Description
This Healthy Chicken Wild Rice Soup is a comforting and nutritious dish featuring tender chicken, hearty wild rice, and a medley of vegetables. Perfectly seasoned with thyme, garlic, and mustard, this soup comes together with options for stovetop, slow cooker, or Instant Pot preparation. It’s creamy, flavorful, and ideal for a wholesome family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein and Dairy
- 1.5 pounds any raw chicken pieces (breasts, drumsticks, or cut-up whole chicken)
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 tablespoon butter (for stovetop only)
Vegetables
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large carrots, coarsely chopped
- 3 large celery stalks, diced
- 2 large potatoes, diced
- ½ cup dried mushrooms or 2 cups fresh brown mushrooms, sliced
- Small bunch parsley, finely chopped
Grains and Liquids
- 1 ½ cups wild rice
- 7 cups water or low sodium chicken broth
Seasonings
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 ¾ teaspoons salt
- Ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat and Sauté Aromatics: For stovetop and slow cooker methods, preheat butter in a large heavy-bottom pot or skillet over medium heat and sauté onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes until fragrant.
- Add Vegetables and Spices: Add carrots, celery, fresh mushrooms (if using), thyme, garlic powder, salt, and pepper; continue sautéing for 5 minutes to deepen flavors.
- Combine Ingredients: Transfer sautéed mixture to your cooking vessel (pot, slow cooker, or Instant Pot). Add chicken pieces, diced potatoes, dried mushrooms (if not using fresh), wild rice, and water or chicken broth.
- Cook the Soup:
- Stovetop: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 55 minutes until chicken and rice are tender.
- Slow Cooker: Cook on Low for 8-10 hours or on High for 5-6 hours until ingredients are fully cooked.
- Instant Pot: Seal the lid, set valve to sealing, and pressure cook on High for 25 minutes. Let natural release for 10 minutes, then do a quick release.
- Shred Chicken: Remove chicken pieces from the pot and shred them with two forks.
- Finish the Soup: Stir in milk and mustard into the pot. Use an immersion blender to pulse blend the soup a few times to your desired thickness, then adjust consistency with extra water or broth if needed. Add the shredded chicken and chopped parsley; stir well to combine.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot, ideally with crusty bread for dipping.
Notes
- You can use any raw chicken pieces depending on your preference; bone-in pieces add more flavor.
- Using low sodium broth helps control the salt level in the soup.
- Adjust the soup thickness by blending more or less and adding extra broth or water.
- For a creamier version, use whole milk or substitute with light cream if desired.
- This recipe is versatile and can be easily adapted to stovetop, slow cooker, or Instant Pot methods based on your available equipment and time.
