This Chicken and Mushroom Wild Rice Soup is a creamy, hearty bowl made with tender shredded chicken thighs and a deep, blended mushroom broth, studded with wild rice and a few reserved mushroom slices for texture. It comes together in one pot, makes about 6 generous servings, and each bowl delivers roughly 26 grams of protein.
What Makes This Chicken and Mushroom Wild Rice Soup Great?
Blending most of the mushroom base into the broth is what makes this soup work, it gives you a smooth, rich, cohesive body instead of a thin broth with things floating in it. Reserved mushroom slices, shredded chicken, and wild rice go back in afterward so every spoonful still has something to chew on.
Why You’ll Love It
- Rich, restaurant-style texture without cream overload: blending the mushrooms and vegetables thickens the broth naturally, so less heavy cream is needed.
- Stretches a small amount of meat: just 1 lb of chicken thighs feeds 6 people, with the blended mushroom base doing most of the work.
- Great for meal prep: keep the cooked rice separate and the soup reheats smoothly instead of turning to porridge.
- Filling enough to be the whole meal: protein, mushrooms, and grains in one bowl means no side dishes required.
The Wild Rice
Wild rice is technically the seed of an aquatic grass, which explains that firm, slightly chewy bite and toasty, nutty flavor. A wild rice blend mixes it with brown or red rice, so you get a softer texture overall with plenty of those dark, snappy grains running through.
Cooking it in a separate pot matters more than you’d think. Wild rice keeps drinking liquid long after it’s done, so if it cooks in the soup, it soaks up your broth and turns everything thick and stodgy.
What You’ll Need for the Wild Rice
- 3/4 cup uncooked wild rice blend, look for a blend rather than 100% wild rice for a softer, more even texture.
- 1 3/4 cups water, or as listed on your rice package.
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, seasons the grains from the inside as they cook.
The Mushrooms and Vegetables
Mushrooms are the star here, and blending most of them into the broth is what gives this soup its body. A mix of cremini and shiitake brings a meaty, earthy base with a slightly deeper, almost smoky note once browned.
Onion, carrots, and celery round out the broth with a classic, savory backbone before everything gets blended smooth. A splash of sherry after the mushrooms brown pulls even more flavor out of the pan.
What You’ll Need for the Mushrooms and Vegetables
- 6 tablespoons butter, cooks the vegetables and forms the base of the roux.
- 1 1/4 cups diced yellow onion, melts into the broth and adds gentle sweetness.
- 1 cup diced carrots, bring color and a little natural sweetness.
- 1 cup diced celery, adds that savory, fresh flavor every good soup needs.
- 20 oz sliced mushrooms (cremini and shiitake), give the broth a deep, earthy richness, some blended in, some reserved for texture.
- 3 cloves garlic, minced, adds warmth without taking over.
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry (optional), deglazes the pan and deepens the mushroom flavor.
The Creamy Base
Butter and flour cook together into a roux, which is simply a paste of fat and flour that thickens liquid as it simmers. Cooking the flour for a couple of minutes first gets rid of any raw, pasty taste, and it’s added after blending so the broth stays smooth.
The dried herbs go in with the roux so their flavor blooms in the hot butter. Milk and cream are added right at the end over gentle heat, which keeps them smooth and stops them from separating.
What You’ll Need for the Creamy Base
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, thickens the soup into a creamy, spoon-coating consistency.
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme, the main herb flavor, earthy and a little floral.
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed between your fingers, adds a piney note that suits both chicken and mushrooms.
- 1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage, brings that savory, cozy flavor you’d find in stuffing.
- 1 bay leaf, adds a subtle background depth while everything simmers.
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth, lets you control the saltiness yourself.
- 1 cup whole milk, keeps the soup creamy without making it too rich.
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, adds body and a smooth, velvety finish.
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste, since low-sodium broth needs a boost.
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, adds gentle warmth.
- 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, brightens the whole pot and balances the cream.
The Chicken
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are the pick here. They have a little more fat than breasts, so they stay tender and moist even after simmering in the soup and sitting in the fridge for a few days.
Poaching them separately in a bit of the broth, then shredding, keeps their texture distinct from the smooth base, so they read as chicken pieces in the soup rather than getting lost in the blend.
What You’ll Need for the Chicken
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, stay juicy and shred easily after simmering.
How to Make Chicken and Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
Start the Rice
Add the wild rice blend, water, and salt to a small saucepan and cook according to the package directions. Most blends take somewhere between 40 and 50 minutes, so get this going first. When it’s done, the grains should be tender with a slight chew, and some of the dark wild rice grains will have split open. Drain off any leftover water and set it aside with the lid on.
Cook the Vegetables and Mushrooms
While the rice cooks, melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.
Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns soft and see-through.
Add the mushrooms and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they’ve released their liquid and turned golden brown around the edges.
If using, pour in the sherry and let it bubble away for about 30 seconds, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom.
Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
Set Aside Some Mushrooms
Scoop out about a third of the mushroom and vegetable mixture and set it aside in a bowl, this is what gives the finished soup some texture instead of being completely smooth.
Leave the rest in the pot.
Simmer and Blend the Base
Pour 4 cups of the broth into the pot and bring to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes so the flavors meld.
Remove the pot from the heat and blend the mixture until smooth using an immersion blender, or carefully transfer it to a stand blender in batches.
The base should look creamy and uniform, with no large vegetable chunks left. Return it to the pot.
Poach the Chicken
Add the remaining 1 cup of broth and the bay leaf to the pot, nestle in the chicken thighs, and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
Cover and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part. Move the chicken to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes, then discard the bay leaf.
Build the Roux
While the chicken rests, melt a small pat of butter in a separate small saucepan over medium heat if needed, or use a clean corner of the pot once the chicken is out.
Sprinkle in the flour, thyme, rosemary, and sage, and whisk constantly for about 2 minutes, until lightly toasted and fragrant.
It will look pasty and a little clumpy, and that’s exactly right.
Ladle in a cup of the hot blended broth while whisking to loosen it, then pour the mixture back into the main pot, stirring until fully combined and slightly thickened.
Shred the Chicken
Shred the rested chicken into bite-size pieces with two forks.
Finish the Soup
Turn the heat down to low. Stir in the milk and cream, then add the shredded chicken, cooked rice, and the reserved mushroom mixture from earlier.
Heat gently for about 5 minutes, until everything is steaming hot, but don’t let it boil, since that can make the dairy split.
Season with salt and pepper, stir in the lemon juice, and taste, adding more of either as needed.
The soup should be creamy, glossy, and thick enough to coat a spoon, with visible pieces of chicken, mushroom, and rice throughout.
Variations and Customizations
This soup is easy to adjust depending on what you have on hand or how rich you want it.
- Add dried porcini: rehydrate a small handful in warm water, then blend the soaking liquid and mushrooms into the base for even deeper flavor.
- Use chicken breasts instead: they work fine, just check them at 15 minutes since they cook faster and dry out more easily.
- Use leftover or rotisserie chicken: skip the poaching step, use 5 cups of broth for the base, then stir in about 3 cups of shredded cooked chicken at the end.
- Make it lighter: replace the heavy cream with extra milk, the soup will be a little thinner but still creamy.
- Switch the herbs: use 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme in place of the dried herbs, added with the roux.
- Add greens: stir in a couple of handfuls of baby spinach or chopped kale in the last few minutes until wilted.
Toppings, Add-Ons, and Finishing Touches
A creamy soup like this loves something fresh or crunchy on top to break up all that richness. Keep toppings simple and let everyone add their own.
- Chopped fresh parsley, for color and a fresh, clean bite.
- Fresh thyme leaves, to echo the herbs in the soup.
- Crispy bacon, crumbled, for smoky crunch.
- Toasted sliced almonds, a classic pairing with wild rice.
- A lemon wedge, for anyone who likes it extra bright.
- Freshly cracked black pepper.
- Crusty bread or buttered rolls, for dunking.
Storing, Reheating, and Meal Prep
Store leftover soup in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. The rice keeps absorbing liquid as it sits, so the soup will thicken noticeably. If you’re meal prepping, store the cooked rice separately and add it to each portion when reheating. Reheat gently on the stove over medium-low heat or in the microwave in short bursts, stirring in a splash of broth or milk to loosen it back up.
You can freeze the soup for up to 3 months, though cream-based soups can look a little separated once thawed. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and whisk it well as it reheats to bring it back together. For the best texture, freeze the soup base and chicken without the rice, then add freshly cooked rice when serving. Add any fresh toppings like parsley or almonds just before eating.
Chicken and Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
Description
A creamy, comforting soup made with tender shredded chicken thighs and a deep, blended mushroom broth, studded with wild rice and a few reserved mushroom slices for texture. Perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner or meal prep for the week ahead.
Ingredients
Wild Rice
Vegetables and Mushrooms
Creamy Base
Chicken
Instructions
Cook the Wild Rice
-
Add the wild rice blend, water, and salt to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 45 minutes, until the grains are tender with a slight chew. Drain off any extra water, cover, and set the rice aside while you build the soup.
Cook the Vegetables and Mushrooms
-
Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns soft and translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they release their liquid and turn golden brown around the edges. Pour in the sherry and let it bubble away for about 30 seconds, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom of the pot. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
Set Aside Some Mushrooms
-
Scoop out about a third of the mushroom and vegetable mixture and set it aside in a bowl. This gives the finished soup some texture instead of being completely smooth. Leave the rest in the pot.
Blend the Base
-
Pour 4 cups of the broth into the pot and bring to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes so the flavors meld. Remove the pot from the heat and blend the mixture until smooth using an immersion blender, or carefully transfer it to a stand blender in batches. The base should look creamy and uniform, with no large vegetable chunks left. Return it to the pot.
Poach the Chicken
-
Add the remaining 1 cup of broth and the bay leaf to the pot, nestle in the chicken thighs, and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cover and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165 F in the thickest part. Move the chicken to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes, then discard the bay leaf.
Build the Roux
-
While the chicken rests, sprinkle the flour, thyme, rosemary, and sage into a small saucepan with a pat of butter over medium heat. Whisk constantly for about 2 minutes, until lightly toasted and fragrant. The mixture will look thick and a little clumpy at this stage, this is normal. Ladle in a cup of the hot blended broth while whisking to loosen it, then pour the mixture back into the main pot, stirring until fully combined and slightly thickened.
Shred the Chicken
-
Shred the rested chicken into bite-size pieces using two forks.
Finish the Soup
-
Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the milk and cream, then add the shredded chicken, cooked wild rice, and the reserved mushroom mixture from earlier. Warm gently for about 5 minutes, until steaming hot, without letting the soup boil, this helps keep the dairy smooth. Season with the salt and pepper, then stir in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust as needed. The finished soup should be creamy, glossy, and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, with visible pieces of chicken, mushroom, and rice throughout.
Note
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The rice will continue to absorb liquid as it sits, so the soup will thicken over time, stir in a splash of broth or milk when reheating to loosen it back up. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat or in the microwave in short bursts. For meal prep, keep the cooked rice in a separate container and add it to each portion when reheating to keep the texture fresh. If the soup ever looks slightly separated after reheating, whisk it gently while warming and it will come back together.
