Creamy Crockpot Chicken Wild Rice Soup Recipe
This creamy Crockpot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is a comforting and hearty meal featuring tender chicken breasts, wild rice, and a medley of carrots, celery, and onion, all slowly cooked with savory herbs and spices. The soup is thickened with either a flour slurry or a butter-flour paste for a luscious texture, perfect for cold days and easy meal prep.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Main Course, Soup
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb chicken breasts
- 4 carrots, sliced
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 onion, diced
- 7–9 cups chicken broth (low sodium recommended)
- 1 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed (not rice-a-roni, no parboiled rice)
- 4–5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1–1½ Tbsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- ½ – 1 tsp sea salt, to taste
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 Tbsp butter (optional)
Flour Slurry Thickener
- ¼ cup flour (gluten free works as well)
- ½ cup half and half
- ½ cup whole milk
Beurre Manié (Butter-Flour Paste) Thickener
- 3 Tbsp softened butter
- 3 Tbsp flour
Instructions
- Prepare Vegetables: Dice the onion, slice the carrots, chop the celery, and mince the garlic cloves carefully to have all your vegetables ready for the slow cooker.
- Layer Ingredients in Crockpot: Place the chicken breasts at the bottom of the slow cooker. Top the chicken with minced garlic, Italian seasoning, thyme, parsley, sea salt, and pepper. Then add the diced onion, sliced carrots, and chopped celery on top.
- Add Broth, Rice, and Bay Leaf: Pour in 7-8 cups of chicken broth, add the rinsed uncooked wild rice and the bay leaf. Cover the slow cooker with the lid.
- Cook the Soup: Cook on LOW heat for 6-8 hours when using only wild rice, or 4-6 hours if using a wild rice blend. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F (about 3 hours), but the soup is best when the rice is fully cooked and soft.
- Shred Chicken: Once the chicken is cooked through, shred it into bite-sized pieces directly in the slow cooker.
- Flour Slurry Thickener (Optional): In a bowl, whisk together flour, half and half, and whole milk until the flour is fully dissolved. Slowly pour this mixture into the soup, stirring continuously to combine smoothly. Let the soup cook for another 10 minutes to fully incorporate and thicken. If too thick, add more broth to desired consistency.
- Beurre Manié Thickener (Optional): Combine softened butter and flour until a smooth paste forms. Gradually stir about half of this paste into the soup and cook for 5-10 minutes to cook out the flour taste. Add more of the paste if needed to reach your preferred thickness. Just before serving, stir in the half and half and whole milk mixture.
- Serve: Remove the bay leaf and serve the soup hot, garnished with fresh parsley and a side of crusty bread for a complete meal.
Notes
- Use only true wild rice or a wild rice blend that is uncooked and not parboiled to avoid mushy rice texture.
- The beurre manié thickener provides a silkier, richer texture compared to the flour slurry thickener.
- Cooking on low heat is recommended for best results; cooking on high heat is possible but requires shorter time and close monitoring.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Soup can be frozen for up to 3 months after cooling completely.
- Reheat leftovers on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through, about 15 minutes.