Crockpot Chicken Wild Rice Soup

5 from 10 votes

Crockpot Chicken Wild Rice Soup is packed with hearty veggies, tender chicken, and a flavorful wild rice blend. Just toss everything into the slow cooker and let it do the work!

Prep Time30

Cook Time5

Total Time5 30

Course: Dinner, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Crockpot Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $17.82

Equipment

6-quart Crock-Pot 6-quart; or use an Instant Pot
Small pot

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs see note 1
1 cup uncooked wild rice blend see note 2
1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion 1 onion, see note 3
3/4 cup finely diced carrot 2 carrots
3/4 cup finely diced celery 2 ribs
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 cup diced sweet potato 1 potato
6 cups chicken stock or broth
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons flour
2 cups whole milk
Fresh herbs like parsley or thyme, optional
Hearty buttered bread optional, for serving

Seasonings

2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
Salt and pepper

US - Metric

Instructions

Add the chicken, rice, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, sweet potato, chicken stock, and all seasonings to the Crock-Pot or Instant Pot. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Stir well.
For Crock-Pot: Cover and cook on low for 5–8 hours or on high for 3.5–5 hours, until the rice is tender and chicken shreds easily.
For Instant Pot: Seal and cook on manual mode for 10 minutes. Let pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure.
When soup is nearly done, melt butter in a small pot over medium heat. Slowly whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually add in milk while whisking constantly. Let simmer over medium-low heat until thickened. Whisk often.
Remove the chicken, shred, and return it to the soup. Stir in the cream mixture, discard bay leaves, and adjust seasonings. If the soup is too thick, add up to 1 cup of milk.
Garnish with fresh parsley or thyme and serve with hearty buttered bread.

Video

Notes

Note 1: This soup gets a lot of flavor from the fat in the chicken thighs, which I don’t trim before cooking. When shredding the chicken after cooking, I pull off any rendered fat. You can substitute chicken breasts, but the soup will be less flavorful. If using breasts, cut them into 3 pieces before adding.

Note 2: Be cautious with your wild rice choice. Black or forbidden rice can tint the entire dish black. I use the Lundberg wild rice blend, which becomes soft and tender. It can get a bit mushy if overcooked, which I don’t mind as it adds a thick, hearty texture. If you prefer firmer rice, check it at the earliest cook time.

Note 3: Smaller, evenly diced veggies make a better soup. I dice the onion, celery, and carrot very small, and the sweet potato into 1/2-inch chunks.

Stovetop Directions: Follow this recipe instead!

Storage: This soup stores well in the fridge for 3–4 days. Reheat slowly over low heat to prevent the soup from separating. Freeze in an airtight bag and thaw overnight in the fridge.

Nutrition