Description
A cozy, creamy one-pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup loaded with carrots, celery, onions, fresh herbs, and tender shredded chicken—thickened just enough for a silky spoonful and brightened with a squeeze of lemon. Perfect for cold-weather comfort, weeknight dinners, make-ahead lunches, or easy entertaining.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup onion (diced)
- ½ cup celery stalk (diced)
- ½ cup carrots (thinly sliced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ tablespoon fresh thyme (chopped)
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 5 cups chicken stock
- ½ cup wild rice mix (Lundberg’s Wild Blend® recommended)
- 1 ½ cups cooked and shredded chicken (like rotisserie)
Thickening and Finishing
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat oil: Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Sauté vegetables: Add diced onion, celery, and carrots; sauté about 5 minutes until slightly softened.
- Add aromatics and season: Stir in minced garlic, chopped thyme, and rosemary sprigs; cook for 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper if using.
- Add stock and rice: Pour in the chicken stock, reserving a small amount to mix with cornstarch later. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add wild rice and shredded chicken.
- Simmer soup: Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the wild rice is tender-chewy.
- Prepare slurry and thicken: Whisk the reserved chicken stock with cornstarch until smooth. Stir this slurry into the soup along with the heavy cream. Simmer for 5 minutes until the soup is lightly thickened and glossy, adding slurry gradually until it just coats the spoon.
- Finish and season: Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, and lemon juice as needed.
- Serve: Serve warm with crusty bread. If the soup thickens upon sitting, loosen it with a splash of warm stock. For best texture when reheating, add the slurry and cream after warming.
Notes
- This soup is perfect for make-ahead meals; add slurry and cream after reheating to maintain thickness and texture.
- Use rotisserie chicken for convenience and flavor.
- If you prefer a milder flavor, omit the cayenne pepper.
- Crusty bread pairs beautifully to soak up the creamy soup.
- You can substitute wild rice mix with long grain brown rice for a different texture, but cook time may vary.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 268 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 331 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 43 mg
