Creamy Chicken Wild Rice

There's something about wild rice soup that pulls people around a table on the coldest days. I discovered this version while watching my neighbor ladle what looked like pure comfort into bowls—creamy, studded with tender chicken and those nutty wild rice grains that give it real substance. When she offered me a taste, I realized I'd been missing something essential in my kitchen repertoire. That first spoonful hooked me immediately.

I made this for my book club on a gray February evening, and people kept coming back for seconds in a way that surprised me. One friend who's usually skeptical about anything creamy took a taste and just closed her eyes. That moment—when you see someone genuinely satisfied by something you've cooked—that's when you know a recipe belongs in regular rotation.

Ingredients

• Cooked chicken breast (2 cups, shredded or diced): Use rotisserie chicken if you can find it—the flavor is deeper and you skip the cooking step entirely. If you're poaching your own, simmer it gently in the broth for about 15 minutes.
• Wild rice blend (1 cup uncooked): This is what gives the soup its character; the grains stay distinct and chewy rather than dissolving like regular rice would. Rinse it under cold water first—it removes dust and helps it cook more evenly.
• Onion (1 medium, finely chopped): The foundation of everything flavorful that follows; take a moment to chop it fine so it melts into the broth almost invisibly.
• Carrots (2 medium, diced): They add natural sweetness and turn soft and sweet as they cook, so don't skip them even if you're in a hurry.
• Celery (2 stalks, diced): This trio of onion, carrot, and celery is your flavor base—it's how classic soups build their depth.
• Garlic (3 cloves, minced): Mince it fresh just before you use it; garlic powder simply won't capture that bright, alive quality.
• Fresh mushrooms (1 cup, sliced): They contribute an earthy undertone that makes the soup feel more restaurant-quality. Button mushrooms work perfectly fine here.
• Fresh parsley (2 tablespoons, chopped, plus extra for garnish): This brightens the creamy soup at the end; stir it in just before serving so it keeps its fresh taste.
• Low-sodium chicken broth (6 cups): Go low-sodium so you can control the salt level yourself—store-bought broths can be surprisingly aggressive.
• Heavy cream (1 cup): This is what makes it truly creamy and rich; don't substitute yet if this is your first time making it.
• Whole milk (1 cup): The milk balances the cream so it doesn't feel overwhelming, and it keeps the soup from breaking if you need to reheat it later.
• Unsalted butter (2 tablespoons): Unsalted gives you control—you're building the salt level gradually as you taste.
• Olive oil (2 tablespoons): The combination of butter and oil prevents the butter from burning while you sauté the vegetables.
• All-purpose flour (3 tablespoons): This thickens the soup naturally and gives it body; cooking it briefly removes that raw taste.
• Dried thyme (1 teaspoon): Thyme and cream are old friends in French cooking; it's what makes this feel elegant and familiar at once.
• Bay leaf (1): It infuses the broth subtly as everything simmers together; remember to fish it out before serving.
• Salt and black pepper: Taste and adjust at the end—you'll need more salt than you might expect once the cream goes in.

Instructions

Prepare the Wild Rice:

Rinse the wild rice under cold water until the water runs clear, then combine it with 2 cups of the chicken broth in a medium saucepan. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and let it simmer gently for 30 to 35 minutes until the grains are tender but still have a slight chew. While it cooks, you'll hear a gentle bubbling rhythm—that's your signal that everything is on track.

Build Your Flavor Base:

In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the olive oil and butter together over medium heat until the butter is foaming. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms, and let them soften together for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally so they color slightly. The kitchen will fill with an aroma that immediately tells you this is going to be good.

Wake Up the Seasonings:

Stir in the minced garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper, and let everything cook for exactly 1 minute—this short time is just enough to release the garlic's fragrance without letting it burn. You'll smell that unmistakable shift in the pot.

Make the Roux:

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste—this is called blooming the roux, and it's essential for silky texture later. The mixture will look thick and paste-like, and that's exactly right.

Add the Broth Carefully:

Gradually pour in the remaining 4 cups of chicken broth while stirring constantly to avoid lumps—slow and steady wins here. Drop in the bay leaf and bring everything to a gentle simmer.

Bring It All Together:

Stir in the cooked wild rice and the shredded chicken, and let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes so all the flavors get to know each other. This is when the soup transitions from a collection of ingredients into something whole and unified.

Finish with Cream:

Reduce the heat to low and slowly pour in the heavy cream and milk, stirring gently as you go—rushing this step or turning up the heat can cause the cream to break and curdle. Let it heat gently for another 5 minutes without boiling; it should be steaming and silky.

Season and Serve:

Remove the bay leaf with a spoon, taste the soup, and adjust the salt and pepper if needed—cream masks salt, so you may need more than you'd expect. Stir in the fresh parsley and ladle into bowls, finishing each one with a sprinkle of extra parsley on top.

Save

I remember ladling this into bowls for my daughter's friend who was going through a rough week, and she took one spoonful and actually smiled—really smiled—for the first time in days. That's the magic of a good soup: it's both ordinary and deeply comforting at the same time.

Why This Soup Feels Special

Creamy soups have a reputation for being heavy, but wild rice changes that equation entirely. The grains are substantial and nutty without feeling thick or cloying, and they give you something real to chew on between spoonfuls of broth. The cream here isn't hiding anything—it's just making the soup silkier, warmer, more like a hug in a bowl.

Scaling and Substitutions

This recipe happily feeds 6 people, but I've made half batches when it was just me and my partner, and it scaled down perfectly. For a lighter version, swap half-and-half for the heavy cream, or add a cup of fresh spinach or kale in the last few minutes if you want more vegetables without changing the texture. Some nights I use the leftover rotisserie chicken from Sunday dinner, and other nights I poach chicken breasts right in the broth at the very beginning, which infuses everything with more chicken flavor.

Storage and Reheating Tips

This soup keeps beautifully in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, and the flavors actually deepen overnight as the wild rice continues to soften slightly. When you reheat it, use a gentle medium-low heat and stir occasionally, adding a splash of milk or broth if it's thickened too much. Freezing works too, though the cream can separate slightly when thawed—just whisk it gently over low heat and it comes back together.

• Pair it with crusty bread and a crisp white wine like Sauvignon Blanc for a complete meal.
• Leftover soup makes an amazing lunch base—just add a grilled cheese sandwich on the side.
• Make it a day ahead if you're cooking for guests; it's one less thing to worry about.

Save

This is the soup I make when I want to feel like I've done something thoughtful without spending my entire day in the kitchen. It's the one people ask for the recipe to, and somehow it always tastes like home.

Recipe FAQs

→ How do I cook wild rice for this soup?

Simmer wild rice in chicken broth for 30-35 minutes until tender. Drain excess liquid before adding to the dish.

→ Can I use leftover chicken instead of fresh?

Yes, shredded leftover or rotisserie chicken works well and enhances convenience and flavor.

→ What thickener is used for the creamy base?

All-purpose flour is sautéed with vegetables to create a roux that thickens the broth smoothly.

→ Can I substitute cream for a lighter version?

Half-and-half can be used as a lighter alternative without compromising too much on richness.

→ What herbs and seasonings elevate the flavor?

Dried thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper create a balanced and aromatic profile that complements the ingredients.