Cozy Creamy Mushroom Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Recipe

Comfort arrives in a steaming bowl of creamy mushroom chicken and wild rice soup that promises warmth on chilly evenings.

Earthy mushrooms mingle with tender chicken pieces, creating a rich harmony of flavors.

Wild rice adds delightful texture and nutty undertones to each spoonful.

Silky broth embraces every ingredient with delicate complexity and depth.

Home cooks can easily master this soul-soothing recipe without complicated techniques.

Hearty ingredients blend seamlessly, delivering a satisfying meal that feels like a culinary hug.

Dive into this delectable soup and experience pure, wholesome comfort.

Why Creamy Mushroom Chicken And Wild Rice Soup Feels Like A Hug

• Craft Comfort in a Pot: Dive into a hearty wild rice chicken soup that transforms simple ingredients into a culinary masterpiece.
• Master Cooking Skills: Perfect for home cooks looking to elevate their kitchen confidence with a recipe that requires basic chopping and stirring techniques.
• Nourish with Wholesome Ingredients: Packed with protein-rich chicken, nutrient-dense vegetables, and robust wild rice, this soup delivers a balanced and satisfying meal.
• Adapt and Customize: Easily modify the recipe by swapping ingredients or adjusting seasonings to suit personal taste preferences or dietary needs.

What You’ll Need For Creamy Mushroom Chicken And Wild Rice Soup

• Chicken: A lean and tender meat that provides the main protein source for this hearty soup.

• Olive Oil, Butter: Essential fats that help develop rich flavor and provide a smooth cooking foundation.
• Chicken Broth: Creates the liquid base and enhances the overall savory depth of the soup.

• Onions, Garlic, Carrots, Celery, Mushrooms: A classic vegetable blend that builds a robust and aromatic flavor profile for the soup.

• Wild Rice: A nutty and nutritious grain that adds texture and substance to the soup.

• Dried Thyme, Rosemary, Salt, Black Pepper: Aromatic herbs and spices that contribute layers of traditional and warming flavor.

• White Wine: An optional ingredient that adds complexity and depth to the soup's flavor.
• Heavy Cream: Provides a luxurious and velvety smooth texture to the final dish.

• Fresh Parsley: A bright and fresh herb that adds a final touch of color and subtle herbal note.

How To Cook Creamy Mushroom Chicken And Wild Rice Soup

Step 1: Cube and Dry Chicken

Slice chicken into bite-sized pieces. Pat each piece thoroughly with paper towels to ensure perfect golden browning.

Step 2: Sear Chicken Perfectly

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook chicken pieces until they turn golden and are completely cooked through, which takes about 6-8 minutes. Transfer cooked chicken to a separate plate.

Step 3: Sauté Aromatic Vegetables

• Diced onions
• Minced garlic
• Chopped carrots
• Chopped celery

Cook these vegetables until they become soft and release their delightful fragrance, approximately 5 minutes.

Step 4: Caramelize Mushrooms

Introduce sliced mushrooms to the vegetable mixture. Cook until mushrooms release their moisture and start to caramelize, around 4-5 minutes.

Step 5: Create Roux Base

Sprinkle flour over the vegetables. Stir continuously to prevent lumps, cooking for 2 minutes to eliminate any raw flour taste.

Step 6: Pour Chicken Broth

Slowly pour chicken broth into the pot. Whisk constantly to ensure smooth flour integration and prevent clumping.

Step 7: Add Rice and Seasonings

• Wild rice
• Dried thyme
• Rosemary
• Salt
• Black pepper

Allow the mixture to simmer, letting rice partially cook for 25-30 minutes.

Step 8: Enhance Flavor

Stir in white wine for additional flavor complexity. Return previously cooked chicken to the pot.

Step 9: Create Creamy Texture

Reduce heat to low. Gently blend heavy cream into the soup, creating a luxurious and velvety consistency.

Step 10: Final Simmering

Simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes until rice reaches perfect tenderness and soup achieves desired thickness.

Step 11: Garnish and Serve

Sprinkle freshly chopped parsley on top. Serve hot and steaming, ready to delight taste buds.

Tips For Thick And Creamy Mushroom Chicken And Wild Rice Soup

• Pat Chicken Dry for Perfect Browning: Use paper towels to remove excess moisture, ensuring a golden, crispy exterior when searing chicken in the pot.
• Build Flavor Layer by Layer: Sauté vegetables in the same pot after cooking chicken to capture and enhance the delicious browned bits from the meat.
• Master the Roux Technique: Sprinkle flour slowly and stir continuously to create a smooth base without lumps, cooking briefly to eliminate raw flour taste.
• Control Soup Consistency: Simmer rice and adjust liquid as needed, allowing the wild rice to partially cook and thicken the soup naturally.
• Finish with Fresh Herbs: Sprinkle chopped parsley just before serving to add a bright, fresh note and elevate the overall flavor profile of the wild rice chicken soup.

Tasty Variations On Mushroom Chicken And Wild Rice Soup

• Vegetarian Wild Rice Soup: Replace chicken with firm tofu or plant-based chicken alternative, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth for a meat-free version.
• Gluten-Free Adaptation: Swap wheat flour with cornstarch or gluten-free flour blend, ensure all ingredients are certified gluten-free to prevent cross-contamination.
• Low-Dairy Option: Substitute heavy cream with unsweetened coconut milk or almond milk, reducing overall dairy content while maintaining creamy texture.
• Instant Pot Speedster: Convert recipe to pressure cooker method, reducing cooking time to 15-20 minutes total while maintaining rich flavor profile and tender rice consistency.

What Pairs Best With This Creamy Chicken And Rice Soup

• Pair with Crisp Chardonnay: Select a medium-bodied white wine with subtle oak notes that complements the creamy texture of the wild rice chicken soup, enhancing its rich and earthy flavors.
• Serve with Rustic Sourdough Bread: Choose a hearty, crusty sourdough slice to soak up the luxurious soup base, providing a delightful textural contrast and additional depth to each spoonful.
• Match with Mixed Green Salad: Create a light, refreshing side salad with crisp lettuce, cucumber, and a tangy vinaigrette to balance the soup's creamy richness and provide a bright, fresh counterpoint.

How To Store Creamy Mushroom Chicken And Wild Rice Soup

• Transfer leftover chicken wild rice soup to an airtight container, seal tightly, and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Cool completely before storing to prevent bacterial growth.
• Portion soup into freezer-safe containers, leaving 1-inch space for expansion. Freeze up to 2-3 months. Avoid adding cream before freezing, as it may separate upon thawing.
• Move frozen soup to refrigerator overnight for gradual, safe thawing. Never leave at room temperature to prevent potential foodborne illness.
• Warm soup in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add splash of chicken broth to restore original consistency. Heat until internal temperature reaches 165°F, ensuring even warming and maintaining creamy texture.

FAQs For Creamy Mushroom Chicken And Wild Rice Soup

• What makes wild rice different from regular rice?

Wild rice is actually a grass seed, not a true rice. It has a nutty, chewy texture and contains more protein and fiber compared to white rice, offering a more nutritious alternative.

• Can I use a different type of protein instead of chicken?

Absolutely! Turkey, rotisserie chicken, or even plant-based alternatives like tofu work well in this recipe. Choose a protein that complements the rich, creamy broth.

• How do I prevent the cream from curdling?

Add cream at the end of cooking and keep the heat low. Stir gently and avoid boiling after adding cream to maintain a smooth, silky texture without separation.

Creamy Mushroom Chicken And Wild Rice Soup Recipe

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4.6 from 33 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

Hearty Wild Rice Chicken Soup brings comfort and warmth to winter dinner tables with its rich, silky blend of tender chicken and earthy mushrooms. Savory herbs and creamy broth invite you to savor each spoonful of this nourishing, soul-warming meal.

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Ingredients

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Main Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chicken breast, boneless and skinless
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup wild rice
• 4 cups chicken broth

Aromatics and Vegetables:

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped

Creamy and Seasoning Components:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp white wine (optional)

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Instructions

1. Prepare chicken by cutting into bite-sized cubes, patting dry with paper towels to ensure proper browning.
2. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, searing chicken pieces until golden and cooked through, approximately 6-8 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
3. In the same pot, melt butter and sauté diced onions, minced garlic, chopped carrots, and celery until vegetables become tender and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
4. Add sliced mushrooms to the vegetable mixture, cooking until they release their moisture and begin to caramelize, roughly 4-5 minutes.
5. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables, stirring continuously to create a roux and prevent lumping, cooking for 2 minutes to eliminate raw flour taste.
6. Gradually pour chicken broth into the pot, whisking constantly to incorporate flour smoothly and prevent clumping.
7. Introduce wild rice, dried thyme, rosemary, salt, and black pepper, allowing the mixture to simmer and rice to partially cook for 25-30 minutes.
8. Stir in white wine for additional depth of flavor, if using, and return cooked chicken to the pot.
9. Reduce heat to low, gently blend in heavy cream, creating a luxurious and velvety consistency.
10. Simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes until rice is tender and soup reaches desired thickness.
11. Finish by garnishing with freshly chopped parsley, serving hot and steaming.

Notes

• Pat chicken dry thoroughly to achieve golden-brown exterior and lock in maximum flavor during searing.
• Use fresh mushrooms like cremini or shiitake for deeper, more complex umami taste profile.
• Consider substituting heavy cream with coconut milk for dairy-free version, maintaining creamy texture while adding subtle sweetness.
• Toast wild rice briefly before adding to soup to enhance nutty undertones and develop richer depth of flavor.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 55 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
• Method: Sautéing
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 490
• Sugar: 3 g
• Sodium: 720 mg
• Fat: 28 g
• Saturated Fat: 14 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 34 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 30 g
• Cholesterol: 115 mg