Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

A rainy-day hug in a bowl — cozy, creamy, and full of tender chicken and nutty wild rice. Perfect for leftovers and freezes beautifully.

Ingredients

• 1 cup wild rice blend (rinse if needed)
• 2 tablespoons butter (or olive oil for dairy-free)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or 6 cups broth + 2 cups water)
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced (rotisserie works great)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3/4 cup heavy cream or half-and-half (use coconut milk or cashew cream for dairy-free)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water for gluten-free)
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
• Optional: 1 cup sliced mushrooms for extra earthiness

Instructions

1. In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté until softened, about 6–8 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms (if using) and cook 1 more minute.
2. Stir in the flour and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, to form a light roux (skip if using cornstarch method).
3. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits. Add wild rice, bay leaf, thyme, sage, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 35–45 minutes, or until wild rice is tender and puffy. If using a wild rice blend that cooks faster, adjust time accordingly.
5. Stir in the cooked chicken and simmer 5–10 minutes to heat through.
6. If using the cornstarch slurry, whisk it into the pot now and simmer until slightly thickened. If using the flour roux, the soup should already be thickening; add more broth if too thick.
7. Remove from heat and stir in the cream. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf.
8. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Flavor profile

• Rich, savory, and slightly nutty from the wild rice, with creamy mouthfeel and warm herbal notes from thyme and sage.

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