Description
Silky chicken soup with true wild rice, tender vegetables, herbs, and a clean cream finish. Big flavor in about an hour.
Ingredients
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Wild rice: ¾ cup (135 g), rinsed
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Water (for rice): 4 cups (950 ml)
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Butter: 3 tbsp (42 g)
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Olive oil: 1 tbsp (15 ml)
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Onion (small dice): 1½ cups (225 g)
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Celery (small dice): 1 cup (140 g)
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Carrot (small dice): 1 cup (130 g)
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Garlic: 3 cloves, minced
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Cremini mushrooms (sliced, optional): 2 cups (150 g)
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All-purpose flour: ¼ cup (30 g)
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Dry white wine (optional): ½ cup (120 ml)
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Low-sodium chicken broth: 6 cups (1.4 L)
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Bay leaves: 2
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Fresh thyme sprigs: 4 (or 1 tsp dried)
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Dried oregano: ½ tsp
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Smoked paprika: ½ tsp
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Kosher salt: 1½ tsp, divided, plus more to taste
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Black pepper: ¾ tsp, divided
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Cooked chicken (shredded/diced): 3 cups (400–450 g)
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Heavy cream: ¾ cup (180 ml)
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Milk (2% or whole): ½ cup (120 ml)
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Dijon mustard: 1 tsp
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Lemon juice: 1–2 tbsp, to taste
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Fresh parsley (chopped): ¼ cup (10 g)
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Optional enrichment: cream cheese 2 oz (56 g), softened
Instructions
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Cook the wild rice. Boil 4 cups water with ½ tsp salt. Add rice and simmer 40–45 min until grains split and turn tender-chewy. Drain.
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Sweat aromatics. In a Dutch oven over medium, melt butter with oil. Add onion, celery, carrot, ½ tsp salt. Cook 6–8 min until lightly golden. Add mushrooms 4 min. Stir in garlic 30 sec.
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Roux and deglaze. Sprinkle flour; stir 1–2 min. Add wine; whisk smooth, scraping fond.
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Broth and season. Whisk in broth. Add bay, thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper. Simmer 20 min (or add uncooked rice now and simmer 45–50 min).
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Add chicken and rice. Stir in cooked chicken and drained wild rice. Simmer 8–10 min.
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Finish creamy. Lower heat. Add cream, milk, Dijon. Warm 3–4 min without boiling. Remove bay and thyme stems. Add lemon to taste. Stir in parsley. Season with remaining pepper and salt. Blend in cream cheese if using.
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Rest. Off heat 5 min, then serve.
Notes
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Use 100% wild rice for nutty chew; blends soften faster.
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After adding dairy, avoid boiling.
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Control thickness: simmer to reduce, or add hot broth to loosen.
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Freeze plan: freeze the soup before adding dairy; add cream and lemon after reheating.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Soup / Main
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (~2 cups)
- Calories: 410 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 105 mg
Keywords: creamy chicken and wild rice soup, rotisserie chicken soup, one-pot chicken soup, wild rice soup, cozy soup