Born and raised in Minnesota, I have always had a soft spot in my heart for wild rice, one of my state’s most prized commodities. And this slow cooker chicken wild rice soup is such a delicious way to enjoy wild rice. I’d even go as far to say that it just might just be my favorite soup ever.
With no sautéing needed, this recipe is one of my go-to options for busy days. All I have to do is combine the ingredients in the morning and come back to a warm dinner that’s ready to eat in the evening. Hearty, creamy, and filling, it’s the definition of comfort food!
Recipe Highlights
Here are a few reasons why this chicken wild rice soup has remained one of my top healthy crockpot recipes:
- I love that I can prepare the ingredients with minimal prep time, and toss them in the slow cooker on busy days for a set-it-and-forget-it meal and can also add the ingredients to my Instant Pot to reduce the total time for a quick meal on days when I don’t plan ahead
- My slow cooker has a “warm” setting that turns on as soon as the soup is cooked, keeping it ready to eat and making it impossible to overcook
- Every bite is rich and creamy and so yummy that my picky eaters don’t even realize this soup is loaded with veggies
- A perfect option for beginner-friendly meal prep, this soup provides leftovers that store and reheat well. So, I love to prepare a large batch at the beginning of the week to enjoy for several days
- Naturally high in protein and gluten-free, I can also easily make this soup dairy-free to accommodate any food intolerances or allergies
Health Benefits
Not only is this recipe delicious, but it’s also an excellent source of nutrients, too. For instance, I always make sure to read poultry labels and choose hormone-free, antibiotic-free chicken for a high-quality source of protein.
Then, I use bone broth as the base of the broth for a rich flavor and to give the soup a boost of collagen and amino acids, which help build muscle. Paired with wild rice and plenty of veggies, this creamy chicken wild rice soup is a well-balanced meal featuring carbs, fats, protein, fiber, and, of course, plenty of flavor. It truly has it all!
Ingredients Needed
Here’s what you need to get this slow cooker soup going:
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts – Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be used either in combination with – or in place of – the chicken breasts. I’ve also used leftover shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken stirred in at the end, if I happen to have it on hand and need to use it up
- Chicken broth – Packaged chicken broth or chicken stock is convenient and easy to use. However, for a richer, more complex broth, try our homemade chicken broth, which is a healthy, economical version I love to keep on hand
- Wild rice blend – I don’t recommend using other types of rice in this recipe, so stick with wild rice. With the long and slow cooking time in the slow cooker, other types of rice will become too soft and mushy, making this soup more like casserole-style thick, like our cheesy chicken and rice casserole instead of a soup
- Mushrooms – Fresh white button, cremini, or baby bella mushrooms all work well in this creamy crockpot chicken soup with wild rice
- Garlic
- Onion
- Carrots
- Celery
- Dried herbs – Dried rosemary, dried thyme, dried sage or poultry seasoning, dried bay leaves
- Half and half
- Cornstarch – This ingredient is optional and used for thickening if you prepare this soup in the Instant Pot (see recipe card for full directions)
- Fresh parsley – optional, for garnish
Ingredients list with exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Make It Dairy-Free
I tested this recipe with dairy-free options, and it worked great. Simply substitute the half and half with an equal amount of plain, unsweetened, non-dairy creamer. Or, use canned full-fat coconut milk. I find that coconut milk creates a creamier consistency than the non-dairy creamer, but it does give the soup a light coconut flavor. It’s still tasty, but just something to be aware of if you make that swap.
video: how to make chicken wild rice soup
For the complete directions, ingredient amounts, and nutrition analysis that lists calories, protein, carbohydrates, fiber, sugar, sodium per serving, scroll down to the recipe card below.
How To Serve
I find that this slow cooker chicken wild rice soup is filling enough to serve as a complete meal on its own. However, if I’m feeding a lot of people, I’d pair it with one of our fresh green salads or some crusty sourdough bread.
Make A Creamy, Instant Pot Version
If I’m in a pinch for time, I make this recipe in my Instant Pot instead of the slow cooker. One of the benefits of using an Instant Pot is that I can use the ‘Saute’ function to thicken the soup with a bit of cornstarch. Unfortunately, slow cookers don’t get out enough to be able to thicken soups with starch or flour, but the Instant Pot does! I’ve provided my full Instant Pot instructions in the recipe card below.
How To Store
Store leftovers in a covered airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Or, freeze them for up to 6 months. When freezing, I let my soup cool completely. Then, I transfer it to a large reusable zip-top bag or a large glass container with a tight-fitting lid.
When ready to serve, I thaw the soup in the fridge overnight and reheat individual portions in the microwave. Or, if warming a larger portion, I transfer the soup back to a pot and warm it over medium heat on the stovetop.Alternatively, if I forget to thaw frozen soup, I simply place the frozen block of soup in my Instant Pot, set the divide to high pressure for 5 minutes, and release the pressure using the quick-release option.
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Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
My creamy slow cooker chicken wild rice soup is a lightened-up comfort food full of protein and veggies to keep you cozy! I’ve included a dairy-free option, too.
Ingredients
- 1 – 1 ¼ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, raw
- Salt and black pepper
- 7–8 cups chicken broth (packaged or homemade), use less for thicker soup
- 1 cup uncooked wild rice
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (1 ¼ – 1 ½ cups)
- 3–4 carrots, peeled and diced (1 ½ cups)
- 2–3 medium celery stalks, diced (~¾ – 1 cup)
- 2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed between your fingers
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon dried sage or poultry seasoning
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 8 ounces sliced or diced fresh cremini or baby bella mushrooms
- 2 cups half and half (may use unsweetened plain non-dairy creamer or full-fat coconut milk for dairy-free)
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch (optional for thickening in Instant Pot)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, optional for garnish
Instructions
Slow Cooker Directions:
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the chicken into a 6-qt slow cooker.
- Stir in the broth (use 7 cups for thicker soup), wild rice, mushrooms, garlic, onion, carrots, celery, rosemary, thyme, sage, and bay leaves.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours (or high for 3-4 hours).
- When the chicken is cooked and shreds easily, remove the bay leaves and discard them. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker to a clean plate and shred using two forks. Add chicken back to the slow cooker and stir.
- Stir in the half and half.
- Cover and heat until warmed, an additional 15-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
Instant Pot Directions:
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the chicken breast, broth, wild rice, mushroom, garlic, onion, carrots, celery, rosemary, thyme, sage, bay leaves and mushrooms in the Instant Pot.
- Lock the lid into place. Turn the vent valve to the ‘Sealing’ position.
- Select ‘Manual’ or ‘High Pressure’ setting and set cook time to 12 minutes.
- When the cook time is up, release the pressure using the quick-release method (i.e. flip the vent valve to the ‘Venting’ position).
- When all of the pressure is released and lid unlocks, remove the chicken to a clean plate and shred with two forks. Set aside.
- Replace the lid on the Instant Pot and cook an additional 6 minutes, allowing for 5 minutes of natural pressure release.
- Stir in the half and half.
- Add the shredded chicken back to the Instant Pot and stir.
- Serve immediately. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
- Optional step for Instant Pot: If you prefer even thicker soup, remove ½ cup of the liquid in the Instant Pot to a small bowl. Whisk 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into the liquid to create a slurry. Set the Instant Pot to the Saute function until the liquid starts to simmer. Stir in the cornstarch slurry into the soup and stir until thickened, about 3-5 minutes.
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Notes
For dairy-free, use canned full-fat coconut milk or unsweetened non-dairy creamer in place of the half and half.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: ⅛ of repipe (~1 ½ cups)
- Calories: 320
- Fat: 14 g
- (Sat Fat: 3 g)
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Carbohydrate: 23 g
- (Fiber: 3 g
- Sugar: 6 g)
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 23 mg
Dietary
The photos in this blog post were taken by Rachel Cook of Half Acre House.
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Ok Missy Minnesota, here’s a local question for you…..FYI, I’m NOT a fan Taste of Home. I find their recipes look good but lack flavor. Very bland, Too bland. So….. how does your recipe compare to Byerly’s Wild Rice Soup? (Although I haven’t tried your recipe, I plan to…..but…. kind of feel like some bell peppers need to be added in with the onion. Just feels like this recipe needs it.) Overall ….. looks fabulous and I agree, if you’re from Minnesota, THIS is comfort food!
Hi Janet,
I’m going to field this question for Stacie since she’s on maternity leave but being that I’m also Minnesota-born and raised, I feel that I’m pretty qualified to answer (wink, wink).
To answer your question about how it compares to the ‘gold standard’ (Byerly’s Wild Rice Soup or even the Boundary Waters Restaurant in the old Dayton’s downtown), it’s very similar but not quite the same. Byerly’s uses minced ham instead of chicken and relies on a bit of dry sherry to give it it’s characteristic flavor and going on memory I believe that the Boundary Waters used chicken and a bit of poultry seasoning (though I could be wrong – it’s been a while).
That being said, with all recipes, it’s always recommended that you taste and adjust your seasonings accordingly as we all sense flavors differently. If you give it a go, we’d love to hear that you think and if you made any changes.
Hi there,
Would this work with a milk substitute- like almond milk? I know it won’t be as creamy, but would it suffice?
Hi Heather,
It definitely works with non-dairy milk. I think unsweetened cashew and oat milk work best but you can also use unsweetened, plain almond or almond/coconut milk creamer with very good results.
Love this! If you’re adding the chicken after, would you decrease the cooking time in the instant pot? Thank you!
That’s a good question. You probably could but it wouldn’t change the outcome if you cooked it the same length as you do with raw chicken, as the recipe is written. Maybe just keep an eye on it if you’re home and adjust the time according to when the veggies are soft and rice is cooked. Hope you enjoy!!
Can the creamy chicken wild rice soup be doubled and still taste great?
Absolutely! If you have enough room in your slow cooker, go for it. It may take slightly longer to cook since you’re doubling the volume and keep in mind that the rice will expand significantly once it’s cooked.
I have always eaten very healthy and grew my own fruits/veggies and raised and butchered my own meats. Recently I was diagnosed with a very rare disease and am on a very strict sodium diet. At first my food was bland but over time, I learned all sorts of things to make food delightful again. I greatly appreciate people like you, that are helping people eat healthier and not lose the flavor. You do an EXCELLENT job at it. I actually used most of your chicken and wild rice recipe, only changing it slightly for my own taste. I had never tried chicken and rice soup before and it was absolutely delightful. It is my go to now when I have problems eating food.
Hi Sherri,
Oh, this makes our hearts so happy to hear. Thank you! We’re thrilled to hear that you loved this recipe and that you’ve found our website and recipes to be so helpful.