Description
A comforting and hearty Crock Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup featuring tender shredded chicken, nutty wild rice, and a creamy broth infused with aromatic herbs and fresh vegetables. Perfect for an easy, warm meal prepared with minimal effort in a slow cooker.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein and Broth
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 6 cups chicken broth
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Vegetables and Herbs
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
Dairy and Thickening
- ¼ cup salted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream (or half n’ half)
Garnish
- Chopped fresh parsley
Grains
- 1 cup uncooked wild rice
Instructions
- Season and prepare chicken: Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper to your taste. Place them into a large 7-quart crock pot to form the base of your soup.
- Add broth, rice, and vegetables: Stir in the chicken broth, uncooked wild rice, minced garlic, diced onion, diced carrots, diced celery, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and bay leaves. Season everything again with salt and pepper as needed. Cover the crock pot to cook.
- Slow cook the soup: Cook the mixture on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high heat for 4 hours until the chicken is fully cooked and the rice is tender.
- Shred the chicken: Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the crock pot and shred them using two forks or your hands, then set aside.
- Prepare creamy roux: In a separate saucepan over medium heat, melt the salted butter. Whisk in the all-purpose flour and cook until it turns a light brown color, about 30 seconds, to form a roux.
- Add milk and cream: Slowly whisk in the milk and heavy whipping cream to the roux, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Combine and finish soup: Stir the shredded chicken and the creamy milk mixture back into the crock pot. If the soup is too thick, add extra milk to reach your desired consistency. Warm through if necessary.
- Garnish and serve: Serve the soup warm, garnished with freshly chopped parsley for a burst of color and flavor.
Notes
- Use half n’ half instead of heavy cream for a lighter soup.
- If you prefer a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free thickener such as cornstarch or rice flour.
- Adding more chicken broth or milk can help adjust the soup consistency as per your preference.
- This soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
- Wild rice is the traditional choice for flavor and texture, but you can also use other rice varieties if preferred.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
