There is something deeply satisfying about a pot of thick, creamy soup waiting for you at the end of a long day — especially when it practically made itself. This slow cooker chicken and wild rice soup is exactly that kind of meal. Loaded with tender vegetables, wholesome wild rice, fragrant spices, and juicy pulled chicken, it checks every box for cold-weather comfort food.

The best part? You barely have to lift a finger. Aside from a quick shred of the chicken and whisking together a simple cream slurry near the end, this is a true dump-and-cook situation.

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WHY WE LOVE THIS CROCKPOT CHICKEN WILD RICE SOUP

It’s nearly hands-free: After a few minutes of chopping and layering ingredients into the slow cooker, you are pretty much done until the chicken needs shredding. The crockpot does the heavy lifting.

Pantry-friendly ingredients: Almost everything in this recipe is a staple — broth, onion, garlic, carrots, spices, flour, and dairy. Celery is probably the one ingredient that doesn’t always make it into the cart, and honestly, the soup holds up just fine without it.

Even better the next day: Like most soups and stews, this one deepens in flavor overnight. If you have the time, making it a day ahead is absolutely worth it.

Freezer-friendly: Portion leftovers into individual freezer-safe containers for easy single-serving meals throughout the week. A couple of minutes in the microwave and dinner is done.

KEY INGREDIENTS

Chicken broth — Low-sodium or no-sodium-added varieties are preferred so you can control the salt level yourself, seasoning gradually toward the end of cooking.

Wild rice — Pure wild rice (not a flavored box blend) is the go-to. However, an unseasoned wild rice blend also works — cooking time will simply be shorter. The critical thing is to use raw, uncooked rice, not parboiled. Pre-seasoned rice-a-roni-style products will disintegrate into mush.

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

Roughly chop your vegetables. Place the raw chicken breasts or thighs in the bottom of the slow cooker and coat with your seasonings and minced garlic.

Layer the carrots, celery, and onion over the chicken. Pour in 8 cups of broth and drop in a bay leaf. Put the lid on and cook on low — 6 to 8 hours for pure wild rice, or 4 to 6 hours for a wild rice blend.

Once the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, pull it out and shred or chop it into bite-sized pieces. Return it to the pot and stir everything together.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour, cream, and milk together until no lumps remain. Slowly pour the slurry into the soup, stirring as you go.

Continue cooking until the rice is fully tender. If the soup is thicker than you’d like, stir in additional broth to loosen it up. Switch to the warm setting until ready to serve.

TIPS FOR BEST RESULTS

Stick to low heat: Cooking on high is possible, but less reliable — every slow cooker runs a little differently, and the rice can overcook, or the dairy can break. If you need to use a high, start checking around the 2-hour mark.
Rotisserie chicken shortcut: In a time crunch? Pick up a store-bought rotisserie chicken, shred the meat, and sauté the vegetables on the stovetop. Combine everything in the slow cooker and heat on high for a couple of hours. You still get that slow-cooked vibe in a fraction of the time.
Make it ahead: This soup is a great candidate for meal prep. Cook it the night before, refrigerate overnight, and reheat gently the next day for maximum flavor payoff.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?

Yes, and many cooks actually prefer thighs for slow cooker recipes. They stay moist and shred even more easily after a long cook. Either cut works well here.

What type of wild rice should I use?

Use plain, uncooked wild rice or an unseasoned wild rice blend. Avoid anything that comes with a seasoning packet or is labeled “quick cook” or parboiled — those varieties break down in the slow cooker and will make your soup gummy.

Can I make this soup dairy-free?

You can substitute the cream and milk with full-fat coconut milk or an unsweetened oat milk for a dairy-free version. The flavor will shift slightly, but it still produces a creamy, satisfying soup.

My soup came out too thick. What should I do?

Simply stir in additional chicken broth, a half cup at a time, until you reach your preferred consistency. This is especially common if the soup sat on warm for a while or was refrigerated overnight — the rice continues to absorb liquid.

Can I freeze this soup?

Yes, though the texture of the rice and cream base may change slightly after freezing and reheating. For best results, freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating gently on the stovetop.

How long do leftovers keep in the refrigerator?

Stored in an airtight container, this soup keeps well for 4 to 5 days in the fridge. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth if needed.

Print Recipe

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

A hearty, creamy chicken and wild rice soup made almost entirely in the slow cooker. Loaded with tender vegetables, savory spices, and a simple cream slurry — comfort food that practically makes itself.

Prep Time15

Cook Time7

Total Time7 15

Keyword: chicken and wild rice soup, crockpot soup, slow cooker chicken soup

Servings: 8

Ingredients

1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
8-10 cups low-sodium chicken broth divided; extra for thinning
1 cup ncooked wild rice or unseasoned wild rice blend not parboiled or pre-seasoned
3 medium carrots peeled and diced
3 stalks celery sliced
1 medium yellow onion
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried thyme
1 dried parsley
1 tsp salt or to taste
0.5 tsp black pepper
0.5 tsp garlic powder
0.33 cup all-purpose flour for the slurry
1 cup heavy cream
0.5 cup whole milk

Instructions

1. Prep the vegetables. Peel and dice the carrots, slice the celery, and dice the onion. Mince the garlic cloves and set everything aside.
2. Layer the slow cooker. Place the raw chicken in a single layer at the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle the salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme, and parsley over the chicken. Add the minced garlic on top.
3. Add the vegetables and broth. Pour the carrots, celery, and onion over the chicken. Add the uncooked wild rice and 8 cups of chicken broth. Drop in the bay leaf. Stir gently to distribute.
4. Slow cook. Cover and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours if using pure wild rice, or 4–6 hours if using a wild rice blend. Do not cook on high for best results.
5. Shred the chicken. Once the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, remove it from the slow cooker. Use two forks to shred it into bite-sized pieces, then return it to the pot and stir.
6. Make the cream slurry. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, heavy cream, and milk until completely smooth with no lumps.
7. Add the slurry. Slowly pour the cream mixture into the soup while stirring. Mix well to combine.
8. Finish cooking. Continue cooking on LOW for another 20–30 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked through and the soup has thickened. Remove the bay leaf.
9. Adjust consistency. If the soup is too thick, stir in the remaining 1–2 cups of broth until you reach your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
10. Serve. Switch the slow cooker to WARM until ready to serve. Ladle into bowls and top with crackers, shredded parmesan, or fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

Wild rice tip: Always use plain, uncooked wild rice or an unseasoned wild rice blend. Pre-seasoned or quick-cook varieties will turn mushy in the slow cooker.
Rotisserie chicken shortcut: Short on time? Use a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Shred the meat, sauté the vegetables on the stovetop, then combine everything in the slow cooker and heat on high for 1–2 hours.
Make ahead: This soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld. Make it the night before and reheat gently on the stovetop.
Freezing: Freeze in individual airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth to loosen.
Dairy-free option: Substitute the cream and milk with full-fat coconut milk or unsweetened oat milk.
Leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The rice will continue absorbing liquid — add extra broth when reheating.

Nutrition (per serving, based on 8 servings)

Calories: ~380 kcal
Protein: 28g
Carbohydrates: 30g
Fat: 16g
Fiber: 2g
Sodium: 480mg

(Estimates based on standard ingredients; will vary with substitutions.)