🍄 Creamy Chicken & Mushroom Wild Rice Soup

Thick, creamy, flavorful soup loaded with tender chicken, earthy mushrooms, carrots, celery, and wild rice.

🥣 Ingredients

For the Soup Base

• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie or boiled)

• 1 cup wild rice (uncooked)

• 1 tbsp olive oil or butter

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• 2–3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 cups mushrooms, sliced

• 2 medium carrots, diced

• 2 celery stalks, diced

• 6 cups chicken broth

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• 1 tsp dried parsley

• 1 bay leaf

• Salt & pepper to taste

For the Creamy Mixture

• 3 tbsp butter

• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour

• 2 cups heavy cream (or 1 cup cream + 1 cup milk)

Optional Add-ins

• Fresh parsley for garnish

• A squeeze of lemon for brightness

• ½ cup cream cheese for extra richness

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Cook the wild rice

• Rinse the rice.

• Cook according to package directions (45–50 minutes).

• Set aside.

2. Sauté vegetables

In a large pot:

• Heat olive oil or butter.

• Add onion, carrots, celery. Cook for 5 minutes.

• Add mushrooms and garlic. Sauté until soft and fragrant.

3. Add chicken & seasonings

• Add shredded chicken.

• Pour in chicken broth.

• Add thyme, parsley, bay leaf, salt & pepper.

• Simmer 20 minutes.

4. Make the cream mixture (roux)

In a separate pan:

• Melt butter, add flour.

• Cook for 1–2 minutes until thick.

• Slowly whisk in heavy cream until smooth and creamy.

5. Combine everything

• Add cooked wild rice to the pot.

• Pour in the creamy mixture.

• Stir and simmer 10 more minutes until thickened.

6. Serve

Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy warm!

❄️ Storage

• Refrigerate up to 3–4 days.

• Thickens in the fridge — add broth when reheating.

• Freezer-friendly if you freeze before adding cream.

💬 Q&A Section

Q1: Can I make this without flour (gluten-free)?

Yes! Replace flour with cornstarch slurry (2 tbsp cornstarch + 4 tbsp water).

Q2: Can I use leftover turkey instead of chicken?

Absolutely — it works perfectly, especially after holidays.

Q3: Can I make this dairy-free?

Yes — use:

• Coconut milk + cornstarch, or

• Dairy-free cream alternatives.

Q4: Can I use white rice instead of wild rice?

Yes, but add cooked white rice at the very end so it doesn’t get mushy.

Q5: How do I make it extra thick and creamy?

• Add 4 oz cream cheese, OR

• Add more roux, OR

• Blend 1 cup of soup and stir it back in.

Q6: Can I cook this in a slow cooker?

Yes:

• Add everything except cream + flour.

• Cook 4–6 hours on LOW.

• Add creamy mixture in the last 30 minutes.