Minnesota creamy chicken wild rice soup is one of the few soups that Elias enjoys. It's pretty hard to go wrong with a hearty grain, like wild rice, and a creamy broth. This soup is comforting, satisfying, and filling. Oftentimes, I find myself hungry just a couple hours after eating soup but this one really keeps me satiated for a long time. Working with wild rice and being a native Minnesotan means that I may be slightly biased, but this is one of the best soups out there. So take that tomato soup! Ok, sorry tomato soup, I didn't mean it, I love you too.
I might be biased, but seriously, look at the beauty that is wild rice. The light bounces off the grains in shades of yellow, to black to brown. Even a picture of the grain practically projects its mouthfeel. Besides, if we get past its visual appeal, wild rice is also a super nutritious grain, with more protein and fiber than either white or brown rice. Looking for some other wild rice recipes? Try Thai style wild rice or eat in on the side with some instant pot curry chicken. Even more wild rice recipes.
Tips for Making Wild Rice
Rinse the wild rice before cooking: This removes any dust or debris. Just 10-15 seconds in a mesh strainer, under cold water, is enough to do the trick. This is also something that you should do for white or brown rice.
Salt your water: As with pasta, adding salt to the cooking water increases the overall flavor of the dish. However, I find that less salt is needed than for pasta. Add about 1 teaspoon of salt when the wild rice starts to boil.
Use recommended cooking time as an estimate: There will likely be slight variation in the cook time of different packs of wild rice due to variance in grain size. Start with 45 minutes of cook time, then test the firmness of the wild rice. If it is still too firm, cook for 5-10 more minutes, checking the wild rice again after 5 minutes. For this recipe you can remove the wild rice when it still has a little bit of bite since it will get cooked a little longer when added to the soup.
FAQs
Great question! In truth wild rice is not rice. In fact, wild rice is falls in the genus Zizania whereas white and brown rice are in the genus Oryza. However they are somewhat closely related as both are in the family Poaceae. The name wild rice comes from the fact that the grains look very similar to rice, however the grain has gone by a multitude of different names over time.
Yes, rotisserie or roasted chicken, as well as cooked and diced chicken breast all work well for this soup. Simply skip the chicken cooking step in the recipe and add the cooked chicken to the pot with the cream. I often use previously cooked, shredded chicken when I am short on time or energy.
Absolutely, if desired, add chopped mushrooms to the pot with the carrots, celery, and onions. I have had success with white button mushrooms, creminis, and even foraged maitake (hen of the woods) mushrooms. Learn more about maitake mushrooms.
This soup freezes and re-heats surprisingly well. It is well worth it to make a big batch and freeze a bunch as leftovers.
This creamy chicken wild rice soup is hearty enough to serve on its own. However, it is always great with a nice hunk of homemade French bread to dip. Alternatively, lighten up your dinner with a strawberry balsamic salad, on the side. Making decisions in life isn't always easy so I present this one as a simple win. Whatever you choose is going to be the right choice. So, heat yourself a bowl of comforting soup, pair it with your choice of side (or lack thereof), then remind yourself that you are capable of making excellent decisions.
Keep your belly full, your mind engaged, and your heart open.
Lillian
Minnesota Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
For the wild rice *
- ¾ cup wild rice dry
- 3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the soup
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 8-10 oz chicken breasts, 1-2 breasts* cut into bite size pieces
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 onion diced
- 2 large carrots diced
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Rinse the wild rice in cool water, then add it to a medium size pot with water.
- Bring the wild rice to a boil, then add salt and reduce the heat to low.
- Cook wild rice at a low simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes. Try a grain or two to determine whether the rice is still too crunchy. If so, cook for an additional 5-10 minutes. It is best to leave the wild rice with a bit bite because it will cook a little longer in the soup. Drain any extra water from the wild rice.
- While the wild rice is cooking, heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. If you plan to use pre-cooked chicken skip the next step.
- Add the chicken to the pot in an even layer. If your pot is not large enough to fit all of the chicken with some space between pieces, cook half of it and repeat process with the other half. If your pot is too small the chicken will steam instead of getting lightly browned. Cook the chicken on each side for 1-2 minutes, then remove chicken from the pot and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium low and melt butter in the pot.
- Mix in onion, carrots, and celery and cook until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add garlic, salt, and pepper to the pot and cook for an additional minute. Stir flour into the vegetables, making sure to coat everything well. Cook for about 1 minute.
- While stirring the vegetables, slowly pour in the chicken stock. Bring the soup to a boil, stir it, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer soup for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the cream, chicken, and wild rice to the pot. Simmer the soup for 5 more minutes. Taste the soup and adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Debra says
Loved how the wild rice incorporated into a perfect texture.
Priya Maha says
This rice dish is absolutely yummy! And it is perfect for a workday meal.
Lilly says
This soup is so hearty and flavorful! Thanks for the recipe
Luca says
It looks like a perfect mix of ingredients. Great taste!
Julia says
I love a wild rice soup especially now that the days are cooling down. The creaminess is such a great touch, too.
Amanda Scarlati says
hearty and delicious!
avidlyravenous says
So glad you liked it!
Catherine says
This was amazing!
avidlyravenous says
Awesome, happy you enjoyed!
Jeri says
Love this hearty soup! Great flavor!
avidlyravenous says
It definitely hits the spot in the fall!
Jill says
This creamy soup definitely hits the spot!
avidlyravenous says
I so agree with you and I'm happy you enjoyed it!
JimEnace says
Really interesting post!
avidlyravenous says
Thanks Jim!
Sandra says
I really like your blog. The recipes are great & the layout is clear & easy to understand. The print button is so nice to use so I don’t have to write it down. Thank you! I’m glad I found your blog.
avidlyravenous says
So glad it's useful for you!
Gobe Hirata says
I just made this soup for Christmas and it is absolutely divine!!! Thank you for an incredible recipe!
avidlyravenous says
Awesome! So glad you liked it. =)
K says
Excellent!! My whole family loved it!
avidlyravenous says
Hooray! So glad everyone liked it.
Christina Maltbie says
This turned out perfectly! I used a rotisserie chicken and the shredded chicken made the soup a little thick so I think I’ll add a little more broth next time. So yummy!
avidlyravenous says
I can see how that might happen. A little more broth never hurt anyone!
Hami says
I added a squeeze of lemon and a couple bay leaves in this recipe it was Devine
avidlyravenous says
I've never heard of adding lemon to this kind of soup before! Glad it worked well. =)
Heather S says
Reading your recipe, I don’t see where the chicken gets cooked longer than 5 minutes before the soup is finished, even if using uncooked chicken. This seems like one would end up with a raw chicken. What I see is: brown the chicken on both sides 1-2 minutes. Set aside. Cook veggies, then add seasonings, add flour, then stock. Cook for 15 minutes. Then add cream, chicken and wild rice and cook for 5 minutes. Wouldn’t this leave you with an undercooked chicken? I really want to make this recipe, but I want a fully cooked, and cut up/shredded bird. Help!
avidlyravenous says
Hi Heather, thanks for your question! Your chicken should be cut up into small pieces prior to the cooking step. If your pieces are bite sized they shouldn't take longer than about 2 minutes per side but if you are worried about it or have bigger pieces feel free to cook them a little longer! The final step of adding the chicken back in is mostly just to warm the pieces back up so you do want to be sure the chicken is fully cooked prior to this.
Kris says
For my family, cream of turkey wild rice soup has been a staple leftover dish for Thanksgiving and Christmas for 50 years. My husband and I moved to the mountains after retirement, but continue the tradition. Manoomin is best if hand harvested and hand parched, but impossible to find down South. You can buy real wild rice online from a number of tribes, but best order it right at harvest. And be prepared to pay a premium price. Paddy grown wild rice just isn’t the same.
This recipe is just about perfect.
avidlyravenous says
Thanks for sharing your experience! So glad you like the recipe.
AB says
This turned out pretty good! Added 1/4 tsp each of dried thyme and rosemary when cooking the veggies. Could have added a bit more. Bought a pre chopped mirepoix mix from the grocery store. Baked a whole chicken breast (salt, pepper, olive oil) on 350 for 30 min, then chopped it up and added it to the soup. Probably could have used some more seasoning but it’s almost there! Will definitely make again.
avidlyravenous says
Glad you liked it and it's always good to adjust seasonings for your taste!