If there’s one meal I’m 100% addicted to in the winter, it’s chicken and wild rice soup. An inviting blend of chicken, wild rice, veggies, and herbs in a flavorful broth – I mean, what’s not to love?! It’s basically a hug in a bowl. This comforting recipe is an all-time favorite, perfect for the long, chilly winter nights. Pair it with a loaf of homemade bread (we love this sourdough loaf!) and a side salad for a delicious, cozy winter meal.
My one tip would be this – DON’T FORGET TO COOK THE CHICKEN. It only took me approximately 100 times of making this soup to remember to cook the chicken ahead of time. I would just be bee-boppin’ along, chopping veggies, sauteing, cooking up a storm, only to get to the end and realize it was time to add the cooked chicken. Spoiler – I hadn’t cooked the chicken yet. So. DON’T FORGET TO COOK THE DANG CHICKEN 😅 Or you’ll be in a frenzy of defrosting, cooking as fast as possible, chopping, and freaking out because dinner was supposed to be done a half hour ago and the chicken still isn’t cooked. Just saying. Cook that chicken at the beginning.
In fact, one time I made just that mistake and my sister-in-law informed me that she cooks chicken in big batches to freeze (or you could can it). Then she just pulls it out and adds it right in, no problemo. Be smart like that. That’s a good idea. Much better than the frenzy.
This is also a great recipe to use up leftover chicken. Or you can cook the chicken while the veggies and wild rice are simmering at the beginning. I don’t know why it took me so long to remember to do that at the same time, but let’s just blame it on mom brain and the 7567 other things that are going on at the same time as making dinner each night. That probably has something to do with it.
But, I digress.
This recipe makes a pretty good size pot of chicken and wild rice soup. So I like to freeze the leftovers for a handy quick dinner. It freezes great and all you have to do is pull it out and dump it into a pot to warm up. Perfect on those nights you can’t decide what to make or just need something quick.
Enjoy!
Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup
A staple cold weather meal - soup with chicken, wild rice, veggies, and herbs in a flavorful broth!
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 whole carrots, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 4 celery stalks, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 1 shallot or small onion, diced (2 Tbsp)
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced (2 tsp)
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 3/4 cup wild rice
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded
- 1 Tbsp fresh chopped thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
- 2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley (or 2 tsp dried)
- 1 bay leaf
- 3/4 tsp salt ( or to taste)
- 3/4 tsp pepper (or to taste)
- 5 Tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3/4 cup half 'n half
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup white wine (optional)
- 4 oz canned mushrooms (or canned mushroom stems and pieces)
Instructions
- In a large pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped carrots, celery, onion, season with 1 1/2 tsp salt, and sauté until they begin to soften, usually about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute.
- Pour in the broth and water. Stir in the wild rice, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, and season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and let it cook for about 45-55 minutes or until the wild rice is tender.
- While the soup is simmering, cook the chicken. In a separate pan, heat some olive oil (or butter or your preferred oil for cooking chicken). Add the chicken and cook until it's no longer pink. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pan, dice or shred, and set it aside.
- In the same pan, melt the butter over low/medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, to create a roux.
- Gradually pour in the milk and half-and-half, whisking continuously until the mixture thickens and becomes smooth (about 1 minute).
- Once the rice is tender, remove the bay leaf from the soup pot. Add the cooked chicken and canned mushrooms into the soup.
- Slowly pour the creamy mixture into the soup. You can also add 1/4 cup of white wine for a bit more flavor, but it's optional. Stir well and let the soup simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes to let the flavors blend.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. If the soup is too thick, you can add more broth or milk to reach your desired consistency.
- Serve hot, with a side of bread and garnished with fresh parsley!
Notes
Leftovers - This soup will thicken when stored in the fridge. Just add a bit of broth or water when you heat it up to make it soupy again.
Freezing - This soup freezes wonderfully. Pop the leftovers in a tupperware and store in the freezer. It does thicken up a bit. So, when you need a quick dinner, add a bit of broth or water to make it soupy again, heat it up, and it's ready to serve! It keeps well for a couple months in the freezer (though ours never lasts that long).
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| Tylynn |
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