Description
Comforting slow cooker chicken and wild rice soup delivers hearty warmth with rich, creamy textures that dance between tender chicken and nutty wild rice. Nourishing ingredients simmer together, creating a soul-warming bowl perfect for chilly evenings when you crave something wholesome and satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 1 lb (454 grams) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
Grains and Liquids:
- 1 cup wild rice blend, uncooked
- 4 cups (946 milliliters) chicken broth (low sodium)
- 2 cups (473 milliliters) water
- 1 cup (237 milliliters) heavy cream (or half-and-half)
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Herbs and Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon rosemary
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 bay leaf
Thickeners and Garnishes:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour (or cornstarch for gluten-free)
- Fresh parsley
- Grated Parmesan
- Crusty bread
Instructions
- Dice the onions, carrots, and celery into uniform, bite-sized pieces to ensure even cooking and consistent texture throughout the soup.
- Nestle the chicken pieces into the bottom of the slow cooker, creating a solid protein base for the soup.
- Sprinkle minced garlic over the chicken, allowing its aromatic essence to infuse the entire dish during slow cooking.
- Carefully measure and scatter wild rice across the chicken, ensuring an even distribution for balanced flavor in each spoonful.
- Gently crumble dried thyme and rosemary between your fingers, releasing their essential oils directly into the slow cooker.
- Dust a light layer of paprika over the ingredients, adding a subtle warmth and rich color to the soup.
- Drop in the bay leaf, which will slowly release its distinctive herbal undertones during the cooking process.
- Season generously with salt and pepper, creating a robust flavor foundation for the soup.
- Pour broth and water over the ingredients, making sure all components are partially submerged.
- Cover and set the slow cooker to low heat, allowing the ingredients to meld and transform into a comforting, hearty soup over 6-7 hours.
- Thirty minutes before serving, remove the chicken and shred it using two forks, then return the meat to the soup.
- Discard the bay leaf before ladling the soup into warm bowls, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable dining experience.
Notes
- Choose bone-in chicken breasts for richer flavor and more tender meat that falls apart easily during cooking.
- Rinse wild rice thoroughly before adding to remove any debris and prevent potential grittiness in the final soup.
- For a gluten-free version, ensure your broth is certified gluten-free and use cornstarch instead of flour for thickening if needed.
- Consider adding a splash of heavy cream or half-and-half during the last 30 minutes of cooking for a creamier, more luxurious soup texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-8 hours (low) / 3-4 hours (high)
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg