What Kind Of Rice To Look For
The key to this easy family dinner starts with choosing the right rice. I use Uncle Bens Long Grain and Wild Rice Original Recipe, which calls for a 25-minute stovetop cook time.
I chose the original, longer-cooking rice so that the chicken and rice will cook at the same time in the same pot.
One thing to note: There is a flavoring packet inside Uncle Bens Wild Rice mix. Our recipe does not call for you to use the packet, as there are so many other tasty flavors from the fresh vegetables and chicken stock.
Tip: If you cant find parboiled wild rice, regular raw white rice will also work, with no change to the cooking time.
How To Make Creamy Chicken And Wild Rice Soup
Rich, comforting and crazy easy to make, this Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup recipe is one you will want to make again and again! Loaded with protein, veggies and healthy carbs, this rice soup is the perfect way to stay warm this winter!
Until next week, friends, cheers to cozy soups!
XOXO
For serving: Artisan bread, fresh grated parmesan, parsley
How To Make Wild Rice Soup Creamy
There are a few ways to make wild rice soup creamy depending on the method of cooking. This wild rice soup recipe is made with the convenience of the crockpot and easily made creamy with the addition of cream cheese, half-and-half and cornstarch.
Ways to make wild rice soup creamy:
- Add cream. Adding cream is the most obvious way to make wild rice soup creamy. Adding a cup or more cream will give your soup a rich taste and silky mouthfeel.
- Add cornstarch or flour. This crockpot creamy chicken wild rice soup recipe uses cornstarch mixed with half and half to give the soup plenty of body and thickness. If making wild rice soup on the stove-top, sprinkle your cooked vegetables with flour before adding the liquid to achieve the same thickening affect.
- Add cream cheese or yogurt. Cream cheese or yogurt work similar to cream, adding a rich, creaminess to wild rice soup.
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Crockpot Chicken Wild Rice Soup: Frequently Asked Questions
What does poultry seasoning consist of?
The poultry seasoning is a mix of several things, including thyme and sage. Even though its only a teaspoon, do not omit this because it adds a lot of the flavor. If you dont have any, just use any other herb seasonings that you like. Thyme and sage are the best in my opinion.
Can this be made vegetarian?
Absolutely! Check out our mushroom version of this recipe here.
How would I make this in the Instant Pot?
Add your wild rice, chicken, seasonings, veggies, and broth to the Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 30-40 minutes with a quick release once the soup finishes cooking. Shred the chicken in the Instant Pot. Make your roux on the stovetop with butter, milk, and flour. Whisk it up and add it to your Instant Pot with the rest of the soup. Stir to combine and enjoy!
- Total Time:8 hours 15 minutes
- Yield:10 servings 1x
Can I Use Leftover Chicken Or Turkey
Yes! This soup is a great way to use leftover chicken or turkey. Just add leftover cooked chicken or turkey near the end of the recipe, after the wild rice, but before you add the coconut milk. Because the protein is already cooked, you dont really want it to simmer for another 45 minutes while the rice is cooking or it could dry out and become tough.
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Where Can I Buy Wild Rice
Wild Rice Blends are an exciting blend ofrice varieties, which give you complementary firm, fluffy cooked texturesand robust, nutty, earthy vibrant flavors. You can find wild rice blendspre-packaged in a bag or box at your grocery store or in the bulk bins atSprouts. I use Lundberg Wild Blend Rice which is made of long grain brownrice, sweet brown rice, wild rice, whole grain wehani rice, whole grain blackjaponica rice.
If your wild rice package comes with a seasoning packet, you can discard that for our purposes. Also take care you dont purchase instant wild rice -or if you do, follow those cooking instructions.
Healthy Chicken And Wild Rice Soup
Recipe for Lightened-Up Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup My version of the classic creamy chicken and wild rice soup is thickened with whole milk instead of heavy cream. Made with store-bought rotisserie chicken and cooked wild rice, you can put this soup on the table of a Tuesday night. Ready in less than 45 minutes and freezes perfectly. Need a quick visual? Be sure to watch the quick how to video below.
During the colder months, I am always looking for ways to find shortcuts for putting dinner on the table fast. Todays recipe, Healthy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, is my current favorite meal-worthy soup to make when I am short on time.
Made with store-bought rotisserie chicken and leftover cooked wild rice , it comes together in less than 45 minutes. To cut down on the calories and make it a tidbit healthier, I used milk instead of cream.
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What Chicken Should I Add
The type of chicken you add to this soup is all about personal preference. I had skinless chicken breasts, so thats what I added. But chicken thighs would also work really well. Things to keep in mind,
- Boneless chicken breasts will dry out if theyre overcooked. Add them directly to your simmering soup and cook for approximately 25-30 minutes. Thats it. Remove and set aside to cool before shredding and adding back to the pot about 10 minutes before serving.
- Chicken thighs, naturally higher in fat, will be slightly more resistant to drying out, but they will contribute to an overall heavier soup .
- Leftover chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken are fabulous additions as well.
Why We Love Copycat Panera Chicken And Wild Rice Soup
There is something so wonderful about eating something warm and hearty when its cold outside. Ultra creamy, ultra-satisfying wild rice chicken soup is a step away from chicken noodle soup. Wild rice offers a more textured and nutty/sweet bite bursting with flavor and hearty goodness!
- Cozy, hearty, and easy to make.
- Use leftover chicken or store-bought rotisserie chicken and you can throw together a delicious pot of soup with very little effort.
- The seasoning packet from the box of wild rice blooms to life when sauteed in butter its a flavor explosion.
- Creamy chicken and wild rice soup is a great make-ahead recipe since it keeps well in the refrigerator for a few days. Allowing the flavors to develop overnight makes this soup even better the next day.
- Make ahead and have easy dinners and lunches for the week.
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What Is Wild Rice
Wild rice isnt actually rice at all. Its a whole-grain aquatic grass with an edible seed resembling rice. Compared to white rice, wild rice has a chewy texture, nutty flavor, and longer cooking time. It grows wild in the shallow waters and slow-flowing streams of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Idaho, and the Great Lakes region of North America or it may be cultivated under regulated conditions .
One benefit of adding wild rice to soup is that even after long periods of cooking or reheating, wild rice never turns to mush. It always maintains some texture and chewiness making leftovers just as fabulous on day three as they were on day one.
Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup
The Chunky Chef01/22/2020
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Juicy chicken and tender vegetables cooked in a creamy and flavorful broth, mixed with nutty wild rice and topped with more golden brown mushrooms.
Recipes like my Copycat Zuppa Toscana and Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup are great for when you want an ultra-comforting family meal. We love cooking soups and stews during the Winter, and this is one of my Soup Recipes youll definitely want in your recipe rotation!
CHICKEN WILD RICE SOUP RECIPE
This time of year, soups and stew reign supreme. The cold weather just makes me crave a steaming bowl of comfort food!
Chicken and wild rice soup is one of my favorites mainly because I get to have carbs IN the soup. Carb-addict here!
This is my version of a classic soup, made easy by using leftover or rotisserie chicken. No leftovers? No worries, Ive details numerous other ways to make this soup down in the post stovetop with raw chicken, slow cooker, instant pot, and how to make this soup ahead of time!
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How Many Servings Does This Chicken Wild Rice Soup Recipe Make
As the recipe is written, you can feed 8 people a hot bowl of homemade wild rice soup. Each serving is about a 1½ cups.
Tip: If your Instant Pot or pressure cooker is 6-quarts or larger, you can double the recipe with no change to the cook time. If doubling, add 3 cans of chicken broth before you pressurize the pot. Add the remaining broth after you release the pressure.
Pressure Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice soup is a quick, easy, and delicious Instant Pot soup recipe. Whether you pour it into a bread bowl or serve it alongside crusty bread and butter, your family will thank you for this hearty winter meal!
What If I Want To Make It From Scratch
If you have no time restrictions and want to make this low calorie chicken wild rice soup from raw chicken and uncooked wild rice, you can add cubed raw thighs to the stock right after you poured it into the pot.
You can cook the wild rice in the same pot, but I recommend cooking it in another one as it takes longer to cook. Once your wild rice is ready, just add it to the soup at the last minute.
Alternatively, you can make this healthy wild rice soup in a pressure cooker in the same amount of time. If you prefer using that method, check out my Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup recipe.
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Special Equipment For This Recipe
- Dutch Oven Enameled cast iron is my favorite vessel to cook soup in! LeCreuset is my favorite brand, but theyre pricey, so this Lodge is a good alternative!
- Wild Rice Blend this is the brand I like to use, and Ive found it readily available at my grocery stores.
- Slow Cooker this slow cooker has been such a workhorse in my kitchen.
- Instant Pot in case you dont have one, this is a great model.
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AND DONT FORGET, IF YOUVE MADE THIS RECIPE, LEAVE A COMMENT AND PLEASE GIVE IT A STAR RATING LETTING ME KNOW HOW YOU ENJOYED IT!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
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Crockpot Chicken And Wild Rice Soup: Frequently Asked Questions
- Can other types of rice be used in this recipe? While its tempting to swap the wild rice for white, brown, a wild rice blend, or even black rice, we do not recommend it. Wild rice is incredibly unique not only in taste but texture. Other types of rice will become too soft and soak up too much liquid making this soup more of a starchy casserole than a soup. For that reason, we only recommend using wild rice in this chicken and wild rice soup recipe.
- Can this wild rice soup recipe be made dairy-free? Absolutely! Simply substitute the half and half with an equal amount of plain, unsweetened non-dairy creamer or full-fat coconut milk.
- Will it have a coconutty flavor if I use coconut milk to make this soup dairy-free? It will have a light coconut flavor but its still delicious.
What Chicken Is Best For Chicken And Rice Soup
I highly recommend chicken thighs for this Chicken and Rice Soup recipe. I didnt always use chickenthighs for my soup recipes, but once I started, there was NO going back. Chickenthighs are dark meat which means they are inherently juicier, richer tasting andproduce far more tender chicken than chicken breasts. They are alsoharder to overcook and stay tender for days with a more palate pleasingtexture, even when reheated for leftovers.
In addition, chicken thighs are browned first which adds an important layer of flavor to the overall Chicken and Wild Rice Soup as all those golden, flavorful bits become part of the broth.
Also Check: What Can I Make With Chicken Breast
Can I Use Fresh Herbs
I prefer dried herbs in the actual soupbecause they get added to the soup at the beginning which infuses the creamy brothwith flavor. You may use fresh herbs, but you will need three times thenumber of fresh herbs to dried herbs which can distract from the soup. Takecare to add fresh herbs towards the end of cooking so they stay fresh andflavorful.
Can You Freeze Creamy Chicken And Rice Soup
As a general rule of thumb, creamy soups donot freeze well as the texture can become unpleasantly grainy as the dairy andfat separate. You can still freeze the soup with these expectations, or omitthe half and half when freezing, then add the half and half to the soup after thawing then you will have no problem. Alternatively,you can swap the half and half for evaporated milk .
To freeze:
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How To Make This Healthy Creamy Chicken And Wild Rice Soup Recipe
Step One: First, start by searing the chicken. Searing the chicken helps to develop even more flavor in the soup which is exactly what we want. Once you have liberally seasoned the chicken with salt and pepper, heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Next, add in the ghee and then sear the chicken for three to four minutes on each side until browned.
Step Two: Next, its time to develop the flavor base of the soup by cooking the veggies for a few minutes. Add the diced carrots, celery, onion, minced garlic, and sliced mushrooms to the pot. Season the veggies with a little more salt and pepper and then sauté for 3-4 minutes until everything is fragrant and the onions are starting to become translucent and tender.
Step Three: Now, its time to add in the rinsed wild rice and herbs. Stir the wild rice and herbs into the pot and continue to cook for another two to three minutes. Next add the chicken back to the pot and then cover with chicken broth. Give everything a stir until well combined and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Let the soup simmer for 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender.
Step Four: Now its time to finish the soup. Once the rice is tender, remove the chicken from the soup and use two forks to shred the meat. Then, stir the shredded chicken back into the soup. This is also a great time to discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
Can You Freeze Creamy Chicken And Wild Rice Soup
Soups are so easy to freeze and save for later. I love making big batches of my favorite fall soup recipes early in the season, then freezing them so I can just heat them up for dinner throughout the following weeks/months. Just store the soup in airtight, freezer-safe containers and it will keep for up to 3 months.
I cant wait for you guys to try this Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup. It tastes so good and it will warm you right up. Make a batch of it and get fall soup season going ASAP!
See the recipe card below for details on how to make Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup. Enjoy!
If you like this creamy chicken and rice soup, try these other fall soup recipes:
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