Creamy Wild Rice Soup with Chicken
This creamy wild rice soup is the kind of dinner I want when it’s cold out and I’m craving something warm and filling. It has tender chicken, wild rice, carrots, celery, and mushrooms in a creamy broth, with rosemary and thyme giving it that cozy, savory flavor.
I add cremini mushrooms because they bring a little more depth to the broth without taking over the soup. The wild rice cooks right in the pot with the chicken and herbs, so it picks up plenty of flavor as it softens. A little fresh lemon goes in after the soup comes off the heat, helping balance the richness of the milk and cream.
Give the rice time to cook until it’s tender and still a little chewy, then finish the soup with the creamy mixture. The broth thickens as everything comes together, but it should still be easy to spoon. This batch makes about 6 servings, which is just right for dinner with a few leftovers for the next day.
What Makes This Soup So Good
- It’s filling enough for dinner. Chicken and wild rice make this a satisfying meal, while the lemon cuts through the richness of the cream.
- Mushrooms give the broth more flavor. Cremini mushrooms add a savory, earthy note that fits naturally with the chicken, rosemary, and thyme.
- Most of the cooking happens in one pot. The vegetables, mushrooms, chicken, rice, and broth all cook together before the milk and cream go in at the end.
What You’ll Need for This Soup
You don’t need anything unusual for this soup. A few of the ingredients are worth paying attention to, though, especially the rice and mushrooms, since they have the biggest effect on the texture and cooking time.
Choosing the Right Wild Rice
I use a brown rice and wild rice blend here rather than straight wild rice. The blend gives the soup a nice mix of tender grains and slightly chewy wild rice.
Different blends can take different amounts of time to soften, so check the package before you start.
Chicken, Vegetables, and Broth
- Chicken breast: Cut it into bite-size pieces so it cooks evenly and is easy to eat right from the bowl.
- Carrots, celery, and onion: These make up the vegetable base and give the broth plenty of flavor as they cook.
- Cremini mushrooms: Slice them fairly evenly so they cook at the same rate. I like cremini here because their deeper, earthy flavor works well with the creamy broth.
- Chicken stock: This is the main base of the soup, so use one you like the taste of on its own. If your stock is salty, go easy on additional salt until the end.
- Rosemary and thyme: These give the broth a savory, woodsy flavor.
- Celery seed and bay leaves: A small amount adds another savory layer to the broth.
- Lemon: Both the zest and juice go in near the end. They brighten the soup and cut through some of the richness.
What Makes the Soup Creamy
Whole milk and whipping cream give the broth its creamy finish. The cream brings richness, while the milk keeps it from becoming quite so heavy.
A simple mixture of butter and flour thickens the broth. The fresh lemon is added only after the soup is finished and removed from the heat, which keeps its flavor bright and helps the creamy broth stay smooth.
How to Make Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Cook the Vegetables and Wild Rice
- Cook the vegetables. Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften.
- Add the mushrooms. Stir in the sliced cremini mushrooms and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes. Let them release their moisture and continue cooking until they begin to brown.
- Add the chicken, rice, and broth. Pour in the chicken stock, then add the chicken, brown rice and wild rice blend, rosemary, thyme, celery seed, and bay leaves. Season lightly with salt and black pepper and give everything a good stir.
- Let the soup simmer. Bring it to a gentle simmer, then cover the pot. Cook according to the rice blend’s package cooking time, beginning to check it around 30 minutes. The rice should be tender with a little chew, and the chicken should reach 165°F in the center. If the rice soaks up too much liquid before it’s tender, add a little more chicken stock.
Make the Soup Creamy
- Add the milk and cream. Remove the bay leaves and turn the heat to low. Stir in the whole milk and whipping cream and let the soup warm gently. Don’t let it come to a hard boil.
- Prepare the roux. Melt the butter for the thickener in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in about 1 cup of hot broth from the soup until the mixture is smooth.
- Thicken the soup. Slowly stir the roux mixture back into the pot. Let the soup cook gently for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broth is creamy and lightly thickened.
Finish with Lemon
- Add the lemon. Remove the pot from the heat, then stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice. Taste and add more salt or black pepper if needed. Let the soup sit for about 5 minutes before serving so the flavors settle and the broth finishes thickening.
Tips for the Best Texture and Flavor
- Keep the soup at a gentle simmer. A hard boil isn’t necessary. Lower, steady heat gives the rice time to cook and is much better once the milk and cream are added.
- Give it a few minutes before judging the thickness. The soup will thicken as it rests, so don’t rush to add more flour.
- Keep a little extra chicken stock nearby. If the rice absorbs more liquid than expected while cooking, add a splash as needed.
- Season at the end. Chicken stock can vary quite a bit in saltiness. I prefer to taste the finished soup first, then add more salt and pepper if it needs it.
- Don’t skip the lemon. It may seem like a small addition, but that little bit of acidity balances the cream and brings out the savory flavors in the soup.
Easy Ways to Make It Your Own
Using Leftover Chicken or Turkey
Cooked chicken or turkey works well here. Leave the raw chicken out and make the soup as usual, then stir in the cooked meat toward the end, just before the milk and cream. You only need to heat it through; simmering it for too long can make it dry.
Making the Soup Gluten-Free
Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour that is suitable for thickening soups and sauces in place of regular flour. Also check the labels on your chicken stock and rice blend, since those can vary by brand.
Adjusting the Creaminess
For a slightly lighter soup, you can replace some of the whipping cream with additional whole milk. The broth won’t be quite as rich or thick, but it will still be creamy.
For a richer version, keep the full amount of whipping cream. I wouldn’t replace all the milk with cream—the combination gives this soup a better balance and keeps it from feeling too heavy.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Refrigerator Storage
Let the soup cool, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3 to 4 days. The rice will keep soaking up some of the broth as it sits, so don’t be surprised if the soup looks much thicker the next day.
How to Reheat It
Warm the soup gently on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. If it has thickened too much, add a splash of chicken stock or milk until the consistency is where you want it.
Try not to let the soup boil once it’s creamy. Gentle heat is enough to warm it through and helps keep the broth smooth.
Can You Freeze Creamy Wild Rice Soup?
You can freeze it, but the texture won’t be quite the same after thawing. The rice can soften and the dairy may separate slightly.
For the best result, freeze the soup before adding the milk, cream, and thickener. Thaw it in the refrigerator, warm it on the stove, then add the creamy ingredients as you finish the soup. If you’re freezing leftovers that are already finished, stir them well while reheating and add a little stock if needed.
Creamy Wild Rice Soup FAQs
Should you cook wild rice before adding it to soup?
Not for this recipe. The brown rice and wild rice blend cooks directly in the chicken stock, which lets it pick up more flavor along the way. If you’re using leftover cooked rice, add it closer to the end so it doesn’t become too soft.
Why is my wild rice still hard?
Different brown rice and wild rice blends can take different amounts of time to soften. If yours is still firm, continue cooking it at a gentle simmer and add a little more chicken stock if there isn’t enough liquid left in the pot.
Why did my soup get too thick while cooking?
If the soup becomes too thick during the initial cooking, gradually stir in a little more chicken stock until you reach the consistency you want. Add it a small amount at a time so you don’t thin the broth too much.
Creamy Wild Rice Soup with Chicken
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the vegetables. Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften.
- Add the mushrooms. Stir in the sliced cremini mushrooms and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes. Let them release their moisture and continue cooking until they begin to brown.
- Add the chicken, rice, and broth. Pour in the chicken stock, then add the chicken, brown rice and wild rice blend, rosemary, thyme, celery seed, and bay leaves. Season lightly with salt and black pepper and stir well.
- Simmer. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer, then cover the pot. Cook according to the rice blend’s package cooking time, beginning to check it around 30 minutes. The rice should be tender with a little chew, and the chicken should reach 165°F in the center. If the rice absorbs too much liquid before it is tender, add a little more chicken stock.
- Add the milk and cream. Remove the bay leaves and reduce the heat to low. Stir in the whole milk and whipping cream. Let the soup warm gently without bringing it to a hard boil.
- Prepare the roux. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in about 1 cup of hot broth from the soup until smooth.
- Thicken the soup. Slowly stir the roux mixture back into the soup. Cook gently for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broth is creamy and lightly thickened.
- Finish with lemon. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the lemon zest and fresh lemon juice. Taste and add more salt or black pepper if needed. Let the soup sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Rice: Brown rice and wild rice blends vary in cooking time. Follow the package cooking time and use the texture of the rice as your final guide.
- Extra stock: Keep a little chicken stock nearby in case the rice absorbs more liquid than expected while cooking.
- Cooked chicken or turkey: Leave out the raw chicken and stir cooked chicken or turkey into the soup toward the end, just long enough to heat through.
- Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour suitable for thickening soups and sauces. Check the labels on the chicken stock and rice blend if needed.
- Storage: Refrigerate cooled soup in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Reheating: Warm gently over medium-low heat. Add a splash of chicken stock or milk if the soup has thickened in the refrigerator.
- Freezing: For the best texture, freeze the soup before adding the milk, cream, and roux. Thaw, reheat, and finish with the creamy ingredients and lemon.
