Besties, here’s creamy chicken wild rice soup — an easy stovetop or slow cooker recipe with rich, comforting flavors and a hearty texture that everyone will love.
This soup is a family favorite and pairs beautifully with warm, flaky biscuits and butter for a cozy meal. Serve with crusty bread or your favorite rolls for an inviting dinner.
The blend of wild rice, tender chicken, butternut squash, peas, and mushrooms creates a complex fall-forward flavor. Aromatics like carrot, celery, and a touch of thyme lift the soup and keep it bright and satisfying.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Taste: Savory chicken and onion, a hint of sweetness from carrot and squash, and the chewy texture of wild rice make each spoonful satisfying.
- Ease: Most of the work is chopping. After that it’s mostly simmering — great for busy weeknights.
- Time: Prep takes about 10 minutes and the soup comes together in under an hour depending on rice type.
Ingredient Notes
- Butternut squash: Adds natural sweetness and a creamy body when diced. Acorn squash or pumpkin work well as alternatives.
- Mushrooms: Provide umami depth. Button and portobello are simple choices, but any variety is fine.
- Rice: Pure wild rice takes 45–50 minutes, while a wild rice blend cooks in 30–40 minutes. A wild rice blend or mixed wild and brown rice is convenient; brown rice can substitute if needed.
- Aromatics: Carrot, celery, and onion form the flavor base.
- Chicken broth: Homemade bone broth is excellent, but store-bought broth or a cup of water with 1 teaspoon bouillon will work in a pinch.
See the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and the printable recipe.
Substitutions & Variations
- Vegetarian: Omit chicken and use vegetable broth.
- Dairy-free: Replace milk with extra broth or a neutral plant-based milk.
- Gluten-free: Use 1–2 tablespoons cornstarch in place of flour to thicken.
- Veggie swaps: Try sweet potatoes, leeks, parsnips, or acorn squash for variety.
Instructions
- Step 1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add diced chicken and the onion; cook until the onion is soft and the chicken is cooked through.
- Step 2. Add 6 cups chicken broth, 1 cup mixed wild & brown rice (or your chosen rice), 1 cup frozen peas, 8 oz sliced mushrooms, 2 cups diced butternut squash, 2 diced carrots, 2 ribs chopped celery, and the spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer 30–40 minutes until the rice is tender.
- Step 3. In a small bowl, whisk together 1.5 cups whole milk and 1/3 cup all-purpose flour until smooth.
- Step 4. Slowly pour the milk-flour mixture into the soup while stirring constantly. Simmer another 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Serve warm.
Rice Mechanics — avoid gummy or undercooked rice
- Wild rice has a tougher hull and more starch than white rice, so it needs longer cooking time to become tender.
- To prevent the rice from soaking up all the broth: reduce the rice quantity (for example, use 3/4 cup instead of 1 cup), or add extra broth.
- You can par-cook wild rice separately and add it at the end for more control, especially when making the soup ahead or freezing.
Pro Tip: Cook rice separately for a more brothy finish and add it to bowls when serving. When reheating make-ahead soup, add a splash of broth if the texture has thickened too much.
Troubleshooting
- Gummy rice: This usually means the rice was overcooked in a concentrated broth. Next time, cook rice separately or reduce rice amount.
- Broken or separated soup: Dairy added to very high heat can curdle. Remove from heat and whisk in a little cold cream or an emulsifier to smooth it out.
- Bland soup: Check seasoning and acidity. A splash of lemon juice, vinegar, or a dash of soy or Worcestershire adds depth; finish with fresh herbs.
- Too thin or too thick: Reduce the soup to thicken or add a slurry/thickener. If too thick, stir in hot chicken stock to loosen.
Three Tested Methods
- Stovetop (best texture): Sear chicken and vegetables, add stock and rice, simmer until rice is al dente, then finish with milk/thickener.
- Slow cooker: Brown chicken and veggies, add ingredients and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours. Add milk mixture at the end to thicken.
- Instant Pot / Pressure cooker: Sauté chicken and veggies, add remaining ingredients in a large pressure cooker, cook 15 minutes with a natural release, then stir in milk/thickener.
Make Ahead, Freeze, Reheat
- Freeze: Up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently.
- Refrigerate: 3–4 days.
- Reheating tips: Whisk in a splash of hot stock or cream to restore creaminess; re-emulsify with a pat of butter if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Crusty bread, garlic-cheddar biscuits, or a simple green salad are perfect accompaniments.
Whisk in warm whole milk, a spoonful of Greek yogurt off the heat, or blend a portion of the soup and stir it back in.
In the soup it takes about 35–40 minutes; separately, a wild rice blend typically takes 30–35 minutes depending on the package directions.
More Cozy Soup Recipes
-
Thai Coconut Chicken Soup
-
Tomato White Bean Tuscan Tortellini Soup
-
Green Chile Posole with Chicken
-
Bone Broth Chicken Noodle Soup
Did You Try This Recipe? Leave a star rating and a comment below the recipe card — feedback helps other readers and I love hearing how it turned out for you. Thank you!
Printable Recipe
Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Equipment
- 1 large soup pot
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts (approx. 1.5 pounds), diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup mixed wild & brown rice
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cups diced butternut squash
- 2 large carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 ribs celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
Spices
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
To Thicken
- 1.5 cups whole milk
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour (about 45 g)
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the diced chicken and diced onion; cook until the onion is soft and the chicken is cooked through.
- Add 6 cups chicken broth, 1 cup mixed wild & brown rice, 1 cup frozen peas, 8 oz sliced mushrooms, 2 cups diced butternut squash, 2 diced carrots, 2 ribs chopped celery, and all spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 30–40 minutes until the rice is tender.
- Whisk together 1.5 cups whole milk and ⅓ cup all-purpose flour until smooth. Slowly pour the mixture into the soup while stirring constantly. Cook for another 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Serve warm.
Notes
Slow-cooker method: Sauté chicken and onions first. Combine all ingredients except milk and flour in a large crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours. Whisk the milk and flour together and stir in, cooking for about 20 minutes until thickened.
Nutrition
Calories: 277 kcal | Carbohydrates: 34 g | Protein: 26 g | Fat: 5 g | Fiber: 4 g
Hi, I’m Sara!
Registered nurse by day and food blogger on the weekend. I love sharing easy, delicious recipes and tips to make weeknight cooking simple and delicious.