Simple Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Classic and simple, this creamy chicken and wild rice soup is hearty and delicious, and is one of my favorite soups during the fall and winter!
It’s finally cooling down around here, and my family is ecstatic that the soup I’ve been serving for the last month can finally be eaten without cranking up the A/C and downing five popsicles afterward.
Mmm, I love soup season, even if I do tend to jump the gun a bit.
This creamy chicken and wild rice soup is the perfect, comforting soup for the cooler temperatures. Dotted with colorful veggies, the simple flavors make this a definite crowd/family pleaser.
My friend, Machele, brought this soup to a lunch gathering at my house a few weeks ago. Dunking in bits of this Rustic Crusty Bread (that I had made into an Asiago cheese version, be still my heart), and I was in soup heaven. Speaking of heaven, heaven knows, I didn’t need to be adding carb dunks to a soup already laden with rice, but I couldn’t be stopped. It was too delicious.
Of course, it’s glorious and hearty just by itself. You’ve got to love meals where all the goodness is trapped in one bowl.
Easy enough for a hectic weeknight, my family all agrees (yes, a rare thing), that this creamy wild rice soup is a favorite, and it should go on repeat (and perhaps replace the not-so-well received sausage and bean soup I made last week).
This creamy chicken and wild rice soup is delicious without a lot of extra side dishes, but you could throw some fresh fruit or sliced cheese on the table (and additional carbs if you can’t resist, like me) and call it good.
What to Serve With This
- Fresh fruit
- Sliced cheese
- Rustic Crusty Bread (or other bread, like these easy breadsticks or a dinner roll)
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Simple Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ½ to ¾ cup finely chopped onion
- 1 cup finely chopped carrots, about 3 to 4 medium carrots
- 1 cup finely chopped celery, about 3 stalks
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 3 cups cooked wild rice or wild rice blend
- 2 cups cooked cubed chicken, (a rotisserie chicken works great here, see note for other easy solutions)
- 1 cup half-and-half, evaporated milk or milk (preferably 2% or higher for creaminess)
- Chopped chives for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a large pot, melt the butter and add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are mostly tender, 5-7 minutes.
- Add the flour and stir to combine, cooking another 30 seconds or so.
- Gradually add the chicken broth, stirring or whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Stir in the salt, pepper, and cooked rice.
- Bring the soup to a gentle simmer, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often to make sure it’s not sticking on the bottom.
- Add the chicken. Stir in the half-and-half or milk. Simmer for 3-4 more minutes. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve, garnishing with fresh chives (optional).
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from my friend, Machele
Delicious and so simple to make!! Like how does something so easy to make taste that good?! Haha. It was a hit with all of us and perfect for a cold night. Thanks, Mel!!!
I have to know which of your wild rice soups is your fav? I’m torn between this one and your first one
I don’t know if I can choose! But you can’t go wrong with this one.
Yum. This was easy for a mama of 3 under 3 to whip together. Even my 3yo is eating it! Thanks, Mel, for sharing your passion and talent with all of us.
Just made this for our Sunday afternoon meal. It was delicious. I added a teaspoon of sugar :).
This soup is absolutely delicious. Tastes like something from Panera. Your recipes are always foolproof, Mel! Thank you!
This was amazing! I added mushrooms because we are used to them in this particular type of soup. I also added about 1tsp poultry seasoning To the veggies while sautéing because it just seemed like a good idea and then also added about 1/2 cup dry white wine to deglaze the pan prior to adding the broth. My husband whom is a huge fan of you and chicken and wild rice soup raved about this soup. We walked our dogs after dinner and he told like 4 neighbors about how I’m a good cook but….. after I started making recipes from your site I’m even better!
You are amazing, Stacey! Take all the credit for yourself!
Hi Mel,
I have been using your recipes for over 10 years. I have made this recipe for a couple of years. I aways add a large amount of sautéed mushrooms, and it makes it delicious. Thanks so much for bringing so much yumminess to my families life!
Love the addition of mushrooms, Bonnie!!
Mel, I’ve loved this recipe for years. So good and such a classic. I added a few extras today for the first time that I loved. I added 1/4 tsp each of dried marjarom, thyme, and sage and the zest of a lemon. Totally took it up a notch! You should try it! Thanks for all you do!
Has anyone tried substituting riced cauliflower for the wild rice?
do you have a simple conversion for if you use regular chicken broth instead of the low sodium version? Like just how much less salt to add or anyting?
I usually recommend not adding salt until the end and then just adding to taste.
Mel, you are my idol and I love everything about your site! You are amazing. I’m sorry to ask a question that has probably been asked before. The only wild rice I could find was the boxed Uncle Ben kind and it comes with a seasoning packet. You mentioned be easy on the salt if I use the packet. I just want to be sure I use the entire packet?
Hey Carly, I’d probably ditch the packet altogether and then use the salt called for in the soup (and adjust to taste, if needed). Does that help??
Yes! Thank you so much, Mel.
Just reporting back in case it helps anyone, but also for myself because we will definitely be making this again! It was soooo delicious. I didn’t add the seasoning packet when cooking the rice, and added the 1 tsp salt to the soup, but in the end I felt the soup still needed more flavor so I little by little added the rice seasoning packet to the soup and ended up using the whole packet. My husband said the soup was so delicious and I agreed!! I added it to the list of his “favorite dinners” – a list which is primarily comprised of Mel recipes! Southwest burritos, spaghetti pie, and black bean quinoa bake, just to name a few. Thank you for sharing so much with us, Mel!
Everytime I need a soup for a potluck, I make this recipe! It is fool proof and we love it. Thank you!!
This may be an obvious thing to some people, but how much uncooked wild rice will equal 3 cups when it’s cooked?
Probably about 1 cup to 1 1/4 cups dry rice.
This is one of my favorite comfy cozy foods I love to make. So easy and quick.
The first time I had this was at a friend’s, and I loved it. It was so creamy and flavorful. I look forward to making it myself.
So… I know you posted this forever ago, but golly! I absolutely LOVE your “What to Serve” section. I use it pretty much every time! So, thanks! You make meals at our house so great!! 🙂
Thanks, Laura!
I agree! I only recently found your site so this page was new to me, but I definitely love and use the ‘What to Serve’ section!
Hi Mel. My daughter has celiac disease so the flour in this recipe is a no-go. I have tried substituting corn starch to thicken the soup and it ends up sort of congealed. Yuck! We don’t care about calories around here so is there some other way to thicken the soup? Maybe using cream instead of milk? This is a big problem with lots o recipes that have to be modified to gluten free. I can’t seem to figure out how to make a good roux or thicken things. Any thoughts?
Thanks a million,
Mandy
Hi Mandy – have you tried gluten-free flour to thicken (replacing it for the flour in the recipe)? It very well may be that gluten-free flour doesn’t work – sorry for my ignorance. I haven’t worked much with gluten-free flours. You could also definitely try cream and/or increase the rice so it’s naturally thick.
Thanks Mel. I’ll try the gluten free flour and if that doesn’t work I’ll try the cream and rice. 🙂
My husband was recently diagnosed with celiac and I made this before his diagnosis with regular flour and I have made it now with gf flour and there is no difference! It is still amazing!!
my mom has celiac disease and the trick to thickening with cornstarch is mixing it with milk or water before adding it to the soup (the mixture needs to be thin). Don’t do it when the soup is boiling, or it will glob up.. If the recipe calls for 1/2 cup flour, use only a 1/4 cup cornstarch or less. Less is more with cornstarch. If a recipe calls for flour to thicken i always use cornstarch, its how I was taught to cook. Gluten free flour (no offense) is gross.
so sorry – I emailed you earlier with a question about the box seasonings. I see you stated very clearly what I needed to know at the beginning! Just made and it is delicious!
So easy and delicious. I highly recommend — thanks a million!
Tried this soup tonight and huge success. I added some minced garlic, dried thyme and rubbed sage out of personal preference and used the half-and-half as you suggested. Very creamy, yummy and easy to make. This one goes into my Make It Again file. Thank you!
Made this tonight for my family. It was easy to put together and turned out very tasty. It’s a keeper in our rotation. Thanks Mel!
My family really liked this soup. I added a little garlic with the onions, etc. I also added a little thyme. At the end I stirred in fresh parsley and frozen peas b/c I really like those things. Thanks, this is a keeper!
As with every other one of your recipes that I’ve made, the family says “More! More!” 🙂 Wonderfully simple & it makes a lot. The next request was to put dumplings in the leftovers. 😀
Simple and delicious! Double win! And a new soup to add to the dinner rotation and good enough to serve to guests. Thanks for another winner!
This is absolutely delicious – flavorful and warming to the soul! Thanks again for another great recipe…I was thinking that I may throw some basil on top for fun next time. Not that it needs the flavor, but I LOVE basil and thought it may work. 🙂
I’ve made a lot of different chicken and wild rice soup recipes and this one is a keeper. Thank you!!
Hi Mel – I’ve never commented before, but have followed you for several years. My family loves many of your dishes! I have a daughter with celiac disease. What are your thoughts on substituting corn starch for the flour? Or any other ideas for making this GF? Thanks!
Hi Amy – would a gluten-free flour work? I think you could definitely use cornstarch – I’d just dissolve it in cold water or broth (maybe a couple tablespoons cornstarch with enough liquid to make a slurry) and add it that way, letting it come to a simmer.
I definitely use your suggested sides! That’s one of my favorite things on your site! I much prefer you doing all the brainwork–mine seems to be functioning on basic survival methods (4 tiny kids!). Thanks for being the amazing contributing person that you are.
I’m looking forward to trying this soup…but I wanted to let you know, Mel that I REALLY appreciate your suggestions for side dishes. In fact, I downright love them! Please don’t stop adding them if it’s not too much trouble.
Which one is better this or your Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup from 2008? I have made that a few times and LOVE IT! Is there really a huge difference between the two?
I love both; the one from 2008 has more complex flavors and this one is a bit simpler. I can see a pretty big difference between the two but my husband says he can’t. So there you go. 🙂
Hi Mel,
I need to cut out the flour for gluten-free soup. Have you ever used cornstarch for this version instead of flour?
I haven’t…do you think a gluten-free flour would work? Or you could dissolve the cornstarch in broth and add it to the soup as it simmers.
I’m chiming in to let you know that I too love your side dish suggestions! Some main dish recipes just don’t seem to have an “obvious” side dish. so I always appreciate and defer to your suggestions. Thank you so much for sharing your amazing blog with us!
I love using what to serve w this suggestions. If ever I can’t find any listed I go to the side dish planner at the start of your menu section to get an idea. I almost always just pick one side to make w the entree (fancy!) to keep things simple. Thx, Mel, for all u do to help families across the country & around the planet. What an inspiration! Who would have thought one person could help so many?!?
I love the side dish suggestions! Thank you for including them.
I actually noticed your side suggestions have been missing lately, becasue I always use them! Thanks for including them, I know that’s another extra thing for you to have to do!
Your rustic crunchy bread is great, how do you turn it into an asiago version? I would also like to see you continue with the side suggestions. Thanks for helping me prepare tasty meals for my family. I can always count on you!
Hi Sherry – I just fold in cubed cheese to the dough after the first 2 hour rise. It’s a little messy and sticky, but I just grease my hands and get the cheese cubes kneaded in. Then I just shape and bake like normal.
Thanks! Sounds like a way to make a great bread even better!
What is wild rice blend and would that be with the rest of the rice at the grocery store?
Good question, Jodie! Usually straight or 100% wild rice is harder to find and sometimes quite expensive, but most grocery stores carry rice blends made up of wild rice and other rices. Some I’ve seen lately are wild rice and brown rice together or wild rice, quinoa and a few other grains. Hope that helps! Usually they are by the other varieties of rice.
Yummy! This looks delish! I enjoy reading your blog and find the sides helpful. I also like being linked to the recipes you suggest as sides. ☺
Thanks!
This looks simple an delicious – especially if I use a rotiserie chicken…thanks so much for sharing!
Can this be done in an Instant Pot? I just got one and am looking for some recipes to try it out with!
You could certainly try – I cook my rice for this dish usually in the Instant Pot but I haven’t made the whole thing there start to finish.
How long do you cook a wild rice/brown rice blend in the Instant Pot and with what water ratio? I tried it once without success.:/
It totally depends on the type of rice so unfortunately I can’t give a hard, fast rule. For blends that take about the same time as long grain rice on the stovetop (16-ish minutes), I do high pressure for 3-4 minutes. For brown rice or other longer cooking rices, I do about 18-22 minutes on high pressure. In the Instant Pot I always use 1 1/4 cups water for every cup of rice (no matter the kind).
I love your suggestions for what to serve with meals! That’s one thing I’m terrible at and trying to get better at is serving something besides a main dish. Also, your garlic peas recipe in your easy weekday dinner cookbook: what kind of garlic do you use (real, powder?) and how much? My husband was finishing dinner last night while I was at work and he noticed the simple microwave garlic peas don’t have any garlic. I’m sure I could just throw in some and figure it out, but somehow I know it’ll be better if I follow your suggestion! Thanks!
Hi Shannon – I use a clove of garlic for the peas recipe (minced or pressed through a garlic press). I actually updated that recipe after I caught the missing garlic (the first day I released the book – ack!). If you go to your download email when you received the book and download the book again, it will have the corrected recipe.
I make a soup very similar to this, but I put it all in the crock pot–frozen chicken even–then cook all day, take out the chicken, shred, add in the half and half and you are done. Love crock pot meals. It is a favorite of my family. Very little prep needed. Love soup in the fall, and keep up your side suggestions. They are appreciated. All your recipes are appreciate at our house! Thanks Mel!
Hey Jen, I have a slow cooker version of this soup that I love, too. I agree, crockpot meals are the best!
I’m super excited about this. I’m having a soup get together next week and this is the one. Also love all your posting! Woo hoo for daily recipe motivation.
Um, soup get togethers sound very fun.
I’m curious about your soup get together! Would be willing to share details?
Another question: You mentioned you usually have rotisserie chicken in your freezer. Do you simply cut off all the meat and place in a freezer container? This sounds like such a time saver for crazy hectic night!!
Yep, everytime I go to Costco, I grab one or two rotisseries, take the meat off and put them in freezer ziploc bags or repurposed quart sour cream containers and freeze. Makes dinnertime so easy!
Did you know Costco sells de-boned rotisserie meat also? It’s my favorite time-saving cheat! Look for it in the refrigerated section where they have the prepared meals ready to cook.
Oh I cannot wait to try this. I’ve been looking for a wild rice soup to introduce to my kids!!! This looks like the perfect one to try. Thank you for all you share. It really is a blessing in my (and my family’s) life.
Thank you, Stacy!
I use your “What to serve with this…” suggestion bar a lot, too. Would regular long grain rice be ok in this? I’m not a fan of wild rice
Thanks, Katie! Yes, you could definitely sub in a lot of different types of rice here. I’d probably cut it down to 2 1/2 cups if it is long grain rice.
Hey Mel….this recipe looks delicious so you can count on me to give it a try! Here in Canada, I love our rotisserie chickens that are available to us and at a great price (win-win). They also come in a variety of seasonings and when compared to the price of an uncooked chicken, you can’t beat it!
Oh, and with respect to your side suggestions for the recipes you post, I too love the options!
Thanks Mel for the best foodie blog on the internet!
Until next time….
Thanks, Nancy! Glad to know the side suggestions are helping!
I use your side suggestions all the time! Please keep doing them! How else will I decide what to eat with it? Haha Thanks for all the great recipes!
🙂 Noted!
I agree. I love the serving suggestions. So keep them coming!
Also, is this very different from your crock pot version of this soup? I love that version.
Hi Shannon – this stovetop version is a little different but both are delicious!
Actually I love and really use your suggestions for sides. Keep up the great work! 😀
That’s helpful ti know…thanks, Louise!