Description
Creamy Crockpot Chicken Wild Rice Soup is an easy slow-cooker dinner made with tender chicken, hearty wild rice, carrots, celery, garlic, and herbs. Finished with milk and half-and-half, this cozy soup is creamy, satisfying, and perfect for busy weeknights or chilly evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 4 carrots, sliced
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 onion, diced
- 7–9 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed
- 4–5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1–1½ tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup half-and-half
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½–1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- Fresh parsley for serving, optional
Instructions
- Prep the vegetables: Dice the onion, slice the carrots, chop the celery, and mince the garlic. Rinse and drain the wild rice.
- Layer the ingredients: Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, thyme, parsley, salt, and black pepper. Top with the onion, carrots, and celery.
- Add the rice and broth: Pour in 7–8 cups of chicken broth. Add the rinsed wild rice and bay leaf, then cover.
- Slow cook: Cook on LOW for 6–8 hours when using pure wild rice, or until the rice is tender. If using a wild rice blend, begin checking around 4–6 hours.
- Shred the chicken: Once the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, remove it from the slow cooker and shred it with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the soup.
- Make it creamy: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, half-and-half, and whole milk until completely smooth and no flour lumps remain.
- Finish the soup: Slowly pour the milk mixture into the Crockpot while stirring. Continue stirring until well combined and creamy. If the soup is thicker than you prefer, add more chicken broth until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Serve: Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley if desired, and serve warm with crusty bread.
Notes
- Use real wild rice: Avoid seasoned boxed mixes such as Rice-A-Roni because their cooking times and seasonings differ.
- Wild rice blends cook faster: A blend may be ready in 4–6 hours, while pure wild rice can require 6–8 hours on LOW.
- Adjust the consistency: Wild rice absorbs plenty of liquid. Keep extra broth nearby and add it as needed.
- Check the chicken: Chicken is safely cooked when the thickest part reaches 165°F.
- Avoid flour lumps: Whisk the flour thoroughly with the milk and half-and-half before adding it to the soup.
- Gluten-free option: Use an appropriate gluten-free all-purpose flour in place of regular flour.
- For leftovers: The soup will thicken as the rice continues absorbing liquid. Add a splash of broth or milk when reheating.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Soup, Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker / Crockpot
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (⅛ of recipe)
- Calories: 310 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg