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Cozy Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

cozy slow cooker chicken and wild rice soup - featured image
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This creamy, hearty soup features tender chicken, chewy wild rice, and a velvety broth that’s both comforting and elegant. A simple tempering trick ensures a luscious texture without curdling, making it a perfect hands-off meal for cold days.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (about 680g)
  • 1 cup wild rice blend (about 180g)
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 ½ cups / 180g)
  • 3 celery stalks, diced (about 1 cup / 120g)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup / 150g)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth (about 1.4 liters)
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and black pepper to taste (start with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper)
  • 1 cup heavy cream (about 240ml)
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (about 16g)
  • Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Prep your vegetables: Dice the onion, carrots, and celery into roughly ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes. Mince the garlic. Rinse the wild rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cold running water for about 30 seconds. Set aside.
  2. Layer everything in the slow cooker: Place the diced vegetables and minced garlic in the bottom. Lay the chicken on top. Sprinkle the rinsed wild rice around and over the chicken. Pour in the chicken broth, then add the dried thyme, crushed rosemary, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Do not stir.
  3. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours. About 30 minutes before the end, check the rice—it should be tender but still have a slight chew. If still hard, cook another 30 minutes.
  4. Remove the chicken and shred it: Using tongs, transfer the cooked chicken to a large bowl. Let rest for a couple of minutes, then shred with two forks. Discard the bay leaf from the slow cooker.
  5. Temper the cream mixture: In a small bowl, whisk together the heavy cream and all-purpose flour until smooth. Slowly ladle about ½ cup of hot broth from the slow cooker into the cream mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the tempered cream mixture back into the slow cooker and stir gently.
  6. Add the shredded chicken back in: Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir. Cook on low for another 15-20 minutes until the soup thickens slightly. Taste and adjust salt and pepper (usually another ½ teaspoon salt and a crack of black pepper).
  7. Serve and garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with fresh parsley and extra black pepper if desired.

Notes

For best flavor, make a day ahead and refrigerate—the soup tastes even better the next day. To prevent curdling, always temper the cream mixture with hot broth before adding it to the soup. If the soup thickens too much upon standing, add a splash of broth or water when reheating.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker chicken soup, wild rice soup, creamy chicken soup, comfort food, easy soup recipe, cold weather soup

Find it online: https://piperplate.com/cozy-slow-cooker-chicken-and-wild-rice-soup-easy-recipe/