrooms, and nutty wild rice, it’s rich without being heavy and makes a perfect one-pot meal that feeds the soul.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

2 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

1 medium yellow onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 carrots, peeled & sliced into rounds

2 celery ribs, diced

4 tbsp unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour (GF if needed)

8 oz cremini or button mushrooms, sliced

2 tsp fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)

1 tsp fresh sage, chopped

1 cup wild rice

4–6 cups chicken bone broth or regular chicken broth (sugar-free if needed)

1 cup whole milk or full-fat coconut milk

1 cup heavy cream

Kosher salt & black pepper to taste

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Instructions

Sear the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and sear until golden (not fully cooked). Remove and set aside.

Sauté the base: In the same pot, sauté onion, garlic, carrots, and celery until softened. Add butter and melt.

Make a roux: Stir in flour and cook for 1–2 minutes to form a thick paste. Slowly whisk in 4 cups of broth until smooth.

Add the rest: Stir in mushrooms, thyme, sage, wild rice, and the seared chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 40–45 minutes until rice is tender and chicken is cooked.

Shred & stir: Remove chicken, shred, and return to pot. Stir in milk and cream. Adjust thickness with extra broth if needed.

Finish & serve: Simmer for another 5–10 minutes to blend flavors. Season to taste and serve hot with crusty bread or crackers.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Dinner

Nutrition

• Calories: 520
• Sugar: 5g
• Sodium: 600mg
• Fat: 32g
• Carbohydrates: 30g
• Fiber: 3g
• Protein: 32g

Your Flavor Arsenal: Ingredients & Smart Swaps

Don’t stress about exact matches! Cooking is improv, not opera. Here’s your lineup:

• 2 tbsp olive oil – For that golden sear. Chef tip: Avocado oil works too if you’re cranking the heat!
• 1.5 lbs boneless chicken thighs or breasts – Thighs = juicier flavor bombs (my fave!), breasts = leaner. Swap: Leftover rotisserie chicken? Skip searing and add shredded in Step 5!
• 1 yellow onion + 4 garlic cloves – Flavor foundation! Insight: Chop ‘em fine so they melt into bliss.
• 2 carrots + 2 celery ribs – For sweetness and crunch. Swap: No celery? Dice extra carrots or toss in parsnips.
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter – Roux royalty. Dietary? Vegan butter or olive oil works (but roux will be thinner).
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour – Our thickening hero. GF? 1:1 GF flour or 2 tbsp cornstarch slurry later works!
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms – Earthy umami! Swap: Shitakes for intensity, buttons for mildness.
• 2 tsp fresh thyme + 1 tsp fresh sage – Autumnal perfume. Dried? Halve amounts (crush between fingers first!).
• 1 cup wild rice – Chewy, nutty magic. Critical: Not instant rice! Blend with brown rice if wild is pricey.
• 4-6 cups chicken bone broth – Depth champion! Regular broth works; use 6 cups if you like brothier soup.
• 1 cup whole milk + 1 cup heavy cream – Creaminess controllers. Dairy-free? Full-fat coconut milk adds lushness!
• Kosher salt & black pepper – Season like you mean it!

Let’s Build Flavor, One Bubble at a Time

Step 1: Sear the Chicken – Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Pat chicken dry (crucial for browning!), season with salt and pepper. Sear 3-4 mins per side until golden but not cooked through. Chef hack: Don’t crowd the pot! Do batches if needed. That fond (browned bits) = FLAVOR GOLD. Remove chicken, set aside.

Step 2: Sauté the Veggie Trinity – In that same glorious pot, add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Sauté 5-7 mins until onions weep and soften. Tip: Scrape the fond! It’s free flavor. Add butter, melt completely.

Step 3: Roux Time! – Sprinkle flour over veggies. Cook, stirring constantly, 1-2 mins until it smells nutty and looks like pale sand. No raw flour taste here! This cooks out the “chalkiness.” Slowly whisk in 4 cups broth until smooth and slightly thickened.

Step 4: Simmer to Perfection – Stir in mushrooms, herbs, wild rice, and the seared chicken. Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, simmer 40-45 mins. Key: Stir occasionally! Rice loves to stick. Soup is done when rice is tender and chicken shreds easily.

Step 5: Shred & Enrich – Remove chicken, shred with two forks. Return to pot. Stir in milk and cream. Feeling fancy? Temper the dairy: Ladle hot broth into milk first, then pour back in to prevent curdling. Simmer uncovered 5-10 mins. Too thick? Add remaining broth. Season aggressively!

Bowl Bliss: Serving Your Masterpiece

Ladle steaming soup into deep bowls. Garnish with cracked black pepper, a thyme sprig, or a swirl of cream. Essential coziness upgrades: Dunk crusty sourdough (butter-slathered, obviously), sprinkle with Parmesan, or crush buttery crackers on top. Serve beside a crisp apple salad for brightness. This soup tastes even better the next day – the flavors do a happy overnight mingle!

Shake It Up: 5 Delicious Twists

This soup is your canvas! Try these riffs:

1. Turkey & Cranberry – Swap chicken for leftover Thanksgiving turkey, add ½ cup dried cranberries with the rice.
2. Dairy-Free Dream – Use coconut milk + cream. Stir in 2 tbsp nutritional yeast for “cheesy” depth.
3. Lemon-Herb Brightness – Finish with zest of 1 lemon + extra fresh dill.
4. Spicy Southwest – Add 1 diced jalapeño with veggies, 1 tsp cumin with herbs. Top with avocado!
5. Veggie Powerhouse – Omit chicken. Use veggie broth, add 1 cup diced sweet potato and 1 cup kale with the cream.

Isla’s Insider Scoop & Soup Confessions

This recipe started life as a way to use up sad leftover roast chicken! Over 47 test batches (my freezer became a soup archive), I learned: Searing thighs is non-negotiable for flavor, creminis beat buttons hands down, and wild rice needs patience – don’t rush the simmer! One hilarious disaster involved forgetting the flour, resulting in “Chicken and Wild Rice Sad Broth Puddle.” Lesson learned! Now, it’s my most-requested recipe for new parents and sick friends. Pro tip: Double it and freeze half. Future You will weep with gratitude on a busy night. Also? Always make extra for the inevitable “taste tests” – spoons mysteriously multiply near this pot.

Soup SOS: Your Questions, Solved!

Q: Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
A: Absolutely! But breasts cook faster. Add them later: Sear, remove, then add back for the last 20 mins of simmering to avoid dryness.

Q: Help! My soup is too thick/too thin.
A: Too thick? Stir in warm broth or milk ¼ cup at a time. Too thin? Simmer uncovered longer, or make a quick slurry: Mix 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp cold broth/milk, stir in, simmer 5 mins.

Q: Can I freeze this creamy soup?
A: Yes, but… freeze BEFORE adding milk/cream. Dairy can separate. Thaw, reheat, THEN stir in fresh dairy. Your texture will thank you!

Q: Wild rice is still crunchy after 45 mins. What gives?
A> Wild rice varieties differ! Taste-test. If still firm, simmer 10-15 mins more, adding splashes of broth if needed. Patience is key!

Nutritional Nibbles (Per Serving)

Calories: ~520 kcal | Protein: ~32g | Carbs: ~30g | Fat: ~32g | Fiber: ~3g | Sugar: ~5g | Sodium: ~600mg
Note: Estimates include whole milk/heavy cream. Using coconut milk reduces carbs slightly.