Print

Cozy One-Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Recipe

chicken and wild rice soup - featured image
Print Recipe

A warm, hearty chicken and wild rice soup made in one pot with simple ingredients. It’s the kind of soup that wraps around you like a blanket, perfect for cold days or when you need comfort.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 1 cup wild rice, rinsed
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 celery stalks, diced (about ¾ cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • ½ cup heavy cream or half-and-half (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
  • Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prep your vegetables (5 minutes). Dice the onion, carrots, and celery into roughly equal-sized pieces. Mince the garlic.
  2. Brown the chicken (8-10 minutes). Heat the olive oil or butter in your Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then place it in the pot. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer the browned chicken to a plate and set aside.
  3. Sauté the aromatics (5-7 minutes). Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften—about 5 minutes. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  4. Add the broth and seasonings (2 minutes). Pour in the chicken broth and water. Add the dried thyme, rosemary, smoked paprika, bay leaf, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Stir everything together, scraping the bottom of the pot one last time.
  5. Add the rice and chicken (1 minute). Stir in the rinsed wild rice. Return the browned chicken to the pot, nestling it into the liquid. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pot.
  6. Simmer (40-50 minutes). Let the soup simmer gently. After about 40 minutes, check the rice—it should be tender and starting to split open. The chicken should be cooked through and shreddable. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for a few minutes.
  7. Shred the chicken (5 minutes). Use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir.
  8. Make it creamy (optional but recommended) (3 minutes). Scoop out about 1 cup of the hot soup (broth and some rice, but avoid big chicken pieces) and blend it until smooth using an immersion blender or regular blender. Stir the blended mixture back into the pot. If you want it even richer, stir in the heavy cream or half-and-half at this point.
  9. Finish and serve (2 minutes). Remove the bay leaf and discard. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve hot with crusty bread or crackers.

Notes

Don’t rush the rice; start checking at 40 minutes but it may need up to 55 minutes. Season in layers with salt. The cream trick (blending a cup of soup) adds creaminess without heavy cream. If using dairy, stir in at the very end off the heat to prevent curdling. The soup is better the next day; add a splash of broth when reheating.

Nutrition

Keywords: chicken and wild rice soup, one-pot soup, creamy chicken soup, wild rice soup, comfort food, easy soup recipe

Find it online: https://sparklespoon.com/cozy-one-pot-chicken-and-wild-rice-soup-recipe/