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Chicken soup is the epitome of comfort food, and this easy Chicken Wild Rice Soup is among my favorite variations on the theme. Ready in just 40 minutes, this big-batch soup recipe is crowd-pleasing and perfect for meal prep or parties.
Transform 2 cups of leftover chicken into a cozy soup that can feed a crowd with this easy creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup recipe. This is a Minnesota classic recipe from my best friend Jessi’s mom, and it is the comfort food I crave early and often once temperatures start to dip in fall.
While you could buy chicken and rice soup in cans, this easy homemade soup recipe’s flavor makes the 20 minutes of prep time so worth the effort. This particular recipe for chicken soup with wild rice comes from my friend Jessi’s mom, Kathy, a true Minnesotan. Every dish of hers I try, I beg for the recipe, and am totally hooked on the unique flavor-boosters she sneaks into this soup. Serve it from the stovetop or transfer to a slow cooker to keep warm all tailgate or party long; since it makes 14 cups, this is one dish that’s perfect for gatherings.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- White button mushrooms: Or baby portobello mushrooms. I prefer the texture and flavor of fresh mushrooms, but canned mushrooms work in a pinch.
- Morton Nature’s Season Seasoning Blend: Salt, black pepper, sugar, onion, garlic, parsley, celery seed, and some of brand’s secret spice additions star in this complex-tasting spice mix. I buy this online to sprinkle into soups, roasted vegetables, dips, and beyond.
- Poultry seasoning: Snag a jar from the spice aisle or buy poultry seasoning online, or to make Homemade Poultry Seasoning, combine 2 teaspoons ground sage, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground thyme, 1 teaspoon dried marjoram, 3/4 teaspoon ground rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper. You’ll just need ¼ teaspoon, so store the rest in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
- Chicken broth: Follow my method for Homemade Chicken Broth or buy it in cartons or cans.
- Chicken base: Similar to bullion cubes, chicken base is a concentrated form of chicken stock solid as a powder or paste. I love Better than Bouillon‘s paste, which is widely available and tastes incredible.
- Kitchen Bouquet seasoning: This savory sauce is a concentrated blend of vegetable stock, spices, herbs, and aromatics. A little bit goes a long way. Again, you can find this online if it’s not available in your supermarket. Solid alternatives include Worcestershire sauce, Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, dark soy sauce, or Maggi Liquid Seasoning.
- Cooked chicken: Leftover or Rotisserie chicken; diced or shredded. After the holidays, this wild rice soup is a terrific vehicle for leftover turkey, too.
- Cooked wild rice: Look for black rice or a wild rice blend. Either way, cook the rice according to package instructions before adding it to the soup.
Step by step instructions
- In a Dutch oven or stock pot, melt butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Add mushrooms, onion, carrots, celery, Morton’s Nature Seasoning, and poultry seasoning. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and released most of their liquid, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in flour and cook until heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in one cup of broth until no lumps of flour remain.
- Stir in remaining broth, chicken base, Kitchen Bouquet seasoning, chicken, and cooked wild rice. Heat until barely simmering, about 180 degrees.
- Stir in half and half and return to 180 degrees (do not boil).
- Season to taste with salt and pepper (I like ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper) and garnish with fresh parsley. Or, transfer to a slow cooker and keep warm.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: My Chicken Wild Rice Soup recipe makes 14 1-cup appetizer or side dish-sized servings. To make it a meal, pair a cup with a salad (like Beet Salad, Easy Garden Salad, or Farro Salad with Peas and Feta) and Toasted Baguette for dunking.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: Get a head start on this recipe by prepping the vegetables early (store separately in the refrigerator), and cook the chicken if you don’t have leftover chicken handy.
Recipe FAQs
Start on the stovetop, then shift to a slow cooker for the best results. After finishing Step 4 of the soup recipe below (do not to boil the soup once the cream has been added), transfer the soup to a slow cooker and keep warm for serving.
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Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
- 1 medium onion finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 carrot finely diced (about ½ cup)
- 1 celery rib finely diced (about ½ cup)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Morton Nature’s Season seasoning blend
- 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons chicken base
- 1/4 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet seasoning
- 2 cups cooked chicken diced or shredded
- 2 cups cooked wild rice
- 2 cups half and half or heavy cream
- minced fresh parsley for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or stock pot, melt butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Add mushrooms, onion, carrots, celery, Morton's Nature Seasoning, and poultry seasoning. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and released most of their liquid, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in flour and cook until heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in one cup of broth until no lumps of flour remain.
- Stir in remaining broth, chicken base, Kitchen Bouquet seasoning, chicken, and cooked wild rice. Heat until barely simmering, about 180 degrees.
- Stir in half and half and return to 180 degrees (do not boil). Season to taste with salt and pepper (I like ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper) and garnish with fresh parsley. Or, transfer to a slow cooker and keep warm.
Recipe Video
Notes
- White button mushrooms: Or baby portobello mushrooms. I prefer the texture and flavor of fresh mushrooms, but canned mushrooms work in a pinch.
- Morton Nature’s Season Seasoning Blend: Salt, black pepper, sugar, onion, garlic, parsley, celery seed, and some of brand’s secret spice additions star in this complex-tasting spice mix. I buy this online to sprinkle into soups, roasted vegetables, dips, and beyond.
- Poultry seasoning: Snag a jar from the spice aisle or buy poultry seasoning online, or to make Homemade Poultry Seasoning, combine 2 teaspoons ground sage, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground thyme, 1 teaspoon dried marjoram, 3/4 teaspoon ground rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper. You’ll just need ¼ teaspoon, so store the rest in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
- Chicken broth: Follow my method for Homemade Chicken Broth or buy it in cartons or cans.
- Chicken base: Similar to bullion cubes, chicken base is a concentrated form of chicken stock solid as a powder or paste. I love Better than Bouillon‘s paste.
- Kitchen Bouquet seasoning: A little bit goes a long way. Again, you can find this online if it’s not available in your supermarket. Solid alternatives include Worcestershire sauce, Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, dark soy sauce, or Maggi Liquid Seasoning.
- Cooked chicken: Leftover or Rotisserie chicken; diced or shredded. After the holidays, this wild rice soup is a terrific vehicle for leftover turkey, too.
- Cooked wild rice: Look for black rice or a wild rice blend. Either way, cook the rice according to package instructions before adding it to the soup.
- Yield: My Chicken Wild Rice Soup recipe makes 14 1-cup appetizer or side dish-sized servings.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
I made the CHICKEN WILD RICE Soup. Wow!!!!!! I did find the Morton Salt Natural Seasoning & the Kitchen Bouquet at my grocery store. I added some granulated garlic too. I’m not a big soup eater, but this was perfect! I sat in front of my tv, watching Monday Night Football, eating this divine soup. Perfection!!❤️😋
Hi Louise, so glad you loved it! Sounds like a really lovely evening! – Meggan
What is chicken base?
Chicken base is like a concentrated chicken powder or paste. Here’s my favorite one (link to Amazon) but I would buy it locally. You should be able to find it at any regular grocery store, Walmart, or Target. http://a.co/4j1U28j
If you need anything else just let me know! Thanks Toni!
If you’re making a stock, and don’t want to make it traditionally, use a “paste” base. Never cheap bullion cubes. Read ingredients list on label. Bullion cubes first and main ingredient is salt. Not so with the pastes. You get what you pay for. Pastes are more expensive. Use pastes. Better flavor. Not worth sacrificing outcome if desired dish.
I totally agree with you about this! This recipe came from a friend a long time ago, before I knew about the benefits of the pastes. Better than Bouillon is the one I keep on hand, it’s probably the one you’re thinking of. I agree 100% and will change this recipe. Thanks for pointing that out! Have a great week. -Meggan