Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Warm up with this Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup! This cozy, comforting and nourishing soup recipe is loaded with veggies, tender shredded chicken and hearty wild rice. It's a one-pot healthy dinner option for those chilly Fall and Winter days! Naturally gluten free and can easily be made dairy free too.
Equipment
- large pot or dutch oven with lid
- spatula
- medium bowl or plate
- 2 forks
- small bowl
- spoon
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 yellow onion finely diced
- 2 celery stalks finely diced
- 2 carrots peeled & finely diced
- 8-10 oz baby bella mushrooms sliced
- 3 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped thyme leaves (or about 1 tsp dried)
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup dry wild rice blend *
- kosher salt & black pepper to taste
- red pepper flakes to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream **
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley (optional)
- juice from ½ lemon
- 1 tbsp arrowroot starch or cornstarch
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Bring a large pot or dutch oven to medium-high heat. Meanwhile, season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Once the pot is hot, add avocado oil. Then, add chicken thighs. Sear for about 3 minutes per side to get a light golden crisp - they will finish cooking later. Remove the chicken thighs from the pot and set aside.1 tbsp avocado oil, 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, kosher salt & black pepper
- Reduce heat to medium. There should be excess grease left in the pot, but if not, add a bit more avocado oil. Then, add diced onion, celery and carrots. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until beginning to get tender and translucent. Add mushrooms, garlic and fresh thyme, and cook for 1 more minute.1 yellow onion, 2 celery stalks, 2 carrots, 8-10 oz baby bella mushrooms, 3 large garlic cloves, 1 tbsp fresh chopped thyme leaves
- Add back in the chicken thighs along with the broth, wild rice and red pepper flakes. Stir. Increase the heat and allow the soup to come to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and let simmer for about 40 minutes or until the rice is done through. Timing may vary based on the brand of wild rice you use.6 cups chicken broth, 1 cup dry wild rice blend, red pepper flakes
- Remove the chicken thighs from the pot and shred them with two forks (or a hand/stand mixer). It should be super tender and shred easily. Then, add the shredded chicken back into the pot, followed by the lemon juice, fresh parsley and heavy cream.1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley, juice from ½ lemon, 1 cup heavy cream
- In a small bowl, mix together the arrowroot starch (or cornstarch) and water to create a slurry. This is optional, but helps to thicken the soup a bit. Add the slurry to the pot and stir. Continue to let simmer for several more minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly. Taste and adjust the amount of salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to your liking.1 tbsp arrowroot starch, 1 tbsp water
- Serve garnished with more fresh chopped parsley, black pepper and/or red pepper flakes. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
*NOTE: Make sure to use dry (uncooked) wild rice for this recipe. The cook time may vary slightly from brand to brand. I have used both the Whole Foods brand and the Lundberg brand, and the latter takes a bit longer (closer to 50 minutes) to cook through. **NOTE: This recipe can easily be made dairy free by swapping in a non-dairy alternative such as Country Crock Plant Cream or Trader Joe's Heavy Whipping Cream Alternative.
Nutrition
Calories: 434kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 157mg | Sodium: 1014mg | Potassium: 784mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 4189IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 2mg