Description

This Healthy Chicken Wild Rice Soup is a hearty, nutritious, and comforting meal perfect for any time of the year. Made with tender chicken pieces, earthy wild rice, fresh vegetables, and a creamy broth enriched with milk and mustard, this soup delivers balanced flavors and textures. Whether prepared on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, or an Instant Pot, it offers flexibility and ease without compromising on taste. It’s a wholesome choice for a family meal, filled with vitamins, protein, and fiber.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken and Broth

1.5 pounds any raw chicken pieces (breasts, drumsticks, or cut-up whole chicken)
7 cups water or low sodium chicken broth

Vegetables and Mushrooms

1 large onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 large carrots, coarsely chopped
3 large celery stalks, diced
2 large potatoes, diced
½ cup dried mushrooms or 2 cups fresh brown mushrooms, sliced

Grains and Seasonings

1 ½ cups wild rice
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 ¾ teaspoons salt
Ground black pepper, to taste

Finishing Ingredients

2 cups whole milk
Small bunch parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon butter (for stovetop and slow cooker sauté only)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Prepare the base (Stovetop option): Preheat a large heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add butter and wait until melted. Add the finely chopped onion and minced garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
Cook vegetables (Stovetop option): Add the coarsely chopped carrots, diced celery, fresh mushrooms if using, dried thyme, garlic powder, salt, and ground black pepper. Sauté for an additional 5 minutes to soften and develop flavor.
Add main ingredients (Stovetop option): Add the chicken pieces, diced potatoes, dried mushrooms if fresh weren’t used, wild rice, and the water or low sodium chicken broth to the pot.
Simmer the soup (Stovetop option): Cover the pot, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Let the soup cook gently for about 55 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender.
Prepare the base (Slow Cooker option): Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat, adding butter. When melted, sauté onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes. Add carrots, celery, fresh mushrooms (if used), thyme, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes to soften.
Transfer and cook (Slow Cooker option): Move the sautéed vegetables to the slow cooker along with the chicken, potatoes, dried mushrooms (if not using fresh), wild rice, and water or broth. Cover and cook on Low for 8-10 hours or High for 5-6 hours until everything is tender.
Prepare ingredients (Instant Pot option): In the Instant Pot, add chicken pieces, chopped onion, garlic, carrots, celery, potatoes, mushrooms, wild rice, water or broth, thyme, mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Pressure cook (Instant Pot option): Secure the lid, set the pressure valve to sealing, and select Pressure Cook or Manual on High pressure for 25 minutes. When done, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully do a quick release by turning the valve to venting.
Shred chicken: Remove the cooked chicken onto a plate and shred it using two forks while the soup continues to cook or settle.
Finish the soup: Return to the pot or Instant Pot, add the whole milk and prepared mustard. Use an immersion blender to pulse a few times until the soup reaches the desired creamy thickness. Adjust thickness, seasoning, and add extra water if needed.
Add chicken and herbs: Stir the shredded chicken and finely chopped parsley into the soup. Mix thoroughly to combine flavors.
Serve: Ladle the soup hot into bowls. Optionally, serve with crusty bread for dipping. Enjoy the comforting and nourishing soup immediately.

Notes

You can choose fresh or dried mushrooms depending on availability; dried mushrooms add a deeper flavor while fresh offer texture.
Using low sodium broth allows better control of saltiness.
For a lighter version, substitute whole milk with 2% or skim milk.
Immersion blending allows control over soup texture; blend more for creaminess, less for chunkier soup.
The recipe is flexible for cooking methods – stovetop, slow cooker, or Instant Pot based on convenience.
Leftovers keep well refrigerated for 3-4 days and freeze nicely for up to 2 months.
For gluten-free option, ensure the mustard and broth used are certified gluten-free.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour (stovetop) / 8 hours (slow cooker low) / 25 minutes (Instant Pot pressure cook plus 10 minutes natural release)
Category: Soup
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American