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Bowl filled with chicken wild rice soup topped with fresh herbs and black pepper.

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.

Prep: 15 minsCook: 3-4 hoursTotal: 3 hours, 15 mins
Servings: 8-10 (12 cups) 1x

Ingredients

  • 11 ¼ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, raw
  • Salt and black pepper 
  • 78 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)
  • 34 carrots, peeled and diced (1 ½ cups) 
  • 23 medium celery stalks, diced (~¾ – 1 cup) 
  • 2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed between your fingers
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼½ 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:

  1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the chicken into a 6-qt slow cooker.
  2. Stir in the broth (use 7 cups for thicker soup), wild rice, mushrooms, garlic, onion, carrots, celery, rosemary, thyme, sage, and bay leaves.
  3. Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours (or high for 3-4 hours). 
  4. 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.
  5. Stir in the half and half. 
  6. Cover and heat until warmed, an additional 15-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
  7. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.

Instant Pot Directions:

  1. 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.
  2. Lock the lid into place. Turn the vent valve to the ‘Sealing’ position.
  3. Select ‘Manual’ or ‘High Pressure’ setting and set cook time to 12 minutes.
  4. When the cook time is up, release the pressure using the quick-release method (i.e. flip the vent valve to the ‘Venting’ position).
  5. When all of the pressure is released and lid unlocks, remove the chicken to a clean plate and shred with two forks. Set aside.
  6. Replace the lid on the Instant Pot and cook an additional 6 minutes, allowing for 5 minutes of natural pressure release. 
  7. Stir in the half and half.
  8. Add the shredded chicken back to the Instant Pot and stir.
  9. Serve immediately. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
  10. 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.

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 Real Food Dietitians
Recipe By: Stacie Hassing