Description
This slow cooker chicken and wild rice soup is a hearty, cozy, and effortless recipe perfect for chilly days or easy weeknight dinners. Loaded with tender chicken, nutty wild rice, and fresh vegetables, it’s comfort food that cooks while you go about your day.
Ingredients
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (trimmed)
1 cup uncooked wild rice (not a blend)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch rounds
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
¾ cup heavy cream (add at the end)
2 tablespoons olive oil (optional, for sautéing)
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
1. Rinse the wild rice under cold water and dice all vegetables.
2. Place chicken thighs at the bottom of the slow cooker. Add rice, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, broth, thyme, salt, pepper, and bay leaf.
3. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or high for 4 hours, until chicken is tender and rice is fully cooked.
4. Remove chicken, shred with two forks, and return it to the pot. Stir in the heavy cream.
5. Cook for an additional 10–15 minutes to warm the cream. Serve hot with chopped parsley.
Notes
Use true wild rice, not a wild rice blend, for best texture.
For dairy-free, substitute coconut milk for heavy cream.
Add spinach or kale in the final 10 minutes if desired.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
Keywords: slow cooker chicken and wild rice soup, crockpot wild rice soup, comfort soup