This Chicken Wild Rice Soup is a creamy, hearty bowl made with tender shredded chicken thighs, nutty wild rice, mushrooms, and classic soup vegetables in a lightly herby broth. The soup base comes together in one pot, it makes about 6 generous servings, and each bowl delivers roughly 25 grams of protein.
What Makes This Chicken Wild Rice Soup Great?
The chicken simmers right in the thickened soup, so it flavors the broth while it cooks and stays juicy. Cooking the wild rice separately keeps it chewy and distinct instead of mushy. A small splash of lemon at the end lifts all that creaminess so it never feels heavy.
Why You’ll Love It
- Stretches a small amount of meat: just 1 1/4 lb of chicken thighs feeds 6 people, thanks to the rice and vegetables bulking out every bowl.
- Fewer dishes than most creamy soups: the roux is built right on top of the sautéed vegetables, so there’s no separate saucepan for the cream sauce.
- Great for meal prep: keep the cooked rice in its own container and the soup stays silky all week instead of turning into porridge.
- Filling enough to be the whole meal: protein, grains, and vegetables all 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 creamy 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.
- Water, as listed on your rice package, usually around 1 3/4 to 2 cups.
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, seasons the grains from the inside as they cook.
The Vegetables
Onion, carrots, and celery are the backbone here. Cooked slowly in butter, they turn sweet and mellow and give the broth that classic, cozy chicken soup flavor.
Cremini mushrooms are the addition that makes this version feel extra hearty. They brown in the butter and add an earthy, savory depth that pairs really well with the nuttiness of wild rice. Honestly, it’s a combination that just works.
What You’ll Need for the Vegetables
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/4 cups), melts into the soup and adds gentle sweetness.
- 2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup), bring color and a little natural sweetness.
- 3 ribs celery, diced (about 1 cup), adds that savory, fresh flavor every chicken soup needs.
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced, give the broth a deeper, earthy richness.
- 3 cloves garlic, minced, adds warmth without taking over.
The Creamy Base
This is where the soup gets its silky body. 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.
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
- 6 tablespoons butter, cooks the vegetables and forms the base of the roux.
- 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 chicken.
- 1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage, brings that savory, cozy flavor you’d find in stuffing.
- 1 bay leaf, adds a subtle background depth while the chicken 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 whole in the soup, then shredding, is easier than cutting raw chicken into cubes. Plus, all the flavor the chicken releases stays right in the pot.
What You’ll Need for the Chicken
- 1 1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, stay juicy and shred easily after simmering.
How to Make Chicken 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
While the rice cooks, melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then.
You want the onion soft and see-through and the mushrooms lightly browned, with most of their liquid cooked off.
Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
Build the Roux
Sprinkle the flour, thyme, rosemary, and sage over the vegetables.
Stir constantly for about 2 minutes, until the flour coats everything and smells slightly toasty. It will look pasty and a little clumpy, and that’s exactly right.
Add the Broth
Pour in about 1 cup of the broth while stirring, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom of the pot.
Once it’s smooth, add the rest of the broth gradually, stirring as you go so no lumps form.
Add the bay leaf, salt, and pepper, then bring the soup to a gentle bubble over medium-high heat. It should thicken slightly within a few minutes.
Simmer the Chicken
Nestle the chicken thighs into the soup so they’re mostly covered. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 18 to 22 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so to keep the bottom from catching.
The chicken is done when it reaches 165°F in the thickest part.
Shred the Chicken
Move the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Shred it into bite-size pieces with two forks.
Fish out the bay leaf and discard it while the chicken rests.
Finish the Soup
Turn the heat down to low. Stir in the milk and cream, then add the shredded chicken and cooked rice.
Heat gently for about 5 minutes, until everything is steaming hot, but don’t let it boil, since that can make the dairy split.
Stir in 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, taste, and add more lemon, salt, or pepper as needed.
The soup should be creamy, thick enough to coat a spoon, and so cozy.
Variations and Customizations
This soup is very forgiving, so it’s easy to work with what’s already in your fridge. Want it lighter, richer, or a way to use up leftovers? A few swaps cover most situations.
- 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 simmering step, simmer the soup for 10 minutes on its own, then stir in about 3 cups of shredded cooked chicken at the end.
- Try turkey: leftover roast turkey is a great swap for the chicken, especially after the holidays.
- Make it lighter: replace the heavy cream with extra milk; the soup will be a little thinner but still creamy.
- Skip the mushrooms: leave them out or swap in 1 cup of diced parsnip for extra sweetness.
- Switch the herbs: use 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme in place of the dried herbs, added with the garlic.
- 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. Trust me on this one.
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 Wild Rice Soup
Description
A creamy, comforting soup made with tender shredded chicken thighs, nutty wild rice, mushrooms, and sweet garden vegetables in a lightly herbed, velvety broth. Perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner or meal prep for the week ahead.
Ingredients
Wild Rice
Vegetables
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
-
Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms, and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns soft and the mushrooms release their liquid and start to brown. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
Build the Roux
-
Sprinkle the flour, thyme, rosemary, and sage over the vegetables. Stir constantly for about 2 minutes, until everything is coated and lightly toasted. The mixture will look thick and a little clumpy at this stage, this is normal.
Add the Broth
-
Pour in about 1 cup of the broth while stirring, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Once smooth, add the remaining broth a little at a time, stirring so no lumps form. Add the bay leaf, salt, and pepper, then bring the mixture to a gentle bubble over medium-high heat. It should thicken slightly within a few minutes.
Simmer the Chicken
-
Nestle the chicken thighs into the pot so they are mostly covered by the broth. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 18 to 22 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken reaches 165 F and is cooked through.
Shred the Chicken
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Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Shred the 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 and cooked wild rice. Warm gently for about 5 minutes, until steaming hot, without letting the soup boil, this helps keep the dairy smooth. Stir in the lemon juice, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. The finished soup should be creamy, glossy, and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
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.
