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This chicken and wild rice soup recipe is easy to make and ultra comforting! It has tender bites of chicken simmered in a creamy, irresistible broth alongside nutty wild rice.
Try my Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup and Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup next.
Why you’ll love it
If you’ve never tried wild rice, it has a fantastic bite to it and is the perfect addition to chicken soup. It makes it extra special and hearty. The texture is just so satisfying. Each spoonful of this creamy chicken and wild rice soup is tasty, nourishing, and amazing!
Tender and juicy chicken, Italian herbs, and a touch of cream shine in this chicken soup with wild rice. I wanted to keep things simple, so there’s nothing you can’t easily pick up at the grocery store in this recipe. It’s super cozy and is sure to warm you up on a chilly day.
What you’ll need
- Wild rice blend – it has a chewy texture to it and delicious earthy flavor. It’s rice shaped but technically not actually rice; it’s the seed of an aquatic grass. The more you know!
- Olive oil and butter – for sautéing
- Celery, carrots, onion, and garlic – our tasty aromatic base. I like sweet (Vidalia) onions.
- Flour – to thicken up the broth
- Chicken broth – another layer of savory flavor
- Italian seasoning – this convenient blend of dried herbs comes in a single jar
- Heavy cream – to make the broth silky and mouthwatering
- Chicken – we’re using chicken breasts
- Parsley – for a punch of freshness
Pro tip
The kind of wild rice I use is actually a blend that includes other varieties like red, black, and brown rice in addition to wild rice. Wild rice by itself is expensive to cultivate and time consuming to harvest, so that’s why it’s often sold in budget-friendly blends.
How to make chicken and wild rice soup
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Cook the rice. Meanwhile, sauté the celery, carrots, and onions in the oil and butter until golden and softened. Stir in the flour and garlic until fragrant.
Pour in the chicken broth slowly while scraping up the browned bits until the flour dissolves. Add in the Italian seasoning, cream, chicken, and cooked rice.
Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat. Simmer with the lid slightly open until the chicken is cooked through. Generously season with salt & pepper, and add in the parsley.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- This is the Dutch oven pictured. I love cooking with cast iron.
- Mince the garlic with a no-fuss garlic press, and measure out the butter with this butter dish that has handy measurements right on it.
- Dish up this soup with a sturdy ladle.
Substitutions and variations
- You could sub regular white or brown rice for the wild rice blend.
- You can use rotisserie chicken if you prefer. Simply add it in towards the end so that it warms through and doesn’t overcook.
- You could add some sliced mushrooms into this soup.
- I don’t recommend subbing the cream for something lower fat in case it curdles (the cream is cooked over a fairly high heat).
What to serve with chicken wild rice soup
- This is a hearty chicken soup, and a slice of fresh crusty bread goes great with it! I recommend sourdough. If you’re craving comfort food, try my Extra Cheesy Garlic Bread.
- A salad is another good option. Toss your fave mixed greens and salad veggies with my homemade Italian Dressing, Creamy Balsamic Dressing, Ranch Dressing, or Honey Mustard Dressing.
Leftovers and storage
- Store leftovers of this soup for 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
- Reheat slowly over a low heat until warmed through.
- You can freeze it for up to 3 months, but the texture could change a bit due to the dairy and wild rice. It should still taste good.
If you made this wild rice and chicken soup, please leave a star rating and review below! Hearing from readers is my favorite. Or tag me on Instagram with your S&L creations!
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup uncooked wild rice blend see note
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 stick celery chopped finely
- 2 medium carrots peeled & chopped finely
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup flour
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1 pound uncooked chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces/strips
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 small handful chopped fresh parsley optional but recommended
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, add the olive oil, butter, celery, carrots, and onions to a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Sauté for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until softened and lightly browned. If it starts to brown too much, turn the heat down a bit.
- Stir in the garlic and flour and cook for about a minute.
- Slowly pour in the broth and stir/scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot until the flour has dissolved.
- Stir in the Italian seasoning, cream, chicken, and cooked rice. Increase the heat to high, and once the soup comes to a gentle boil, give it a good stir, then reduce the heat so it's simmering and cover the pot with the lid slightly open. Simmer the soup for 8-10 minutes.
- Season with salt & pepper as needed (I am generous with both) and stir in the chopped parsley if using.
Notes
- Wild rice cooking time can vary depending on whether you’re using true wild rice that isn’t parboiled or a wild rice blend, so keep in mind this can take up to an hour or so depending on what brand you use.
- Recipes serves 4-6 depending how much people eat/what it’s served with.
- 1 pound of chicken breasts usually works out to 2 medium chicken breasts (a bit less or more than a pound is fine).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Loved this soup! Used homemade chicken stock and it was just delicious. My only regret is not making a larger batch.
Thanks, Katie!! 😀 So glad it was a hit!
I followed the recipe and it was delicious. I’ll be making this again. Thank you. 🙂
You’re very welcome, Nancy!! 😀
Is there a way to put everything in a crock pot and let the rice cook that way over say 6 hrs?
Hi! You could give it a try, but I really can’t guess on this one since I haven’t tested it. You may want to keep an eye on it and add more liquids if needed, for example.
This was oh-so-good. I made it exactly as the recipe stated except at the end I crushed up a few chicken bouillon cubes to amp up the flavor. Will totally make this again when it gets colder. Onto the next recipe!
Thank you so much, Kellie!!
Really enjoyed this soup recipe. My mom is sick and I was able to bring her leftovers and she loved it too. Will definitely make this again.
Aww I’m so happy it was a hit! Sending good vibes to your mom!