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–+ servings

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

An absolutely delicious soup in a light broth kissed with cream and loaded with vegetables, hearty wild rice, and tender roasted chicken. Sprinkle it with freshly chopped parsley and toasted almonds and you'll be tempted to eat the whole pot!
Image and original recipe courtesy of the Star Tribune.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 257 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup uncooked wild rice
  • 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1 ½ cups sliced cremini mushrooms
  • 2 large carrots peeled and diced
  • 3 ribs celery diced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
  • 2 cups chopped or pulled roasted chicken skin and bones removed (get our recipe)
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp. white wine (or 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar)
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 1 ½ tsp. black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 small bundle fresh thyme sprigs (or 2 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves)
  • chopped fresh parsley for garnishing
  • slivered almonds, toasted for garnishing

Instructions
 

Prepare the wild rice

  • Rinse wild rice under hot running water for about 30 seconds.
  • Add rinsed wild rice and 3 cups water to a sauce pan and bring to boil.
  • Reduce heat to medium low and cook till rice has absorbed all the liquid, which can take up to an hour.
  • Remove from heat and set aside.

Make the soup

  • Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté till translucent, about five minutes. Add the mushrooms, celery, and carrots and cook another five minutes until the vegetables have softened.
  • Pour in the chicken stock and add the bay leaves. Increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes.
  • Add the cream, white wine (or vinegar), wild rice, chicken, salt, pepper, and thyme bundle. Stir together and cook until heated through. Remove the bay leaves.
  • Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with chopped parsley and toasted almonds, if using.

Notes

  • Wild rice takes a long time to cook, so be sure to give yourself enough time when preparing the soup.
  • For the chicken, try our recipe for quick and easy roasted chicken breasts.
  • Thyme leaves are delicious in this soup. We like to make a bundle from 4-6 thyme sprigs tied with kitchen twine. Just submerge the bundle in the soup allowing the string to hang over the side of the pot for easy removal. The leaves will fall off into the soup as it cooks - much easier than stripping the leaves from the sprigs.
  • If using toasted almonds - and we recommend it! - add sliced or slivered almonds to a dry pan and toast over medium low to medium heat for about 2-3 minutes. Be sure to stir constantly to avoid burning. The almonds are ready when they begin to give off a nutty fragrance.
 
Nutrition Facts
Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Amount per Serving
Calories
257
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
12
g
18
%
Saturated Fat
 
7
g
44
%
Trans Fat
 
0.2
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
4
g
Cholesterol
 
51
mg
17
%
Sodium
 
575
mg
25
%
Potassium
 
476
mg
14
%
Carbohydrates
 
21
g
7
%
Fiber
 
2
g
8
%
Sugar
 
3
g
3
%
Protein
 
16
g
32
%
Vitamin A
 
2879
IU
58
%
Vitamin C
 
2
mg
2
%
Calcium
 
39
mg
4
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.