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Chicken Wild Rice Soup Recipe

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Wholesome Cove
This chicken wild rice soup recipe has tender chicken, nutty wild rice, and a silky half-and-half broth that stays spoonable instead of turning to porridge.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 270 kcal

Equipment

  • 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot - For the soup
  • Medium saucepan with a lid - For the wild rice
  • Fine-mesh strainer - For rinsing and draining the rice
  • Chef's knife - For dicing the vegetables
  • Large cutting board
  • Balloon whisk - For smoothing the roux into the broth
  • Wooden spoon - For stirring
  • Ladle - For serving
  • Measuring cups and measuring spoons
  • Two forks or meat shredding claws - For shredding the chicken
  • Airtight containers - For leftovers

Ingredients
  

For the Wild Rice

  • 1 cup wild rice - 170g, uncooked, rinsed well
  • 3 cups water - 720ml
  • ½ teaspoon salt

For the Soup

Instructions
 

  • Rinse the wild rice under cold water, then simmer it with 3 cups water and ½ teaspoon salt in a covered saucepan for 45 to 50 minutes, until chewy and split open. Drain and fluff with a fork.
  • Dice the onion, carrots, and celery into ¼- to ½-inch pieces, slice the mushrooms, mince the garlic, and shred the chicken into 2 cups.
  • Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery with a pinch of salt for 6 to 8 minutes, add the mushrooms and cook 5 to 6 minutes more, then stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.
  • Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes, until no dry flour remains and the roux stays pale.
  • Whisk in 1 cup of broth to form a smooth paste, then whisk in the remaining broth in stages. Add the bay leaf, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper, and simmer partially covered for 20 minutes.
  • Discard the bay leaf, then stir in the chicken and cooked rice and simmer 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, stir in the half-and-half and warm without boiling, then add the lemon juice and season to taste.
  • Ladle into warm bowls, sprinkle with fresh parsley, and serve right away.

Notes

  • Rinse the wild rice for about 30 seconds before cooking to remove dust and keep the grains from clumping.
  • Cook the rice in its own pot; raw wild rice dropped into the broth drinks too much liquid and turns the soup gluey.
  • Taste the darkest grains at 45 minutes — they should be chewy with some split open, never crunchy.
  • Keep the roux pale and cook the flour no more than 2 minutes; a browned roux clashes with the delicate broth.
  • Add the broth gradually, starting with 1 cup to form a paste, to keep the soup lump-free.
  • Never boil the soup after the half-and-half goes in, or the dairy can separate and look grainy.
  • Finish with 1 tablespoon lemon juice to brighten the butter and cream; taste for salt after the chicken and rice go in.
  • Store in the refrigerator up to 4 days, keeping the cooked rice in a separate container so the broth stays loose.
  • Freeze up to 3 months before adding the half-and-half; stir the dairy in after thawing and reheating. Freeze cooked rice separately in a flat zip-top bag.
  • Reheat to 165°F (74°C), adding ½ cup warm broth or water to loosen; do not reheat the same portion more than once.
  • Dairy-free: use olive oil for the butter and full-fat canned coconut milk for the half-and-half. Gluten-free: use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend and check that the broth is gluten-free.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupsCalories: 270kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 16gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 600mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5g
Keyword chicken wild rice soup, comfort food soup, creamy chicken wild rice soup, easy chicken soup, wild rice soup recipe
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