🥣 Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

⭐ Serves 6–8

⭐ Ready in ~55–70 minutes

🛒 Ingredients

Chicken & Base

• 1.5–2 lbs chicken breasts or thighs (boneless/skinless)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter

• 1 onion, diced

• 3 carrots, diced

• 3 celery stalks, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

Seasoning

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon dried parsley

• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (optional but great)

• 1 bay leaf

• Salt & pepper to taste

Liquid & Rice

• 6 cups chicken broth

• 1 cup wild rice blend (NOT instant rice)

Creamy Finish

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 4 tablespoons flour

• 2 cups milk or half-and-half

Optional

• ½ cup heavy cream for extra richness

• Mushrooms for extra earthiness

• Spinach added at the end for a little green

👨‍🍳 Directions

1️⃣ Cook Chicken & Veg

1. Heat oil/butter in a large pot or Dutch oven.

2. Add onion, carrots, celery. Cook 5–7 minutes.

3. Add garlic → cook 1 minute.

2️⃣ Add Broth & Rice

1. Pour in chicken broth.

2. Stir in wild rice.

3. Add chicken directly into pot.

4. Season with thyme, parsley, bay leaf, salt & pepper.

Bring to a simmer → reduce heat → cover and cook:
45–55 minutes, until rice is tender and chicken is cooked.

3️⃣ Shred Chicken

• Remove chicken

• Shred with forks

• Return to pot

4️⃣ Make the Cream Base (Roux)

In a separate pan:

1. Melt butter.

2. Whisk in flour → cook 1–2 minutes.

3. Slowly whisk in milk/half-and-half until smooth and thick.

Pour creamy mixture into soup pot. Stir well.

Add heavy cream if using.
Taste & adjust salt and pepper.

Let simmer another 5–10 minutes to thicken.