Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup

4.72 from 64 votes

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This Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup is the perfect warm and comforting meal for the upcoming cold winter months. Filled with lots of veggies and wholesome wild rice, your family will fall in love with this recipe.

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

I don’t know why I feel the need to make Chicken Wild Rice Soup when the weather gets bad, but there you have it. Maybe it’s something my Mom did OR maybe it’s ingrained in my DNA. That would be cool. Either way, I made a huge pot of delicious chicken wild rice soup and you lucky people get the recipe!

Main Ingredients Needed

I’d say the hardest part of this Chicken Wild Rice Soup recipe is the chopping, which isn’t hard at all…just takes a little time. So here’s everything you’ll need to get started!

  • Butter and Olive Oil – these are used for sauteing and for flavor.
  • Onion, Celery, and Carrots – healthy and colorful with subtle hints of delicious flavor, these really are the rock stars of this soup.
  • Chicken Broth – use a good quality chicken broth for the best results.
  • Chicken Breasts – it takes around 45 minutes to get all the ingredients prepped and cooked if you’re doing everything from scratch, but if you use pre-cooked or rotisserie chicken it’ll shave off a huge chunk of time.
  • Uncle Ben’s Long Grain & Wild Rice – I call for Uncle Ben’s Long Grain & Wild Rice Original Flavor (6 oz. box that is skinny and orange) because that’s what I’ve always used because it comes with a seasoning packet that makes a world of difference because it tastes so darn good. I grew up eating the stuff so I miiiiiight be slightly biased. I don’t want to force you to buy this, but in my opinion, you need it to get the same result that I did. It was only $3 here in NYC which means it’s probably only $2 where you live.
  • Half & Half and All-Purpose Flour – to keep this on the healthier side, I use fat-free half & half. It’s creamy with a fraction of the calories. If you don’t use or can’t find fat free half and half, I’d recommend using half the amount of real half & half or whole milk. Your soup will be a little less thick if you use the milk, but that’s why you whisk in the flour to help combat that.
  • Salt and Pepper – season as you go and season to taste!

Love Wild Rice as much as I do? Check out these other recipes: Wild Rice Stuffing Recipe with Bacon and Chicken Wild Rice Casserole.

Carrots, Celery and Onions

How to Make Chicken Wild Rice Soup

This is a one-pot soup recipe that starts with sauteing the vegetables. Chicken is added to be cooked then comes the wild rice and seasonings. A half & half-flour mixture is stirred throughout to thicken then you just have to wait until the rice is cooked through. For full recipe details, check out the recipe card below!

  1. In a large pot, heat butter, and olive oil. Sautee onions, celery, and carrots on to soften. Season vegetables with salt and pepper.
  2. Pour in chicken broth and cubed raw chicken. Once the chicken has cooked and become opaque, pour in rice and seasoning packet that came with the rice. Cover and reduce heat to simmer lightly, stirring occasionally.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk cold half & half with flour until smooth. Pour into the soup pot and reduce heat completely to low. Cook until rice is softened completely and soup has thickened.
  4. Taste and season accordingly. Serve Chicken Wild Rice Soup hot.

Note: If using rotisserie chicken, you’ll add that in during step 3 with the half and half and flour.

Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild Rice

Make It Gluten-Free

To make Chicken Wild Rice Soup gluten-free swap out the flour for half the amount of cornstarch. Blend with the half & half to create that creamy base!

Unfortunately, Uncle Ben’s Long Grain and Wild Rice seasoning packet has gluten in it. SO instead of adding the seasoning packet in, here are a blend of seasonings that comes pretty close to the same flavors:

  • 1 teaspoon dried minced parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 teaspoons salt

Cream

Make It Dairy-Free

Good news! You can make this Chicken Wild Rice Soup without dairy but still get all the creaminess.

To make this recipe dairy-free, simply replace the half & half with your choice of unsweetened non-dairy milk. Whether that be almond, cashew, oat, or even coconut milk. Just know that it won’t be exactly the same as using cows milk.

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Leftovers

This Chicken Wild Rice Soup recipe will stay good for up to 4 days in the fridge, stored in an airtight container. That’s right, 4 days of comforting soup to warm you up on those chillier days.

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Freezing Chicken Wild Rice Soup

If you are looking to freeze this Chicken and Wild Rice Soup I’ve got some tips and tricks for you!

Freeze. Because dairy doesn’t freeze well I would advise you to not add the half & half and flour mixture to the soup. Instead, fully prepare the soup without the mixture then cool to room temperature. Store in a large freezer bag that lays flat in the freezer. Freezing in a thin layer like this will help when it comes to thawing quickly. Freeze for up to 2 months!

Thaw. Either transfer your frozen soup to the fridge the night before to slowly thaw or submerge the bag in lukewarm water for a quicker process. Reheat on the stovetop. Then add in the dairy flour mixture to thicken (you may need to simmer on low to get it all incorporated again).

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

More Chicken Soup Recipes to Try!

If you loved this Chicken and Wild Rice Soup you’re going to love the other chicken soups I have to offer!

Printable recipe card is below, have a great day, friends!

Chicken Wild Rice Soup
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4.72 from 64 votes

Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup

This Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup is the perfect warm and comforting meal for the upcoming cold winter months. Filled with lots of veggies and wholesome wild rice, your family will fall in love with this recipe.
servings 6 Servings
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 whole onion diced
  • 4 ribs celery chopped
  • 4 large carrots peeled and cubed, about 1 1/2 cups
  • 6 cups chicken broth good quality
  • 3/4 lbs. chicken breasts* cubed
  • 1 6 oz. box Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild Rice
  • 2 cups fat free half & half
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • plenty of salt and pepper

Instructions

  • In a large pot, heat butter, and olive oil. Sautee onions, celery, and carrots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes to soften. Season vegetables with salt and pepper.
  • Pour in chicken broth and cubed raw chicken. Raise temperature to medium-high heat to poach chicken in cooking liquid. Once the chicken has cooked and become opaque, pour in rice and seasoning packet that came with the rice. Cover and reduce heat to simmer lightly for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • In a small bowl, whisk cold half & half with flour until smooth. Pour into the soup pot and reduce heat completely to low. Cook 10 minutes or until rice is softened completely and soup has thickened.
  • Taste and season accordingly. Serve hot.

Notes

*if using rotisserie chicken, you'll add that in during step 3 with the half & half and flour.

Nutrition

Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 1093mg | Potassium: 794mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 8306IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Dinner, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken and wild rice soup, chicken wild rice soup, wild rice soup

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Recipe Rating




90 Responses
  1. Carolyn Taft

    5 stars
    Love this recipe! Such a filling soup and so flavorful! Thanks for all the other comments that helped me try new ways to make it.

  2. Denise Roscigno

    273 calories per serving but doesn’t give the size of a serving. Corn starch instead of flour for gluten free & use less than recipe calls for.

  3. Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Noodles | Lauren's Latest

    […] always makes the cut. It’s savory, mild in flavor but still delicious and simple to make. My Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is also on their list, as is my classic Chicken Noodle Soup recipe, minus the homemade noodles. […]

  4. Trish

    5 stars
    I’m so glad I found this recipe. I make this soup all the time, it is so delicious! Definitely restaurant quality. Every time I ask my significant other what soup he wants he says he wants this. I’m making it again tonight, haha! I use regular half and half instead of fat free and cut the flour down to 3 tbsp.

  5. Jennifer Oetgen

    5 stars
    I made this soup this weekend and my entire family (husband and kids (9,7,7) and loved it! I was nervous about using fat free half and have but it was perfect. It made the soup cream but light. I added lots of pepper.

  6. Healthy Kitchen 101

    My mom used to cook Chicken and rice soup whenever there’s someone in our family having a flu. It always helps hugely. So today, it becomes my first priority when I feel sick xD
    – Natalie

  7. Country BBQ Chicken Pizza | Lauren's Latest

    […] recipe, so just grab a precooked chicken from the deli on your way home from work. And then make this recipe with the remaining chicken. At least that’s what I […]

  8. Abby

    5 stars
    I forgot to mention in my first comment that I add more chicken, just to up the protein and make it even more filling. The recipe calls for 3/4 lb (12 oz), and I used all I had and weighed it at 21 oz. So it was quite a bit more, and it didn’t seem like too much at all. Thanks for a great recipe!

  9. Abby

    5 stars
    I’ve made this twice now and love it! All three kids (ages 4, 7, and 14) kept telling me how good it was! I prefer to cook the chicken first, so I just add a little oil to the soup pot I’ll be using and cook it in that. Then I remove it and start sautéing the vegetables in the same pot. Once they’re done I add the chicken back in along with the broth, rice, and seasoning packet and get it simmering. So delicious!

  10. Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice SNOW DAY Soup | the spoon and the thimble

    […] https://laurenslatest.com/creamy-chicken-and-wild-rice-soup/ […]

  11. Cameron

    5 stars
    I found this recipe yesterday and made a double batch of it last night. I sent some to my parents this morning with a fresh baguette! It’s very good and easy to make. My husband really liked it too! Will definitely make this again!

  12. Amber

    5 stars
    This is fantastic! I do substitute a can of evaporated milk for the half and half. It is perfect soup for cool fall (Or winter) days.

  13. Stacy

    I’m thinking of making this for a small group that meets at our house …. probably around 13 people. Have you ever doubled the recipe?

  14. Sarah

    5 stars
    Made this tonight (it’s 42 degrees in Ohio) it hit the spot! Delicious! My 2 kids and husband each had second helpings. Great recipe.

    1. Sarah

      The bite size pieces of chicken poach quickly, about 7 – 10 minutes. After that step you add rice and continue cooking for 20 minutes so it will be fine. When I made it, it took total prep and everything just about 45 minutes.

  15. Jennifer V

    5 stars
    I made this soup tonight & it is so good! It was fairly quick & very simple to make. The recipe is definitely restaurant quality. I know I will be making this often! I recently found your blog & I am looking forward to trying more of your recipes.

  16. reggie cornelius

    Your recipe for Creamy wild rice soup sounds really good and I was going to try it. But when I tried to print it, it said 11 pages to print.Sorry not going to waste that much paper when I only wanted 1.

    1. Diana

      Use your mouse to highlight the text of the recipe only. After it’s highlighted, hit Cntrl and C on your keyboard. Then open a blank Word document and hit Ctrl and V on your keyboard. The text of the recipe should now be pasted into a Word document and you can print just that one page. 🙂

  17. Starla M.

    5 stars
    I love love love this soup! My family is addicted to it, I even get special requests from my sister to make this for her birthday and any occasion she can squeeze it out of me! Thank You so much!

  18. Sarah

    5 stars
    So this will be my second time making this soup,my husband said that it is the best thing I have ever made and my kids even loved it and trust me they WILL not eat just anything. So thank you Lauren your blog rocks I can’t wait to cook something new tomorrow.

  19. Keena Erwin

    5 stars
    This was awesome!!! I used fresh spinach at the very end. I just tore about 2 cups full and added it after I put in cream mixture. I made grilled provolone cheese sandwiches to dip in soup,SOooo good. The fam loved it thanks for a great recipe.

  20. Rozlyn

    5 stars
    Simply to die for….this beat out all my other favorite soups for the top spot and i dont see it budging anytime soon!:) I followed the recipe exactly except didnt have half and half so mixed milk with the flour. Worked just fine.

  21. Crockpot Chicken and Wild Rice

    […] recipe for chicken and wild rice soup on pinterest as well as this version from Lauren’s Latest and decided to combine the two and throw it in the crockpot. While the end results are not […]

  22. Tweets that mention Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup - Lauren's Latest -- Topsy.com

    […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Teresa Hord, Lauren Brennan. Lauren Brennan said: My Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup is one of the recipes on the @tastykitchen blog today w/ a bunch of others! Come on by! http://su.pr/2foNn5 […]

  23. Britnae and Domenic

    Hey guess what?? I ran across this awesome deal and thought of you! It's a Kitchen aid for only $179.99 after a $20 mail in rebate(reg price is $299). www.Macys.com

  24. BenandLeyla

    Lauren, this sounds so amazingly good! I can't wait to try it out! And have I told you that I LOVE your photos also? SO wonderful!!! 🙂

    http://cookingwithleyla.blogspot.com/

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