How long it takes: 3 to 4 hours, 20 minutes Equipment you’ll need: slow cooker Servings: 8 Speaking of chicken slow cooker dinners, this crockpot chicken wild rice soup is exactly the kind of recipe I find myself turning to again and again in the fall. It couldn’t be easier to make—the slow cooker does most of the work!—and by the time dinnertime rolls around, you have a creamy delicious soup. The rice is tender and the chicken is ready to be shredded.
Creamy Crockpot Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Earthy wild rice. I love the unique flavor and chewy texture of wild rice, and it’s absolutely fantastic in this creamy slow cooker soup. Because wild rice can be quite expensive, I’ve opted for a wild and brown rice blend, which is more budget-friendly. Easy to make. This isn’t quite a dump-and-go slow cooker recipe, but it’s pretty darn close. You’ll add most of the ingredients at the beginning and then at the end, you’ll just need to shred the chicken and thicken the soup. Creamy chicken soup is perfect for football Saturdays, Sunday dinners, or busy weeknights when you want to come home to a hot meal already made. Hearty and filling. Crockpot chicken wild rice soup is satisfying enough to be a complete meal on its own without adding anything else to round things out. (But if you do want to stretch the soup a little bit further, I share some pairing ideas below!)
Ingredient Notes
Uncooked wild and brown rice blend: Don’t substitute quick cooking, parboiled, or instant rice (such as Uncle Ben’s); this recipe was developed for the regular kind. Long grain white rice or brown rice can be swapped in for the wild rice blend, if you prefer. Boneless skinless chicken thighs: You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts if you prefer but I highly recommend sticking with chicken thighs. They’re more flavorful and less likely to get tough. Mirepoix (Onion, Carrots, Celery): Mirepoix is the French word for the combination of onion, celery, and carrots. They form the backbone of flavor for this crockpot chicken wild rice soup, and many other recipes. Seasonings: Bay leaves, dried parsley, salt, dried thyme, rubbed sage, garlic powder, and black pepper—all pantry staples you likely have on hand. No-salt-added chicken stock: Homemade chicken stock is fantastic if you have it but a high-quality store-bought stock works too. If you use regular chicken broth, which is often seasoned with salt, skip the added salt in the recipe. Water: If you have extra stock, you can use that instead of the water. All-purpose flour: This is a little trick I often use. I make a white sauce using flour, milk, and butter to make a creamy soup without resorting to heavy cream. (If you like that idea, try my cheeseburger soup, too.) Milk: Whole milk will give you the richest soup but you can use any milk you have on hand. I often use 2%. Butter: You can use salted or unsalted (sweet butter). If you use salted butter, I recommend cutting back on the added salt and simply seasoning to taste at the end of the cooking time. Fresh parsley: A handful of fresh chopped herbs is a perfect garnish for soup. It adds a burst of bright color and flavor.
How to Make Crockpot Chicken wild Rice Soup
Make the mirepoix. Chop the onions, carrots, and celery into fairly small pieces (about ¼ inch) to make the mirepoix. If they are chunky, the vegetables may remain too crisp after cooking. Combine the ingredients. Add the rice, chicken, mirepoix, seasonings, chicken stock, and water to the slow cooker and stir to combine. (The only items you aren’t adding to the crockpot is the flour, butter, and milk.) Cook. Cover the crockpot. Cook the soup on high for 3 to 4 hours, or on low for 6 to 8 hours. Toward the end of the cooking time, check the vegetables and rice to see if they’re tender. Because we’re using chicken thighs and not breasts, you don’t have to worry about babysitting them to make sure they don’t overcook. Shred the chicken. Discard the bay leaves (if you can find them!), then carefully remove the chicken thighs and place them on a plate. Use two forks to shred the chicken. If you prefer chunks of chicken in your soup, you can coarsely chop them instead. Put the chicken back into the crockpot and give the soup a stir. Make the white sauce. I found that this soup has the best creamy texture if you make a simple white sauce to stir into the broth after the soup has cooked. We tested other methods, such as adding heavy cream, but the cream tends to curdle at high heat and the soup didn’t have the best texture. To make a white sauce, melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan set over medium heat. Stir in the flour, cooking for a minute or two while continuing to stir. Once the mixture darkens a bit, pour in a splash of milk, stir it in, and then slowly stream in the rest while whisking constantly. Continue to cook, stirring, until the mixture is steaming hot and thickened. Finish. Stir the white sauce into the crockpot chicken wild rice soup. Season to taste and serve. If you’re not quite ready to serve the soup, keep it on the warm setting.
Tips for Making This Recipe
Make cleanup easier. You can coat the inside of your crockpot with nonstick cooking spray to prevent anything from getting stuck on the insert. This is an optional step but I usually do it. I like easy cleanups! Prep your ingredients ahead of time. If your mornings are busy, consider prepping your mirepoix and measuring the herbs and spices in advance. Store them all together in an airtight container in the fridge so everything is ready to go when it’s time to start your crockpot chicken wild rice soup. Watch closely if you’re using chicken breasts. If you do swap chicken breasts for thighs, check them 30 minutes earlier than the low end of the time range; they’ll be done when they reach 165ºF on an instant read thermometer. If the chicken is done before the vegetables and rice are fully cooked, just take it out anyways, shred it, and add it back in when the soup is ready. Adjust the thickness. For a brothier soup, add a bit more water or chicken stock. Add more vegetables. Feel free to sneak in additional vegetables, such as mushrooms, corn, peas, green beans, etc. If they are a quick-cooking, canned, or frozen vegetable, add them at the end when you put the chicken back in. Greens (chopped spinach or kale) can be added at the end, too, since they just need to wilt.
Serving Ideas
Bread. A crusty baguette, Dutch oven bread, or Parker House rolls are perfect for soaking up this creamy chicken soup. My kids love cheesy bread, which is simply homemade pizza dough with cheese, butter, and a bit of garlic. Muffins. I often serve muffins with homemade soup. Apple cider muffins or carrot raisin muffins would go well; cornbread muffins with herbs are always a good match, too. Side salad. A light green salad will help you work some extra veggies into your dinner. This classic arugula salad or house salad would be great!
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate. Transfer leftover crockpot chicken wild rice soup to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze. Leftover creamy wild rice soup doesn’t freeze well. When reheated, the soup may separate and the rice doesn’t have the best texture. To reheat: Warm up crockpot chicken wild rice soup in a saucepan set over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. You can add a splash of water or broth to loosen it up if needed, as the soup will thicken during storage. Individual portions can be reheated in the microwave.
