Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup (Minnesota-Style, One-Pot)
The cozy Midwest classic made from scratch in one pot: nutty wild rice, tender shredded chicken thighs, mushrooms and vegetables in a silky, creamy broth. Better than the deli or the can, freezer-friendly, and perfect for cold, rainy November nights.
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Ingredients
Serves 6
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onionmedium, diced
- 2 carrotspeeled and diced
- 2 celery ribsdiced
- 8 oz cremini mushroomssliced
- 3 cloves garlicminced
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup wild riceuncooked, rinsed (not a quick-cook blend)
- 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp kosher saltplus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepperfreshly ground
- 1 cup heavy creamor half-and-half for a lighter soup
- 2 tbsp dry sherryoptional
- 2 tbsp fresh parsleychopped
The method
Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 6 minutes.
6 minAdd the mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid and start to brown, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook 1 minute more, until fragrant.
7 minSprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
2 minSlowly pour in the broth while stirring to keep it smooth. Add the wild rice, chicken thighs (whole), bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
8 minReduce the heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the wild rice is tender and many grains have split open, 40 to 45 minutes. The chicken should reach 165°F.
42 minLift the chicken onto a cutting board, shred it with two forks and discard the bay leaf.
5 minReturn the chicken to the pot and stir in the cream and sherry, if using. Simmer gently for 5 minutes without boiling. Taste for salt and pepper, thin with a splash of broth if it is too thick, and finish with parsley.
5 min
Timings are a guide. Use the instruction and your own judgment as you cook.
Tips
- Use real wild rice. Whole wild rice holds its shape and gives the soup its nutty chew. A quick-cook or blended rice mix will cook faster, so add it later and follow its package time.
- The soup thickens as it sits. Wild rice keeps drinking up broth, so loosen leftovers with a splash of broth or milk when reheating.
- Shortcut: Swap the thighs for 3 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken and stir it in with the cream.
Storage
Refrigerate for up to 4 days. To freeze, cool the soup before adding the cream and freeze up to 3 months; stir in the cream after reheating.
Photo credit
Photo: Haydn Blackey, “Chicken and wild rice soup, Famous Dave’s Bozeman, Montana,” via Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0. Shown as a serving example of the dish.
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