Chicken Mushroom Wild Rice Soup is a creamy soup filled with juicy chicken and savory mushrooms in a cheesy soup broth to make a very flavorful dish. Serve this hearty soup for dinner during the cold weather months or any time of year you are craving a comforting soup.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Chicken Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
🕒 Ready In: ~45 minutes
👪 Serves: 8 servings
🍽 Calories: ~340 per serving (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Wild rice, mushrooms, carrots, celery, onion, chicken broth, shredded chicken, heavy cream, parmesan
📖 Dietary Info: Naturally gluten-free and easy to adapt for dairy-free variations
👌 Difficulty: Easy - simple sauté, simmer, and finish with cream
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This delicious Chicken Mushroom Wild Rice Soup gets its unique nutty flavor from its wild rice blend and white or cremini mushrooms. The best part about this soup is that you can use shredded chicken from any leftover chicken you're looking to use up. Together, these three things make this filling soup have such great flavor.
For more cold-weather dinners like this soup, try our creamy Zuppa Toscana Soup, hearty Seafood Stew, or classic French Onion Soup.
Jump to:
- A Quick Look at the Recipe
- Why You'll Love this Chicken Mushroom Wild Rice Soup:
- Key Ingredients:
- Easy Substitutions & Variations:
- How to Make Chicken Mushroom Wild Rice Soup:
- Recipe Notes & Tips:
- How to Store:
- Chicken Mushroom Wild Rice Soup FAQs:
- More Soup Recipes You'll Love
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- Chicken Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
Why You'll Love this Chicken Mushroom Wild Rice Soup:
Rich & Comforting: This creamy wild rice soup is packed with wholesome ingredients and comforting flavors, perfect for chilly days.
Easy One-Pot Meal: Everything comes together in one pot, making cleanup simple and hassle-free.
Hearty & Satisfying: The combination of tender chicken, wild rice, and creamy broth creates a filling meal that's both nourishing and delicious.
Balanced Flavors: A blend of aromatic garlic, thyme, and parmesan cheese enhances the depth of flavor in every bite.
Customizable: Easily swap out ingredients like using turkey instead of chicken, or add more vegetables for extra nutrients.
Great for Meal Prep: This soup stores well and tastes even better the next day, making it a great make-ahead meal.
Key Ingredients:
- chicken broth. Forms the flavorful base of the soup. Use homemade chicken broth for the best flavor.
- wild rice. Provides a hearty texture and nutty flavor. Ensure it's 100% wild rice, not a blend, for the best results.
- shredded chicken. Rotisserie chicken works well for convenience, or use leftover cooked chicken.
- heavy cream. Creates a rich, velvety texture. Substitute with half-and-half for a lighter version.
- parmesan cheese. Adds a savory, cheesy depth. Use freshly grated parmesan for the best flavor, or a dairy-free alternative if needed.
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for exact quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations:
- Chicken Options: Use leftover rotisserie chicken, cooked shredded chicken breasts, or swap in turkey for a post-holiday variation.
- Rice Alternatives: Replace wild rice with a wild rice blend or brown rice. Avoid white rice, it cooks too quickly and becomes mushy.
- Lighter Version: Substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream or use milk with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked in.
- Dairy-Free Option: Use olive oil instead of butter and replace the cream with full-fat coconut milk; skip the parmesan or use a dairy-free alternative.
- More Vegetables: Add spinach, kale, or extra mushrooms during the last few minutes of simmering.
- Thicker Soup: Add an extra ¼ cup of parmesan or simmer a few minutes longer to reduce the broth.
- Mushroom Swap: White mushrooms can be replaced with baby bella or cremini mushrooms for deeper flavor.
How to Make Chicken Mushroom Wild Rice Soup:
- Step 1: In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes.
- Step 2: Add in the chicken broth, mushrooms and thyme then bring to a boil.
- Step 3: Once boiling, add the wild rice. Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Step 4: Stir in the shredded chicken, heavy cream, and grated parmesan cheese. Let it simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
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Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Wild Rice Cooking Time: Wild rice takes longer to cook than other rice varieties. Be sure to simmer until tender, which can take around 30-40 minutes depending on the brand.
- Shredded Chicken Shortcut: Use rotisserie chicken for an easy and flavorful shortcut, or cook and shred your own chicken breasts.
Adjusting Thickness: If you prefer a thicker soup, let it simmer a bit longer after adding the cream and parmesan. You can also stir in a slurry of cornstarch and water for extra thickness. - Dairy-Free Option: Substitute coconut milk or a dairy-free cream alternative for the heavy cream and use a dairy-free parmesan substitute.
- More Veggies: Feel free to add spinach or kale at the end for extra greens, or toss in peas or corn for a slight sweetness.
- Seasoning Adjustments: Taste and season at the end. Parmesan is naturally salty, so adjust the salt and pepper after adding the cheese.
How to Store:
Refrigeration: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally.
Freezing: This soup can be frozen, but the texture may change due to the cream and rice. If planning to freeze, consider freezing before adding the heavy cream and parmesan, then stir them in after reheating. Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Warm on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of broth or cream if needed to restore consistency.
Chicken Mushroom Wild Rice Soup FAQs:
Wild rice continues absorbing liquid as it sits. If your soup becomes thicker than you prefer, add a splash of chicken broth or water when reheating to loosen the consistency without altering the flavor.
Absolutely. Replace the butter with olive oil and use full-fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream. Skip the parmesan or use a dairy-free substitute. The soup will still be creamy and flavorful.
Yes. A wild rice blend works well in this Chicken Mushroom Wild Rice Soup. Just note that blends may cook slightly faster than pure wild rice, so begin checking for tenderness around the 20-25 minute mark.
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Chicken Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots, sliced
- 1 cup celery, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup wild rice
- 2 cups shredded chicken
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add in the chicken broth, mushrooms and thyme then bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the wild rice. Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
- Stir in the shredded chicken, heavy cream, and grated parmesan cheese. Let it simmer for an additional 5 minutes, allowing the soup to thicken slightly.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, adding salt and pepper as desired.
Nutrition
Notes
- Wild Rice Cooking Time: Wild rice takes longer to cook than other rice varieties. Be sure to simmer until tender, which can take around 30-40 minutes depending on the brand.
- Shredded Chicken Shortcut: Use rotisserie chicken for an easy and flavorful shortcut, or cook and shred your own chicken breasts.
- Adjusting Thickness: If you prefer a thicker soup, let it simmer a bit longer after adding the cream and parmesan. You can also stir in a slurry of cornstarch and water for extra thickness.
- Dairy-Free Option: Substitute coconut milk or a dairy-free cream alternative for the heavy cream and use a dairy-free parmesan substitute.
- More Veggies: Feel free to add spinach or kale at the end for extra greens, or toss in peas or corn for a slight sweetness.
- Seasoning Adjustments: Taste and season at the end. Parmesan is naturally salty, so adjust the salt and pepper after adding the cheese.
Leah says
Beautiful, simple, hearty, and healthy. Easy to put together and extremely comforting. A new soup staple