Healthy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

4.94 from 29 votes

Healthy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

This Healthy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is creamy, comforting and loaded with tender chicken, hearty wild rice and plenty of vegetables. Made without flour or butter, this cozy soup can easily be prepared on the stovetop, in the slow cooker or in the Instant Pot!

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Total Time55

Course: lunch, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, chicken wild rice soup, creamy chicken and wild rice soup, healthy chicken and wild rice soup, healthy chicken wild rice soup, wild rice soup

Servings:

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil or butter
1 small onion diced
2 medium carrots diced
3 ribs celery diced
4 cloves garlic minced
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
1 lb chicken breasts or shredded rotisserie chicken for stovetop
1 cup wild rice uncooked
8 oz mushrooms sliced (I used baby bellas)
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 tsp dried mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk or heavy cream
Garnish with fresh thyme right before serving

Instructions

To make in your Crock Pot:

Combine all ingredients, except for the coconut milk, to the bowl of your crock pot (you'll want to use chicken breasts or thighs), cover and cook on low 4 to 6 hours.
Once the rice is done cooking, shred the chicken and mix in the coconut milk. Top with fresh thyme and serve!

To make in your Instant Pot:

Just like in the crock pot instructions, add all the ingredients (except for the coconut milk) into the bowl of your Instant Pot, cover, and cook on manual (high pressure) for 30 minutes.
Once it's done, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then do a quick release by carefully placing the valve in the venting position to release the rest of the steam.
Carefully remove the lid, take out the chicken and shred it using two forks. Add the chicken back into the Instant Pot, pour in the coconut milk and mix everything well. Let those flavor sit and marinate together for a few minutes before serving.

To make on the Stovetop:

Drizzle olive oil (or butter) in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat and sauté onion, carrots and celery until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes, then add in the garlic and sauté an additional 30 seconds.
Next, pour in the chicken broth and add in the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil (for the stovetop method, I like to use leftover shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken that I add once the rice is done cooking).
Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low, letting the soup simmer for about 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Once the rice is cooked, mix in the coconut milk and shredded chicken, taste and add additional seasonings, as-needed. Top with fresh thyme and enjoy!

Video

Notes

To Store: Store leftover chicken and wild rice soup in a sealed, airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep in mind the wild rice will continue to absorb some of the broth as it sits, so you may want to add a splash of chicken broth when reheating.

To Freeze: For best results, prepare the soup without adding the coconut milk or cream. Allow the soup to cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, reheat on the stovetop and stir in the coconut milk or cream before serving.

Nutrition