Creamy Chicken Wild Rice (Printable)
Tender chicken and wild rice blend in a rich, creamy broth for a warm, comforting meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Proteins
01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
→ Grains
02 - 1 cup uncooked wild rice blend
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
→ Liquids
09 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 cup heavy cream
11 - 1 cup whole milk
12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
13 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
→ Thickener
14 - 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
→ Seasonings
15 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
16 - 1 bay leaf
17 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
18 - ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
# How-to Steps:
01 - Rinse wild rice blend under cold water. Combine 1 cup wild rice and 2 cups chicken broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30–35 minutes until tender. Drain excess liquid if needed.
02 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Sauté for 6–8 minutes until softened.
03 - Add minced garlic, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Sprinkle flour over the sautéed vegetables, stirring constantly. Cook for 1–2 minutes to eliminate raw flour taste.
05 - Slowly add the remaining 4 cups chicken broth, stirring continuously to prevent lumps. Add bay leaf and bring to a simmer.
06 - Stir cooked wild rice and shredded chicken into the pot. Let simmer for 10 minutes to meld flavors.
07 - Reduce heat to low. Gradually stir in heavy cream and whole milk. Heat gently for 5 minutes without boiling.
08 - Remove bay leaf. Adjust seasoning to taste. Stir in chopped parsley. Serve garnished with additional parsley.
# Expert Pointers:
01 -
- It tastes like someone spent all day cooking, but honestly comes together in just over an hour.
- The cream makes it luxurious without feeling heavy, and wild rice gives it a sophisticated texture that regular rice soups can't match.
- It's endlessly forgiving—works with rotisserie chicken from the store, stretches to feed a crowd, and actually tastes better the next day.
02 -
- Never boil the soup once the cream is in, or it will separate and look broken—low, gentle heat is your friend during this final stage.
- Taste as you go, especially before adding cream; it's harder to adjust salt levels once the dairy is in, so get ahead of it.
- If your soup seems too thick, thin it with a splash more broth or milk rather than trying to fix it by cooking longer.
03 -
- Use rotisserie chicken whenever you can find it—it saves time and tastes noticeably richer than chicken you cook yourself.
- Don't skip rinsing the wild rice; it removes debris and makes the final soup clearer and more refined.
- If you like your soup thinner, add broth; if you like it thicker, make a small slurry of cornstarch and cold water and stir it in over low heat.