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