Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Published by Fork Around & Find Out Kitchen — presented in the Lila editorial voice. Editorial standards

Wild rice has one great virtue in soup: it refuses to disappear. Even after hours in the slow cooker, it keeps enough chew to make every spoonful feel substantial, which is exactly what this chicken and wild rice soup needs. Chicken breasts, wild rice blend, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, thyme, and broth all cook together until the chicken shreds easily and the rice is tender.

The creamy part waits until the end. Heavy cream is whisked with flour and stirred in only after the chicken has been shredded, then the soup cooks another 15 minutes on high to thicken slightly. Adding the dairy-flour mixture late keeps the long cook focused on tenderizing the chicken and rice instead of asking cream to spend six hours in a slow cooker contemplating its life choices.

The finished soup should still be spoonable, not casserole-thick, with visible grains of wild rice and vegetables in every bowl. Check that the chicken reaches 165°F before shredding, then taste the broth again after the cream goes in because dairy softens seasoning. Fresh parsley at the table adds brightness. It is a cold-weather soup with enough body to count as dinner and enough leftovers to make tomorrow considerably easier.

Prep20 minutes

Cook25 minutes

Total45 minutes

Serves4 servings

DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

Servings

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup wild rice blend, uncooked
8 cups chicken broth
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Fresh parsley, for serving

Instructions

1Add chicken breasts, wild rice, broth, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker.
2Cook on low 6 to 7 hours or high 3 to 4 hours until the rice is tender and the chicken shreds easily.
3Remove chicken and shred with two forks.
4Whisk cream and flour together. Stir into the slow cooker. Return shredded chicken.
5Cook 15 more minutes on high until the soup thickens slightly. Cook poultry until the thickest piece reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
6Serve with fresh parsley.

Nutrition Information

Estimated per serving: 1 of 4 servings.

650Calories

49 gProtein

51 gCarbohydrates

27 gTotal Fat

15 gSaturated Fat

3 gFiber

6 gTotal Sugars

2370 mgSodium

205 mgCholesterol

Estimated from the ingredients and quantities in this recipe using standard food-composition values. Brand choices, trimming, cooking loss, optional ingredients, and actual portion size can change the numbers. How we calculate nutrition estimates.

Pro Tips

Wild rice blend works better than pure wild rice — pure wild rice can be too chewy for soup.
Add the cream at the end. Dairy that cooks for hours in a slow cooker can curdle.
This soup thickens as it sits. Add broth when reheating.

Substitutions

wild rice blend → long-grain brown rice Slightly different texture but equally hearty.

heavy cream → coconut cream for dairy-free Different flavor but same creamy body.

chicken breasts → chicken thighs for juicier meat Thighs hold up better to long cooking.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Add broth when reheating.

Make Ahead

Set it up the night before in the slow cooker insert. Refrigerate the insert and start in the morning.

Freezing

For the best result, freeze the chicken, wild rice, vegetable, and broth base before adding the heavy cream and flour mixture. Thaw in the refrigerator, reheat, then add the creamy finish and let it thicken.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes. Slow-cook the chicken, wild rice, vegetables, and broth ahead and refrigerate the soup base. For the smoothest texture, stir in the cream-and-flour finish while reheating or close to serving rather than holding the finished creamy soup for a long time.

How do I store the leftovers?

Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Add broth when reheating.

Can I freeze it?

What substitutions work in Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup?

Tested swaps for this recipe: wild rice blend: long-grain brown rice. Slightly different texture but equally hearty. heavy cream: coconut cream for dairy-free. Different flavor but same creamy body.