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My favorite cozy chicken and wild rice soup recipe is made with the most delicious creamy broth, a generous helping of veggies and greens, plus the classic chicken and wild rice that we all love!
For those of you who are also craving some cozy comfort food right about now, I vote we return to a classic today that’s always good for the soul…
…a warm, hearty, oh-so-delicious bowl of chicken and wild rice soup. ♡
My favorite chicken wild rice soup recipe is full of all of the tender chicken and hearty wild rice that we all know and love. But I especially love this version because it’s also loaded up with lots of veggies and greens too. Plus it’s also made with the most delicious rich and creamy rosemary broth that’s lightened up a tad by using milk instead of heavy cream.
I typically make this soup on the stovetop, but I’ve included an Instant Pot option below as well. Plus I’ve also included options for how to make this soup gluten-free (or even vegetarian), different seasonings you can use, other ingredients you can swap in or swap out, plus my favorite ingredient to add to this soup when I’m feeling indulgent (hint hint: it’s bacon).
Alright, let’s make some chicken and wild rice soup, friends!
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Ingredients:
A few quick notes about the ingredients you will need to make this chicken and wild rice soup recipe! (As always, full ingredient amounts and instructions are included in the recipe at the bottom of this post.)
Mirepoix: We will use the classic mix of carrots, celery and onion as a base for this soup — sautéd in butter or olive oil until softened.
Garlic: And lots of it, to add rich garlicky flavor to the broth.
Flour: I used all-purpose flour to thicken this soup, but see the alternative options below for gluten-free thickeners you can use instead. (Or you can omit the thickeners and just enjoy the thinner broth on it’s own, which is equally delicious!)
Chicken stock: Or veggie stock, whichever you have on hand.
Chicken: I typically just toss two boneless skinless chicken breasts into the soup, which cook along with the wild rice, and then shred them afterwards. But you also have the option to pre-dice the raw chicken and then add it to the soup. Or you can just add in precooked diced or shredded chicken that you have on hand instead.
Mushrooms: I like to use baby bella mushrooms in this soup — either diced or thinly sliced — but you can omit them if you don’t like mushrooms.
Wild rice: As always, be sure to double-check that you are using 100% wild rice and not black rice (which will turn the soup purple!). Or, you are welcome to use a wild rice blend too.
Rosemary: I add a tablespoon (or more, if you’d like!) of finely-chopped fresh rosemary to this soup. But you could also sub in 1 teaspoon (or more) of dried rosemary, if that’s what you have on hand.
Bay leaves: Whose flavor really enhances this broth.
Milk: I used whole cow’s milk in my soup, but you could also use any other plain plant-based milk that you prefer.
Baby spinach: Just to sneak some greens into this soup too! I like to add chopped baby spinach, but you could also use collard greens or kale.
Salt and pepper: As always, for seasoning.
How To Make Chicken Wild Rice Soup:
To make this chicken wild rice soup recipe, we will simply:
Sauté the veggies. Melt butter or oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add carrots, celery and garlic and sauté for 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the flour and sauté for 1 more minute, stirring frequently.
Add in the next round of ingredients. Gradually pour in the chicken stock, stirring the soup frequently as you pour so that the clumps of flour can melt into the broth. Add the chicken breasts, mushrooms, wild rice, rosemary, bay leaves and stir to combine.
Simmer. Let the soup continue cooking until it reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain the simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes or until the wild rice is tender — being sure to stir the soup every 5-7 minutes so that the bottom of the pot does not burn.
Shred or dice the chicken. Use tongs to carefully transfer the chicken breasts to a clean plate. Then you can either dice or use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces, and stir it back into the soup.
Add the remaining ingredients. Stir in the milk and baby spinach until combined.
Season. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Taste and season the soup with however much salt and black pepper you think it needs.
Serve. Serve warm and enjoy!
Possible Chicken Soup Variations:
There are so many delicious ways that you can customize this soup, so please feel free to get creative and add in whatever favorite ingredients you have on hand! For example, feel free to…
Make it in the Instant Pot or Crock-Pot: See instructions in the recipe box below.
Make it gluten-free: Omit the all-purpose flour, and make a cornstarch slurry (with equal parts cornstarch and cold water whisked together) to thicken the soup instead. Once the rice has cooked, add in 1-2 tablespoons of the slurry to the soup at a time until the broth reaches your desired level of thickness.
Make it vegetarian: Feel free to sub in a can of chickpeas in place of the chicken (and veggie stock in place of chicken stock) to make this soup vegetarian. Or I would also recommend my vegan Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup recipe, which is made with a base of sweet potatoes and coconut milk.
Skip the thickener: If you would like a thinner broth, feel free to omit the flour (or cornstarch) altogether. You can also use an immersion blender to just purée some of the broth (be sure that the chicken has been removed when you do this) to thicken the broth a bit, if you would like.
Add bacon: If you really want to amp up the flavor of this soup, I highly recommend frying 6-8 slices of bacon at the beginning of the recipe. Then remove and crumble the bacon to use as bacon bits to garnish your serving bowls, and use the leftover bacon grease to sauté the veggies (instead of the butter or oil).
Use Old Bay: In place of the rosemary, I also love using 1 1/2 tablespoons of Old Bay Seasoning to give this soup more of a Cajun twist. Trust me, it’s delicious!
Use different greens: Collards or kale would also be delicious in place of the spinach.
Use different rice or orzo: Feel free to sub different kinds of rice or orzo pasta in for the wild rice, if you would like. Just note that the cooking time will be different depending upon which type of rice/pasta that you choose.
My favorite cozy chicken and wild rice soup recipe is made with the most delicious creamy broth, a generous helping of veggies and greens, plus the classic chicken and wild rice that we all love!
Sauté the veggies. Melt butter or oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add carrots, celery and garlic and sauté for 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the flour and sauté for 1 more minute, stirring frequently.
Add in the next round of ingredients. Gradually pour in the chicken stock, stirring the soup frequently as you pour so that the clumps of flour can melt into the broth. Add the chicken breasts, mushrooms, wild rice, rosemary, bay leaves and stir to combine.
Simmer. Let the soup continue cooking until it reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain the simmer, cover, and cook for 40-45 minutes or until the wild rice is tender — being sure to stir the soup every 5-7 minutes so that the bottom of the pot does not burn.
Shred or dice the chicken. Use tongs to carefully transfer the chicken breasts to a clean plate. Then you can either dice or use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces, and stir it back into the soup.
Add the remaining ingredients. Stir in the milk and baby spinach until combined.
Season. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Taste and season the soup with however much salt and black pepper you think it needs.
Chicken: Or feel free to add in 3-4 cups of (precooked) diced or shredded chicken instead of raw chicken.
Instant Pot Option: To make pressure cooker chicken and wild rice soup, simply add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, chicken stock, chicken breasts, wild rice, rosemary and bay leaves to the bowl of your Instant Pot. Cover, seal and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes, followed by a 10 minute natural release, followed by a quick release. Meanwhile in a separate saucepan, heat the butter over medium-high heat until melted. Whisk in the flour until combined and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Then whisk in the milk until combined and continue heating until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add the mixture to the soup. Continue on with steps 4-7.
Crock-Pot Option: To make slow cooker chicken and wild rice soup, simply add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, chicken stock, chicken breasts, wild rice, rosemary and bay leaves to the bowl of a large slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours, until the rice is tender. Meanwhile in a separate saucepan, heat the butter over medium-high heat until melted. Whisk in the flour until combined and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Then whisk in the milk until combined and continue heating until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add the mixture to the soup. Continue on with steps 4-7.
I made this tonight and loved it! I did make some modifications. I added 8 cups of low sodium chicken broth but did not use the water the recipe called for, and then added a bunch of dried Rosemary along with the fresh. I also used one can of lite unsweetened coconut milk instead of the 2 C of milk. I couldn’t taste the coconut, and it added a creaminess I wanted and it also thickened the soup. I never needed to add flour or corn starch. I threw everything into my crock pot as the directions stated. At the end I used 2 Tbsp of EVOO to sauté the mushrooms and then dumped everything in. I added a bit more than two handfuls of spinach too.
I am from MN, which is one of the few states wild rice is grown and cultivated. I bought a good MN wild rice and it opened up beautifully after 7.5 hours on low in my crock pot. I hate it when the rice doesn’t open – it’s too sharp and chewy (that usually happens when it is undercooked). When it opens it’s so fluffy and soft in the middle. Oh, and I did use quite a bit of fresh cracked black pepper and sea salt. The result was so delicious! And bonus: because it is dairy free I can freeze it!
This was great and I modified it to meet my family’s dietary restrictions, so I subbed arrowroot for flour, but added it at the end and used coconut milk instead of milk. I also used kale and broccoli leaves from my garden instead of spinach. My husband says that he considers is among the beat soups I’ve ever made.
Made this tonight for first time and is absolutely yummy. Made exactly as stated, substituting oat milk for cow’s milk. This is a keeper. Thanks so much for sharing :)
I just made this for my husband who is under the weather. It’s a cloudy, cool fall day… my house smells and amazing and the soup came out incredible. Used rotisserie chicken bc I am lazy and used whole milk as the milk. Put a side of store bought biscuits and I am a hero. So good. Just like all of your recipes! I usually come here for sweets and treats but now I know you are not a one trick pony! Thank you!!
Brenda C —
I was feeling brave and had cooked a whole chicken already and was looking for a good way to use it. This recipe was just what I needed tonight! I did substitute thyme for the rosemary but it still was really delicious. Also, needed to be gluten free so I used Bob’s 1 to 1 flour.
I may try using the coconut milk next time for other family members with dairy issues, so I appreciate the previous comments that made the suggestion. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Delicious! Used chicken and wild rice from meal the night before. I enjoyed the cooking of the Mirepoix, as it reminded me of following a recipe in a Julia Child cookbook, given to me as a young bride 53 years ago and I’m still enjoying cooking! The aroma is worth all the dicing! Superb! Served with corn bread & wine. With company or more people I would add a fresh fruit cup. Used 2% milk and a little heavy cream resulting in a nice creamy tongue.
My daughter wanted me to make this recipe for my 16 year olds birthday dinner. I was a little leery not knowing whether he and his two teen age brothers would like it as they’re all a little picky about what they eat. To my surprise everybody loved it. It was REALLY delicious I’ll definitely make this again.
I don’t usually follow soup recipes, which is why they’re never good. Duh!! I followed this one: omg, it is delicious!
The next time I make it, I’ll invite someone to dinner. The best soup I have ever had, and that includes gourmet restaurants! It is as beautiful as it is flavorful.
By the way, Pampered Chef makes a scissor-like chopping device, that is amazing for shredding the chicken!
I’m making a double batch for the 2nd time. So delicious exactly as described! Freezes really well. Costco rotisserie chicken works well too. And do not skimp on the fresh Rosemary which goes so well with the wild rice, baby Bella shrooms, garlic, etc. This is so much richer than the calories will penalize you for too.
Patty —
Did you freeze it with all the ingredients or add the milk after it thawed. I’ve always heard dairy doesn’t freeze well.
I made this recipe tonight and it was pretty easy and fairly tasty, it like a little something in the chicken flavor that I followed the recipe to a T. The other issue I had is I used white button mushrooms instead of Bellas and I used a wild rice mixture which also had some of the black rice And my soup was almost purple and then when I added the cream it turned gray. It tasted pretty good but it just looked weird. Any suggestions
Since my husband and I like spicy food, I added a little heat by sautéing one habanero pepper with the mirapoix and also adding 1 1/2 tablespoons of good quality curry powder with the mushrooms and other vegetables. I also added more rice to make a slightly thicker soup. This recipe is definitely a keeper! I also sautéed the chicken in the butter and oil before cooking it with the broth. I was using a wild rice mix that I knew would not need 40 minutes+ to cook. It took about 25 minutes to cook after adding the rice.
Very good! It’s the chicken wild rice soup that will get your kids to like these type of soups! So creamy. I doubled the veggies but didn’t have enough stock to double everything. I did about 1.5 times the stock by supplementing with better than bullion and also used some extra milk to balance how chunky I wanted it. I wanted to add kale but didn’t this time as I was cooking for a mostly child crowd and didn’t want to put them off. I used dried rosemary and chicken that was cooked in a slow cooker (with some stock and just a little basic seasoning) and then shredded, so I added it at the end with the milk and just made sure everything was warmed through. Will definitely make again!
Celia —
Wanted to add—I used 1.5 cups of wild rice (all I had) and omitted mushrooms for my group. I will use more wild rice next time and also double it so I have plenty for my lunches!
I’ve made this several times and it is delicious! My husband and I both love it with some toasted French bread. It makes a great warm meal on a cold winter night. I wonder if it’s possible to freeze it?
Very good soup, perfect for winter! I did sub out 1:1 gluten free flour with no issue. I also used unsweetened coconut milk as a sub for the dairy and to me it added a sweet flavor and aroma. I could taste/smell the difference and I didn’t prefer that. It was still good but when I make it again I’ll sub a different dairy alternative or throw a few potato halves in that I can puree with a bit of broth to thicken it instead. The coconut altered the flavor more than I thought it would. Thank you for the recipe!
I have made the recipe over 5 times now , it’s a very hardy soup where I like my soup a little more soupy if you know what I mean I stick 100% to the liquid count vegetables but I do 1 chicken breast and 1/2 cup of rice and I find it is the absolute perfect amount . I choose to do her 1 1/2 tbsps old bay and it is Devine . I cannot recommend this recipe enough. My grandpa is going threw cancer treatment and this soup is his go to so I’m sure to bring over a pot of it to him every couple weeks. 11/10
So tasty! The only thing I changed was I used dried rosemary (about half the amount as fresh) and added a couple shakes of Italian seasoning. Otherwise followed the recipe to a T and it turned out PERFECTLY. I love that it uses regular milk and flour instead of heavy cream. Will definitely make again!
I made this tonight and loved it! I did make some modifications. I added 8 cups of low sodium chicken broth but did not use the water the recipe called for, and then added a bunch of dried Rosemary along with the fresh. I also used one can of lite unsweetened coconut milk instead of the 2 C of milk. I couldn’t taste the coconut, and it added a creaminess I wanted and it also thickened the soup. I never needed to add flour or corn starch. I threw everything into my crock pot as the directions stated. At the end I used 2 Tbsp of EVOO to sauté the mushrooms and then dumped everything in. I added a bit more than two handfuls of spinach too.
I am from MN, which is one of the few states wild rice is grown and cultivated. I bought a good MN wild rice and it opened up beautifully after 7.5 hours on low in my crock pot. I hate it when the rice doesn’t open – it’s too sharp and chewy (that usually happens when it is undercooked). When it opens it’s so fluffy and soft in the middle. Oh, and I did use quite a bit of fresh cracked black pepper and sea salt. The result was so delicious! And bonus: because it is dairy free I can freeze it!
I removed the bay leaves before adding the spinach otherwise I enjoyed your recipe. Thank you
Comforting, easy, delicious!
This was great and I modified it to meet my family’s dietary restrictions, so I subbed arrowroot for flour, but added it at the end and used coconut milk instead of milk. I also used kale and broccoli leaves from my garden instead of spinach. My husband says that he considers is among the beat soups I’ve ever made.
Made this tonight for first time and is absolutely yummy. Made exactly as stated, substituting oat milk for cow’s milk. This is a keeper. Thanks so much for sharing :)
I just made this for my husband who is under the weather. It’s a cloudy, cool fall day… my house smells and amazing and the soup came out incredible. Used rotisserie chicken bc I am lazy and used whole milk as the milk. Put a side of store bought biscuits and I am a hero. So good. Just like all of your recipes! I usually come here for sweets and treats but now I know you are not a one trick pony! Thank you!!
I was feeling brave and had cooked a whole chicken already and was looking for a good way to use it. This recipe was just what I needed tonight! I did substitute thyme for the rosemary but it still was really delicious. Also, needed to be gluten free so I used Bob’s 1 to 1 flour.
I may try using the coconut milk next time for other family members with dairy issues, so I appreciate the previous comments that made the suggestion. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
I have made this soup so many times I thought it only right I leave a review. SERIOUSLY my favorite soup!!
LOVE THIS SOUP!
Would have given 5 stars but feel it needs half-1 cup more rice.
Best soup I’ve ever made! This is the new top favorite soup in the house! I didn’t change a thing.
Good flavor. Needs less broth, use a thinker cream & add more rice.
Delicious! Used chicken and wild rice from meal the night before. I enjoyed the cooking of the Mirepoix, as it reminded me of following a recipe in a Julia Child cookbook, given to me as a young bride 53 years ago and I’m still enjoying cooking! The aroma is worth all the dicing! Superb! Served with corn bread & wine. With company or more people I would add a fresh fruit cup. Used 2% milk and a little heavy cream resulting in a nice creamy tongue.
My daughter wanted me to make this recipe for my 16 year olds birthday dinner. I was a little leery not knowing whether he and his two teen age brothers would like it as they’re all a little picky about what they eat. To my surprise everybody loved it. It was REALLY delicious I’ll definitely make this again.
I don’t usually follow soup recipes, which is why they’re never good. Duh!! I followed this one: omg, it is delicious!
The next time I make it, I’ll invite someone to dinner. The best soup I have ever had, and that includes gourmet restaurants! It is as beautiful as it is flavorful.
By the way, Pampered Chef makes a scissor-like chopping device, that is amazing for shredding the chicken!
I’m making a double batch for the 2nd time. So delicious exactly as described! Freezes really well. Costco rotisserie chicken works well too. And do not skimp on the fresh Rosemary which goes so well with the wild rice, baby Bella shrooms, garlic, etc. This is so much richer than the calories will penalize you for too.
Did you freeze it with all the ingredients or add the milk after it thawed. I’ve always heard dairy doesn’t freeze well.
Super easy to make and my family loved it! Will definitely make again.
I made this recipe tonight and it was pretty easy and fairly tasty, it like a little something in the chicken flavor that I followed the recipe to a T. The other issue I had is I used white button mushrooms instead of Bellas and I used a wild rice mixture which also had some of the black rice And my soup was almost purple and then when I added the cream it turned gray. It tasted pretty good but it just looked weird. Any suggestions
Since my husband and I like spicy food, I added a little heat by sautéing one habanero pepper with the mirapoix and also adding 1 1/2 tablespoons of good quality curry powder with the mushrooms and other vegetables. I also added more rice to make a slightly thicker soup. This recipe is definitely a keeper! I also sautéed the chicken in the butter and oil before cooking it with the broth. I was using a wild rice mix that I knew would not need 40 minutes+ to cook. It took about 25 minutes to cook after adding the rice.
I LOVE this recipe and we’ve make it 3 times already!! Where are the nutrition facts/calories for this recipe??
I love this recipe, It’s really delicious. Do you by chance have any nutritional facts on this recipe, like calories, fats protein etc?
Made this soup today, because it’s snowing outside. Tasty and oh so yummy!
Very good! It’s the chicken wild rice soup that will get your kids to like these type of soups! So creamy. I doubled the veggies but didn’t have enough stock to double everything. I did about 1.5 times the stock by supplementing with better than bullion and also used some extra milk to balance how chunky I wanted it. I wanted to add kale but didn’t this time as I was cooking for a mostly child crowd and didn’t want to put them off. I used dried rosemary and chicken that was cooked in a slow cooker (with some stock and just a little basic seasoning) and then shredded, so I added it at the end with the milk and just made sure everything was warmed through. Will definitely make again!
Wanted to add—I used 1.5 cups of wild rice (all I had) and omitted mushrooms for my group. I will use more wild rice next time and also double it so I have plenty for my lunches!
Instead of garlic, rosemary, and bay leaf, I added tarragon. Delicious!
Is this soup suitable for freezing? Or would it be recommended to omit the dairy beforehand? Thank you!
Tried this with the old bay — oh boy is it great!
This is seriously my favorite soup in the world. I make it once a month in the cooler months. Thank you!
Can I use frozen chicken for the crockpot and cook on low?
Yum!! I’ve made this soup several times using different recipes and this is by far the best yet!! Yum!
I’ve made this several times and it is delicious! My husband and I both love it with some toasted French bread. It makes a great warm meal on a cold winter night. I wonder if it’s possible to freeze it?
I loved this! I did add some fresh lemon juice at the end…very good!
Very good soup, perfect for winter! I did sub out 1:1 gluten free flour with no issue. I also used unsweetened coconut milk as a sub for the dairy and to me it added a sweet flavor and aroma. I could taste/smell the difference and I didn’t prefer that. It was still good but when I make it again I’ll sub a different dairy alternative or throw a few potato halves in that I can puree with a bit of broth to thicken it instead. The coconut altered the flavor more than I thought it would. Thank you for the recipe!
I have made the recipe over 5 times now , it’s a very hardy soup where I like my soup a little more soupy if you know what I mean I stick 100% to the liquid count vegetables but I do 1 chicken breast and 1/2 cup of rice and I find it is the absolute perfect amount . I choose to do her 1 1/2 tbsps old bay and it is Devine . I cannot recommend this recipe enough. My grandpa is going threw cancer treatment and this soup is his go to so I’m sure to bring over a pot of it to him every couple weeks. 11/10
It was so delicious!!! I loved it!!
Can I sub gluten free flour?
Can you freeze this soup? So good.
So tasty! The only thing I changed was I used dried rosemary (about half the amount as fresh) and added a couple shakes of Italian seasoning. Otherwise followed the recipe to a T and it turned out PERFECTLY. I love that it uses regular milk and flour instead of heavy cream. Will definitely make again!
Oh my! So YUMMY!