Chicken Wild Rice Soup (Printable)
Tender chicken and nutty wild rice combine with veggies in a creamy, comforting broth.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meat & Rice
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced (approximately 10.5 oz)
02 - 1 cup wild rice, rinsed (6 oz)
→ Vegetables
03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 carrots, peeled and diced
06 - 2 celery stalks, diced
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Broth & Seasonings
08 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth (48 fl oz)
09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1 teaspoon dried parsley
11 - 1 bay leaf
12 - 1 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
13 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Cream Base
14 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
15 - 3 tablespoons gluten-free or all-purpose flour
16 - 1 cup whole milk (8 fl oz)
17 - ½ cup heavy cream (4 fl oz)
# How-to Steps:
01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery; sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute.
02 - Add the diced chicken breasts to the pot and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to turn opaque but are not fully cooked.
03 - Incorporate the wild rice, chicken broth, dried thyme, dried parsley, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer gently for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the wild rice is tender.
04 - While the soup simmers, heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to form a roux. Gradually whisk in the milk, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and simmers, approximately 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the heavy cream.
05 - Remove the bay leaf from the pot. Stir the creamy roux mixture into the soup. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the soup is creamy and fully heated through.
06 - Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot.
# Expert Pointers:
01 -
- It comes together in just over an hour, yet tastes like it simmered all day long.
- The wild rice has this beautiful nutty texture that makes every spoonful interesting and deeply satisfying.
- It's naturally gluten-free if you choose the right ingredients, so everyone at your table can enjoy it without worry.
02 -
- Don't skip rinsing the wild rice—it removes surface starches that can make the broth cloudy.
- The cream base must be added at the very end, not at the beginning; if you add cream too early, the long simmer can break it and give you a curdled soup instead of a silky one.
- Always remove the bay leaf before serving; someone biting into it will not appreciate the surprise.
03 -
- Keep your broth at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, so the chicken stays tender and the broth stays clear.
- Taste the soup multiple times as it cooks—seasoning is personal, and you might want more herbs, salt, or pepper than the recipe calls for.