Name: Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil; 1 small white or yellow onion, peeled and diced; 2 medium carrots, diced; 2 celery stalks, diced; 6 cloves garlic, minced; 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, diced; 2 large handfuls fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped; 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts; 1 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed and drained; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 6 cups chicken stock (or veggie stock); 1 tablespoon finely-chopped fresh rosemary; 2 bay leaves; 2 cups plain milk (cow’s milk or plant-based milk); fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste

Description

A comforting and hearty Chicken and Wild Rice Soup featuring tender chicken breasts, earthy wild rice, and fresh vegetables all simmered together in a creamy broth enhanced with fresh rosemary and baby spinach. Perfect for a cozy meal any day.

Ingredients

Base and Vegetables

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 small white or yellow onion, peeled and diced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, diced
2 large handfuls fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped

Grains and Protein

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed and drained

Liquids and Flavorings

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups chicken stock (or veggie stock)
1 tablespoon finely-chopped fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
2 cups plain milk (cow’s milk or plant-based milk)
fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

Sauté the veggies. Melt the butter or olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened. Then stir in the diced carrots, celery, and minced garlic and sauté for an additional 3 minutes.
Add the flour. Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour over the vegetables and cook for 1 more minute, stirring frequently to coat the veggies and to cook out the raw flour taste.
Add the liquids and main ingredients. Gradually pour in the chicken stock while stirring constantly to prevent lumps, allowing the flour to fully incorporate and thicken the broth. Add the chicken breasts, diced baby bella mushrooms, rinsed wild rice, chopped fresh rosemary, and bay leaves. Stir to combine evenly.
Simmer the soup. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 40-45 minutes, stirring every 5-7 minutes to prevent sticking or burning, until the wild rice is tender and chicken is cooked through.
Shred or dice the chicken. Using tongs, carefully remove the cooked chicken breasts from the pot and place on a clean plate. Dice the chicken or shred it using two forks into bite-sized pieces, then stir it back into the soup pot.
Add milk and spinach. Pour in the 2 cups of milk and stir in the roughly chopped baby spinach until the spinach wilts and all ingredients are well combined.
Season the soup. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Taste the soup and season it with fine sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper according to your preference.
Serve warm. Ladle the hearty chicken and wild rice soup into bowls and enjoy it warm for a nourishing meal.

Notes

You can substitute olive oil for butter for a dairy-free option.
Use vegetable stock to make the soup vegetarian, and omit chicken for a meatless version.
Feel free to swap baby bella mushrooms with cremini or white mushrooms based on availability.
Rinsing wild rice before cooking removes excess starch and improves texture.
For extra creaminess, use whole milk or a plant-based milk such as oat or cashew.
Stirring periodically while simmering prevents the rice at the bottom from sticking or burning.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: Soup
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American