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Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup Recipe

Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Wholesome Cove
This Instant Pot chicken wild rice soup recipe combines tender shredded chicken, chewy 100% wild rice, and a creamy broth—all cooked in one pot in about 80 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 340 kcal

Equipment

  • 6-Quart Instant Pot - or similar electric pressure cooker, for sautéing and pressure cooking in one pot
  • Sharp chef's knife - for dicing the onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms
  • Large cutting board - ideally with a juice groove for handling raw chicken
  • Fine-mesh strainer - for rinsing the wild rice
  • Wooden spoon - for scraping the bottom of the pot while deglazing
  • Measuring cups and spoons - for the flour, broth, cream, and dried herbs
  • Soup Ladle - for serving without splashing
  • Airtight storage containers - for leftovers and freezer portions
  • Two forks - for shredding the chicken (or shredder claws)
  • Paper towels - for patting the chicken dry before seasoning
  • Meat shredder claws - (optional) for fast, even shredding
  • Instant-read meat thermometer - (optional) to confirm chicken reaches 165°F (74°C)
  • Extra silicone sealing rings - (optional) reserve one for soups and stews
  • Silicone freezer soup tray - (optional) for freezing soup in 1-cup and 2-cup blocks

Ingredients
  

For the soup base

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter - 28 g
  • 1 medium yellow onion - about 1 cup or 150 g, diced into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces
  • 3 medium carrots - about 1½ cups or 190 g, peeled and sliced ¼ inch (6 mm) thick
  • 3 stalks celery - about 1 cup or 120 g, sliced ¼ inch (6 mm) thick
  • 8 ounces cremini mushrooms - 225 g, sliced ¼ inch (6 mm) thick
  • 4 cloves garlic - minced
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour - 30 g
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth - 950 ml, divided (1 cup for deglazing, 3 cups for pressure cooking)
  • 2 cups water - 475 ml
  • 1 cup wild rice - 160 g, 100% wild rice and not a blend, rinsed and drained

For the chicken and seasonings

To finish

  • 1 cup heavy cream - 240 ml
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice - about ½ medium lemon
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley - divided (1 tablespoon stirred in, 1 tablespoon for garnish)

Instructions
 

  • Rinse the wild rice under cold water and drain well. Dice the onion, slice the carrots, celery, and mushrooms, and mince the garlic. Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
  • Press Sauté on High and melt the butter. Cook the onion, carrots, and celery for 4 minutes, add the mushrooms and cook 3 minutes, then stir in the garlic for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 to 2 minutes until no dry flour remains.
  • Pour in 1 cup of the chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pot firmly with a wooden spoon to loosen every browned bit and flour paste. Press Cancel.
  • Add the remaining 3 cups broth, the water, rinsed wild rice, thyme, sage, bay leaves, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Stir once, then lay the seasoned chicken breasts on top in a single layer without stirring them in.
  • Lock the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and cook on High pressure for 30 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then vent the remaining pressure.
  • Remove and discard the bay leaves. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred it with two forks or shredder claws, then return it to the pot. The rice should be split open and tender with a chewy center.
  • Press Sauté on Normal and stir in the heavy cream. Simmer gently for about 5 minutes until slightly thickened, avoiding a hard boil. Press Cancel, then stir in the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of the parsley. Taste and add salt as needed.
  • Let the soup rest for 5 minutes, then ladle about 1½ cups into each bowl. Garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley and serve hot.

Notes

  • Use 100% wild rice, not a blend—blends contain brown or white rice that softens far faster and turns mushy at 30 minutes.
  • Rinse the wild rice first to remove surface dust and prevent the broth from tinting purple.
  • Never skip the deglaze—scraping the bottom after the flour goes in prevents a Burn notice.
  • Keep the chicken on top of the rice without stirring so the flour paste doesn't stick to the bottom.
  • Add the cream only after pressure cooking; dairy can curdle under high heat and pressure.
  • Chicken thighs stay juicier than breasts after 30 minutes under pressure—swap in 1½ pounds (680 g) boneless, skinless thighs with the same timing.
  • Season at the end, after the cream and lemon go in, since the soup concentrates as it rests.
  • Freeze portions before adding the cream for up to 3 months; stir in 2 tablespoons fresh cream per serving when reheating.
  • Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator; the rice keeps absorbing liquid, so loosen with a splash of broth when reheating.
  • For a dairy-free version, replace the butter with olive oil and the cream with 1 cup (240 ml) full-fat canned coconut milk, added at the end.

Nutrition

Serving: 1BowlCalories: 340kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 23gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 540mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4g
Keyword creamy chicken wild rice soup, instant pot chicken wild rice soup, one pot chicken soup, pressure cooker soup, wild rice soup recipe
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