Healthy Chicken Wild Rice Soup (Video) (Stove, IP, Crockpot) Recipe

I rework Chicken Wild Rice Soup with charred lemon, roasted garlic, and crisped sage for an unexpected flavor twist.

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I never thought a weeknight soup could feel like a small discovery until I made this Healthy Chicken Wild Rice Soup. I toss wild rice blend into a pot with chunks of chicken breasts and something about the textures and the slow melding of flavors keeps pulling me back.

There’s a quick video I watched that made me realize soup doesn’t have to be boring. This is the kind of Chicken Wild Rice Soup that’s honest, not showy, and somehow makes you curious enough to taste every spoonful.

If you want Healthy Comfort Food that surprises you, this one will do it.

Ingredients

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Wild rice gives a nutty chew, lots of fiber and complex carbohydrates.
Chicken packs lean protein, keeps you full and help muscle repair.
Carrots add sweetness, beta carotene for eyes, and a crunchy texture.
Celery gives low calories, subtle salty bite and extra hydration.
Onion makes savory depth, good for flavor and contains antioxidants.
Garlic adds warmth and immune boosting compounds, strong but not sweet.
Olive oil brings healthy fats, better heart health when used moderately.
Greek yogurt gives creaminess, protein and tang without heavy cream.

Ingredient Quantities

1 cup wild rice blend, rinsed

1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, roughly chopped

6 cups low sodium chicken broth (more if you like it thinner)

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 large carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

3 celery stalks, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp olive oil or unsalted butter

1 tsp dried thyme

1 bay leaf

1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

1/2 tsp black pepper, or to taste

1/2 cup milk or half and half, or 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt for a lighter creaminess (optional)

1-2 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot mixed with 2 tbsp cold water, optional to thicken

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)

How to Make this

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1. Rinse the wild rice blend and drain. Roughly chop the chicken, dice the onion, carrots and celery, and mince the garlic.

2. Heat the olive oil or butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and sauté about 5 to 7 minutes until soft, then stir in the garlic, dried thyme and bay leaf and cook 30 to 60 seconds more.

3. Add the rinsed wild rice, chopped chicken and 6 cups low sodium chicken broth to the pot. Season with the kosher salt and black pepper and bring to a boil.

4. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer on the stove about 30 to 35 minutes until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through. Don’t overcook or the rice will get mushy.
(Instant Pot option: put everything in the IP, seal and cook on high pressure 20 minutes, then natural release for 10 minutes. Crockpot option: combine everything except milk/yogurt and cornstarch and cook low 4 to 6 hours or high 2 to 3 hours.)

5. Remove and discard the bay leaf. If your chicken pieces are still large, shred or chop them and return to the pot.

6. For creaminess, stir in 1/2 cup milk or half and half off the heat or on very low. If using plain Greek yogurt, temper it first by whisking a few tablespoons of hot broth into the yogurt, then stir that back into the soup so it won’t curdle.

7. If you want a thicker soup, whisk 1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot with 2 tablespoons cold water, then slowly whisk the slurry into simmering soup and cook 2 to 3 minutes until it thickens. Add extra broth if it gets too thick.

8. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper as needed. A small splash of lemon juice or vinegar brightens it up if it seems flat.

9. Turn off the heat, stir in chopped parsley if using, ladle into bowls and serve warm. You’ll be fine with leftovers refrigerated for a few days or frozen for longer.

Equipment Needed

1. Large heavy pot or Dutch oven, you’ll sauté the veggies and simmer the rice and chicken in this
2. Cutting board for chopping the chicken and veg, keep one for meat and one for veg if you can
3. Sharp chef knife, honestly dont try to work with a dull one
4. Measuring cups and spoons for the rice, broth and seasonings
5. Colander or fine mesh sieve to rinse and drain the wild rice
6. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula to stir without scratching the pot
7. Small bowl plus a whisk or fork for tempering yogurt and mixing the cornstarch slurry
8. Ladle and soup bowls for serving, makes life easier when it’s hot
9. Tongs or two forks to shred the chicken if the pieces are big
10. Instant Pot or slow cooker if you want the pressure or slow cooker option instead of the stove top

FAQ

Q: Can I make this soup in the Instant Pot and how long will it take? A: Yes. Sauté the onions, carrots and celery, add rice, chicken and broth, then cook on High pressure for 22 to 25 minutes with a 10 minute natural release. If you want the chicken extra tender, cut it into larger pieces or shred it after cooking. If you prefer less risk of overcooking the chicken, cook the rice first then stir in shredded cooked chicken.

Q: How long on the stove or in the crockpot? A: Stove top: simmer 45 to 60 minutes until the wild rice is tender and chicken is cooked through. Crockpot: low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Check rice near the end, some blends vary in cook time.

Q: How do I thicken the soup without making it heavy? A: Whisk 1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot with 2 tablespoons cold water and stir in near the end, simmer 2 to 3 minutes until it thickens. Or stir in 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or milk off the heat for creaminess, but add yogurt slowly and don’t boil after adding or it might split.

Q: Can I make this dairy free or lighter? A: Yes. Use unsweetened plant milk (oat, almond or soy) or skip the milk/yogurt entirely and just finish with a splash of extra broth. If you use yogurt, choose dairy-free yogurt and add off heat.

Q: Can I freeze the soup? A: Yes, freeze in airtight containers up to 3 months. If you added dairy, it can separate when frozen so it’s better to freeze without milk or yogurt and stir in fresh yogurt or milk when reheating.

Q: Any tips to make the rice cook evenly and the chicken not dry out? A: Rinse the wild rice blend first, cut chicken into even pieces, and add rice and broth at the same time so rice cooks fully. If using breasts, don’t overcook them; remove and shred after cooking then return to soup. Taste and adjust salt and pepper at the end.

Healthy Chicken Wild Rice Soup (Video) (Stove, IP, Crockpot) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Wild rice blend: swap for 1 cup long grain brown rice, farro, or pearled barley. Brown rice needs about 10 to 15 minutes more cooking so add extra broth or cook it first, then stir in.
Boneless chicken breasts or thighs: use 1 1/2 lb shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover roasted turkey, or for a vegetarian twist try chopped cremini mushrooms or firm tofu (use roughly the same volume). Pre-cooked bird just needs warming so add near the end.
Low sodium chicken broth: use equal parts vegetable broth for a meatless soup, or plain water plus 1 to 2 tsp bouillon or miso paste if thats what you have. Taste and adjust salt.
Milk or plain Greek yogurt: swap with unsweetened almond or oat milk for dairy free, light coconut milk for a richer finish, or 1/2 cup blended silken tofu for creaminess and protein. If using coconut milk expect a slightly sweet note.

Pro Tips

– Sear the chicken first if you can, it really boosts flavor — sorry, dont use that dash — brown in batches so the pieces caramelize instead of steaming, then deglaze the pan with a little broth and pour those browned bits back in, they make the soup taste deeper.

– Toast the rinsed wild rice a few minutes with the onions and carrots before adding all the liquid, it gives a nuttier note and helps the grains stay separate, but watch it so it doesnt burn.

– Wild rice blends vary a lot, some have brown rice or barley so check doneness early; start testing at about 25 minutes on the stove and stop as soon as the grains are tender, overcooked wild rice gets gluey fast.

– If you want creaminess, warm the milk or temper the yogurt by whisking in a few spoons of hot broth first, then stir it in off the heat so it wont split. For thickening, dissolve cornstarch or arrowroot in cold water before adding, add slowly and simmer only a couple minutes.

– Finish with acid and fresh herbs right before serving, a splash of lemon juice or a teaspoon of vinegar wakes everything up, and cold leftovers will thicken so add a little extra broth when reheating.

Healthy Chicken Wild Rice Soup (Video) (Stove, IP, Crockpot) Recipe

Recipe by Nikoli Athen

0.0 from 0 votes

I rework Chicken Wild Rice Soup with charred lemon, roasted garlic, and crisped sage for an unexpected flavor twist.

Servings

servings

Calories

365

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large heavy pot or Dutch oven, you’ll sauté the veggies and simmer the rice and chicken in this
2. Cutting board for chopping the chicken and veg, keep one for meat and one for veg if you can
3. Sharp chef knife, honestly dont try to work with a dull one
4. Measuring cups and spoons for the rice, broth and seasonings
5. Colander or fine mesh sieve to rinse and drain the wild rice
6. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula to stir without scratching the pot
7. Small bowl plus a whisk or fork for tempering yogurt and mixing the cornstarch slurry
8. Ladle and soup bowls for serving, makes life easier when it’s hot
9. Tongs or two forks to shred the chicken if the pieces are big
10. Instant Pot or slow cooker if you want the pressure or slow cooker option instead of the stove top

Ingredients

1 cup wild rice blend, rinsed
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, roughly chopped
6 cups low sodium chicken broth (more if you like it thinner)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 celery stalks, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil or unsalted butter
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper, or to taste
1/2 cup milk or half and half, or 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt for a lighter creaminess (optional)
1-2 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot mixed with 2 tbsp cold water, optional to thicken
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)

Directions

Rinse the wild rice blend and drain. Roughly chop the chicken, dice the onion, carrots and celery, and mince the garlic.
Heat the olive oil or butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and sauté about 5 to 7 minutes until soft, then stir in the garlic, dried thyme and bay leaf and cook 30 to 60 seconds more.
Add the rinsed wild rice, chopped chicken and 6 cups low sodium chicken broth to the pot. Season with the kosher salt and black pepper and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer on the stove about 30 to 35 minutes until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through. Don’t overcook or the rice will get mushy.
(Instant Pot option: put everything in the IP, seal and cook on high pressure 20 minutes, then natural release for 10 minutes. Crockpot option: combine everything except milk/yogurt and cornstarch and cook low 4 to 6 hours or high 2 to 3 hours.)
Remove and discard the bay leaf. If your chicken pieces are still large, shred or chop them and return to the pot.
For creaminess, stir in 1/2 cup milk or half and half off the heat or on very low. If using plain Greek yogurt, temper it first by whisking a few tablespoons of hot broth into the yogurt, then stir that back into the soup so it won’t curdle.
If you want a thicker soup, whisk 1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot with 2 tablespoons cold water, then slowly whisk the slurry into simmering soup and cook 2 to 3 minutes until it thickens. Add extra broth if it gets too thick.
Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper as needed. A small splash of lemon juice or vinegar brightens it up if it seems flat.
Turn off the heat, stir in chopped parsley if using, ladle into bowls and serve warm. You’ll be fine with leftovers refrigerated for a few days or frozen for longer.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.