Is there ever a bad occasion for chicken soup? It’s great when you’re sick, when you’re healthy, when you’re cold, when you’re a kid, and when you’re an adult. I don’t think there is another meal as soul-satisfying, easy to make, and simple as chicken soup. This version of chicken soup with wild rice is simple and tasty. It has all the classic tastes of traditional chicken soup with a bit of an earthy, nutty flavor and deliciously chewy texture from the addition of wild rice. Most chicken wild rice soups have a thick, creamy base, but this version has no cream. It’s healthier and lighter than other recipes, and easily adaptable to be 100% dairy free.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Butter – use olive oil or ghee for a dairy-free option.Celery, carrots, onionChicken stock – homemade chicken stock is best, but store-bought or boullion-based is fine.Wild rice – or a wild rice blendCooked shredded chicken – leftover roast chicken, poached chicken breasts, or slow cooker chicken works well, or store-bought rotisserie chicken.
How to make chicken wild rice soup
Tips and Tricks
Rinse the wild rice off before adding it to the pot. This is good practice for rice and other grains/seeds like quinoa as it will remove some surface starches and improve the flavor.To save time, you can soak the wild rice or use already cooked wild rice. Soak the rice overnight in salted water, drain and rinse, and add to the pot with 2 cups less chicken broth. If using pre-cooked, use 3 cups less chicken broth.
What is wild rice?
Did you know that wild rice is actually a seed, not a grain? And that it contains as much protein as quinoa? And it has a lot of fiber? It’s a great, healthy thing to keep in your pantry, and an awesome gluten-free alternative to noodles in chicken soup. It’s also lower in carbs than other rice. Some bags of wild rice are actually wild rice mixes, and will include wild rice along with brown rice and other kinds of rice. You can use either kind in this recipe. Wild rice takes a while to cook– usually around 45 minutes, but it can take an hour or more depending on the age, size, etc. So be sure to allot enough time to cook!
Can I freeze it?
Yes! This soup freezes really well. Since chicken noodle soup doesn’t freeze well (the noodles get mushy), chicken wild rice soup is great to stick in the freezer. Whenever I make soup, I usually freeze half of it. I just run some warm water over the container I froze it in to dislodge it, then I pop the frozen soup block right into a pot and heat up on the stove. So easy!
Can I make it in my slow cooker / pressure cooker?
Yup! To make this soup in your slow cooker, just add everything except the chicken to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Then, stir in the cooked chicken and heat. You can omit the butter if you like, or keep it in for added richness. To make this soup in your instant pot, sauté the veggies in the butter using the “sauté” setting, then add the stock and rice. Cook on high manual pressure for 30 minutes, then manually release the pressure. When the float valve has depressed, open the pot and str in the chicken, and season to taste.
Other recipes with wild rice
Creamy mushroom, chicken, and wild rice soupWild rice and mushroom casseroleWild rice and black bean veggie burgersMushroom and wild rice pilafWild rice stuffing
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