Description
This Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is a comforting and hearty dish packed with tender chicken, nutty wild rice, and vibrant vegetables. Perfect for chilly days, this recipe offers a creamy texture with the option for dairy-free ingredients, making it versatile and satisfying for the whole family.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Broth
- 1 – 1 ¼ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, raw
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 7-8 cups chicken broth (packaged or homemade), use less for thicker soup
Vegetables and Herbs
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (1 ¼ – 1 ½ cups)
- 3-4 carrots, peeled and diced (1 ½ cups)
- 2-3 medium celery stalks, diced (~¾ – 1 cup)
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed between your fingers
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon dried sage or poultry seasoning
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 8 ounces sliced or diced fresh cremini or baby bella mushrooms
Cream and Thickeners
- 2 cups half and half (may use unsweetened plain non-dairy creamer or full-fat coconut milk for dairy-free)
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch (optional for thickening in Instant Pot)
Garnish
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Dice the onion, carrots, and celery. Mince the garlic. Slice or dice the fresh cremini or baby bella mushrooms. Set all aside.
- Add to Slow Cooker: Place the raw boneless skinless chicken breasts at the bottom of the slow cooker. Season with salt and black pepper. Add the diced onion, carrots, celery, minced garlic, mushrooms, dried rosemary, thyme, sage or poultry seasoning, and bay leaves on top.
- Add Rice and Broth: Pour in the uncooked wild rice and chicken broth. Stir gently to combine the ingredients evenly in the slow cooker without disturbing the chicken breasts too much.
- Cook in Slow Cooker: Cover and cook on low for about 3 hours until the chicken is cooked through, vegetables are tender, and the rice is fully cooked and tender.
- Shred Chicken: Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the slow cooker and shred them using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the soup in the slow cooker.
- Add Cream and Thicken: Stir in the half and half (or your dairy-free alternative). If you want a thicker soup and are using an Instant Pot in adapted methods, mix cornstarch with a small amount of water to create a slurry and stir it in, cooking on sauté until thickened. For slow cooker, you may stir in cornstarch slurry at this stage and cook on high for an additional 15-20 minutes to thicken.
- Season and Garnish: Remove bay leaves. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper if needed. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving, if desired.
Notes
- This recipe is a lightened-up comfort food, rich in protein and vegetables, keeping your meal cozy and nutritious.
- A dairy-free option is available by substituting half and half with unsweetened plain non-dairy creamer or full-fat coconut milk.
- Using cornstarch is optional and mainly helpful for those using an Instant Pot or wanting a thicker consistency.
- Adjust the amount of chicken broth for your preferred soup thickness.
- Serve with crusty bread or a simple side salad for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe (~1 ½ cups)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 23 mg
