Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
There’s nothing better than a cozy bowl of Crockpot Chicken & Wild Rice Soup on a chilly day. This creamy slow cooker recipe is hearty, flavorful, and the ultimate comfort food. It's perfect for weeknight dinners, family gatherings, or meal prep. With a few simple swaps, this chicken and wild rice soup can easily be made gluten-free and dairy-free for those who need those modifications!
Why You’ll Love This Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
- “Set It and Forget It” Slow Cooker Meal – This easy crockpot chicken and wild rice soup comes together with minimal prep. Simply toss the ingredients in your slow cooker and let it work its magic. Perfect for busy weeknights or when you want dinner ready without hovering over the stove.
- Protein-Packed & Nutritionally Balanced – Made with lean chicken breast, wild rice, and plenty of veggies, this recipe delivers a nutritious, high-protein meal that will keep you full and satisfied. It’s comfort food you can feel good about serving.
- Healthy Comfort Food – Nothing beats a warm bowl of creamy chicken and wild rice soup on a chilly day. Rich, flavorful, and oh-so-comforting, it’s a family favorite that’s both hearty and nourishing.
Nutrients in This Recipe
Fiber – The vegetables and the wild rice bring 4 grams of fiber per serving in this recipe. Fiber works great to keep you fuller for longer and is great for your gut and heart health.
B vitamins – B vitamins help with energy production which we could all use, right? You'll find B vitamins in the chicken breast.
Vitamin A – Carrots are a great source of vitamin A which is an antioxidant that helps fight off disease and keeps us healthy.
The Ingredients:
- Wild rice – Wild rice is typically more nutritious than white rice as it is typically higher in fiber, protein, and other nutrients. My favorite brand of wild rice is the Lundberg brand.
- Chicken breast - I love boneless, skinless chicken breasts in this recipe. They're lean and super easy to work with.
- Vegetables - Chopped carrots, celery, and yellow onion
- Spices – This recipe contains thyme, rosemary, salt. You can cook with bay leaves if you prefer.
- Chicken broth
- Roux – Flour, almond milk, butter
How To Make This Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
(Full Recipe Below)
First you're going to add uncooked rice, chicken breast, garlic, chopped onions, celery, carrots, thyme, rosemary, salt, chicken broth and water into your slow cooker.
Cover and cook on the low setting for 6-7 hours. In the last ½ hour of cooking, you'll shred the chicken and add back to the soup.
Next you're going to mix up a small amount of roux to thicken the soup. Full directions on this are below.
Add the creamy mixture into the slow cooker. Stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with optional fresh thyme and serve!
Recipe Tips & Variations
➡️ Swap the rice – While this is delicious with wild rice, you can use white and or brown rice in this recipe instead if you prefer. If you use white rice, I would add the white rice after about 1-2 hours of starting the crockpot as it won't need to cook as long as the wild rice.
➡️ Deepen the flavor – Add a bay leaf to the ingredients when you first place into the slow cooker to deepen the flavor and remove when you shred the chicken.
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If you love this Chicken & Wild Rice Soup, be sure to check these recipes out too!
Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup Rice wild, dry, uncooked
- 1 ½ lb Chicken breast boneless, skinless
- 5 clove Garlic minced
- 1 cup Yellow onion chopped
- 1 cup Celery chopped
- 1 cup Carrots chopped
- 1 teaspoon Thyme dried
- 1 teaspoon Rosemary dried
- 1 teaspoon Table salt
- 6 cup Chicken broth low sodium
- 2 tablespoon Butter
- ¼ cup All purpose flour can use gluten-free
- ½ cup Almond milk unsweetened
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the rice under running water. Place the uncooked rice, chicken breast, garlic, onions, celery, carrots, thyme, rosemary, salt, chicken broth and water into your slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on the low setting for 6-7 hours. In the last ½ hour of cooking, remove the chicken from the slow cooker. Allow to cool slightly and then use two forks to shred the chicken into small pieces.
- Add the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker. Melt the butter or oil in a saucepan. Add the flour and let the mixture cook for 1 minute. Whisk the mixture slowly while adding in the milk. Continue to whisk until all lumps have dissolved. Allow the mixture to thicken and become creamy.
- Add the creamy mixture into the slow cooker. Stir to combine. Add additional water or milk to your preference if the consistency is too thick. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
Nutrition facts are estimates and may vary based on specific ingredients and brands used, as well as portion sizes. I calculate these values using my own ingredients and tools, but please treat them as a general guide—not a guarantee. For the most accurate results, consider using your own preferred nutrition calculator.
Love this soup going to be a favorite 👍