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Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Recipe

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This Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is a comforting, hearty meal perfect for chilly days. Combining tender shredded chicken, wholesome wild rice, fresh vegetables, and aromatic herbs in a rich, creamy broth, this soup offers a delicious and nutritious bowl full of flavor. Whether made in a slow cooker or an Instant Pot, it’s easy to prepare and perfect for feeding a crowd or enjoying leftovers throughout the week.

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

  • 1 – 1 ¼ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, raw
  • ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 7 – 8 cups chicken broth (packaged or homemade; use less for thicker soup)
  • 1 cup uncooked wild rice
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced (1 ¼ – 1 ½ cups)
  • 3-4 carrots, peeled and diced (1 ½ cups)
  • 2-3 medium celery stalks, diced (~¾ – 1 cup)
  • 2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ – ½ teaspoon dried sage or poultry seasoning
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 8 ounces sliced or diced fresh cremini or baby bella mushrooms

Creamy Mixture

  • 2 cups half and half (may use unsweetened plain non-dairy creamer or full-fat coconut milk for dairy-free)

Optional Ingredients for Garnish and Thickening

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch (optional, for thickening in Instant Pot)
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, optional for garnish

Instructions

  1. Slow Cooker Preparation: Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place them in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the chicken broth, wild rice, mushrooms, minced garlic, diced onion, carrots, celery, dried rosemary, thyme, sage or poultry seasoning, and bay leaves into the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
  2. Cook in Slow Cooker: Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender.
  3. Shred Chicken: Remove the bay leaves and discard them. Take out the cooked chicken breasts and shred them using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir well.
  4. Add Creaminess: Stir in the half and half to the soup. Cover and continue heating for an additional 15 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to warm through.
  5. Season and Garnish: Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired before serving.
  6. Instant Pot Preparation: Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place them into the Instant Pot along with chicken broth, wild rice, mushrooms, minced garlic, diced onion, carrots, celery, rosemary, thyme, sage, and bay leaves.
  7. Pressure Cook: Secure the lid and set the vent to ‘Sealing.’ Select the ‘Manual’ or ‘High Pressure’ setting and cook for 12 minutes.
  8. Quick Release Pressure: When cooking completes, carefully perform a quick release by moving the valve to ‘Venting.’ Once pressure is fully released and lid unlocks, remove chicken and shred with two forks. Set chicken aside.
  9. Cook Rice Further: Replace lid and cook on high pressure for an additional 6 minutes, followed by a natural pressure release of about 5 minutes.
  10. Add Creaminess in Instant Pot: Stir in the half and half to the soup.
  11. Return Chicken: Add the shredded chicken back to the Instant Pot and stir to combine.
  12. Optional Thickening Step: For thicker soup, remove ½ cup of soup liquid into a small bowl. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to create a slurry. Select the ‘Sauté’ function on the Instant Pot and bring the soup to a simmer. Slowly stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the soup thickens.
  13. Serve and Garnish: Serve the soup hot, garnished with fresh chopped parsley if desired.

Notes

  • Use 7 cups of broth for a thicker soup; 8 cups will produce a more broth-like soup.
  • The soup can be made dairy-free by substituting half and half with unsweetened plain non-dairy creamer or full-fat coconut milk.
  • Wild rice adds a chewy texture and earthy flavor but can be substituted with brown rice or a rice blend if preferred.
  • The dried herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage) can be adjusted according to taste or fresh herbs can be used with appropriate quantities.
  • If using the Instant Pot, the optional cornstarch slurry helps achieve a thicker soup consistency.
  • Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 4 days and can be frozen for up to 3 months.
  • Make sure to discard bay leaves before serving to avoid choking hazards.

Find it online: https://dishcooks.com/slow-cooker-creamy-chicken-and-wild-rice-soup-recipe/