Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

This Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is the perfect bowl of comfort during the long, cold fall and winter months! This soup is hearty and satisfying soup is made with carrots, onions, celery, wild rice, mushrooms, and chicken in a creamy, flavorful broth that is perfect for dipping your bread into.

Course Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, Creamy Chicken Soup, Soup

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 414kcal

Author Samantha Buckner

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups wild blend rice I use Lundberg - linked in post
6 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
1 pound baby bella mushrooms or cremini, washed and sliced thin or thick
1 medium yellow onion finley chopped
3 medium carrots sliced
2 stalks celery sliced
4 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon salt more or less, to taste *See notes below
1/2 teaspoon black pepper more or less, to taste
1/4 teaspoon each: dried thyme, dried sage, and dried rosemary
1/2 cup all purpose flour, or sub with cornstarch or GF flour *See notes below
4 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth or stock
1 cup whole milk
1 cup half-and-half or heavy cream
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast
4 cups kale chopped, can sub baby spinach

Garnishments:

freshly shredded parmesan cheese
freshly chopped parsley
your favorite garlic or cheese toast

Instructions

Cook rice according to the directions on the package.
Halfway through the rice cooking, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Once melted and bubbling, add the sliced mushrooms and cook 6-7 minutes, until tender and golden. And all moisture has cooked off. Remove to a plate.
Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pot and add the chopped onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté 5-6 minutes, or until slightly tender, stirring often. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
Pour in the chicken broth and add the seasonings: sage, rosemary, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Using a wooden spoon, stir to combine making sure to scrape any of the bits on the pan from sauteeing.
Raise the temperature to medium-high, add the chicken breast to the pot and bring it to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid and allow the soup to boil for 10-12 minutes, or until the chicken has cooked through.
If the chicken breast is on the thicker side, cooking time may increase. I suggest not only flipping each breast halfway through, but also checking the internal temperature with a digital meat thermometer to ensure the thickest part of the breast reaches 165 degrees F.
Reduce the heat to a simmer. Remove the chicken to a plate or cutting board to cool for a few moments. Shred into bite-size pieces using two forks.
While the chicken is cooling, place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 cup of flour. Cook for 1 1/2 – 2 minutes, whisking the entire time to combine.
While whisking, slowly pour in the milk to combine with the butter and flour mixture. Cook until the mixture has thickened.
Add the milk mixture to the pot and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring until the soup has thickened. Taste test the broth and add additional seasonings, if needed for your taste preferences.
Add the cooked rice and mushrooms, as well as the chopped kale, to the pot and stir to combine.
Pour in the half and half, stirring to fully combine. Allow the kale to cook until it has just started to wilt.
Serve garnished with freshly shredded parmesan cheese, freshly chopped parsley, and your favorite garlic bread or cheesy toast!

Notes

Salt: If using regular butter and broth/stock, rather than unsalted or low-sodium, I recommend adjusting the amount of salt used to meet your taste preference.

All-purpose flour: If you don't have have flour on hand, you can use cornstarch in its place. Simply use half the amount of cornstarch as you would APF. Rather than make a roux with the butter, flour, and milk, I recommend combining the milk with the cornstarch in a small mixing bowl and adding it directly to the pot to thicken. For additional flavor, melt the butter in the pan and pour into the soup along with the cornstarch slurry.

Nutrition