Chicken Wild Rice Soup (Printable)

Tender chicken and wild rice combine with fresh vegetables in a warm, savory broth.

# What You Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced

→ Grains

02 - 3/4 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed

→ Vegetables

03 - 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 1 small yellow onion, diced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

07 - 7 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Herbs & Seasonings

08 - 1 bay leaf
09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

→ Fats

13 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until vegetables are softened.
02 - Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add wild rice, chicken broth, bay leaf, thyme, and rosemary. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes until rice is tender.
04 - Add cooked chicken to the pot. Simmer for an additional 5 to 8 minutes to heat through.
05 - Remove the bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in about an hour, which means you can have comfort food on the table before dinner rush even starts.
  • The wild rice gives it substance and a nutty flavor that feels fancier than the minimal effort required to make it.
  • It reheats beautifully and actually tastes better the next day when all the flavors have gotten to know each other.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the wild rice—I learned this the hard way when my first batch turned out cloudy and starchy instead of having that clear, elegant broth.
  • Remove that bay leaf before serving no matter how rushed you are, because biting into it is the kind of surprise nobody enjoys.
  • If your rice seems like it's not getting tender after 40 minutes, give it another 10—wild rice is more variable than regular rice, and it's better to be patient than crunchy.
03 -
  • Save any vegetable scraps and chicken bones in the freezer to make your own broth someday—homemade broth is where this soup becomes truly unforgettable.
  • If you're cooking for someone who can't have wild rice, this works beautifully with farro, barley, or even regular long-grain rice, though the cooking time will change accordingly.
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