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Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is a hearty, comforting one-pot soup made with tender chicken, earthy mushrooms, colorful vegetables, and a luxuriously creamy broth. This recipe works so well because a quick, simple roux gives the soup its silky texture, Better Than Bouillon adds deep, homemade flavor, and a wild rice blend delivers the perfect chewy bite without turning mushy. It tastes like it simmered all day—but comes together in just over an hour.
If cozy, creamy soups are your love language, be sure to try my Chicken and Dumplings, Tuscan Chicken Soup, Chicken Gnocchi Soup, and Chicken Tortilla Soup, too!
This Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is rich without being heavy, satisfying enough for dinner, and packed with real ingredients you can feel good about. It’s the kind of recipe that warms you from the inside out and somehow tastes even better the next day.
✨ Before You Begin
✨ Sautéing matters. Don’t rush the step where you cook the vegetables and mushrooms. That gentle browning builds deep flavor you can’t fake later.
✨ Stir constantly after adding flour. Once the flour goes in, keep stirring to avoid clumps and to cook off the raw flour taste.
✨ Simmer gently, don’t boil. Wild rice cooks best at a low, steady simmer. Boiling can make it burst and turn mushy.
✨ Use a wild rice blend. It cooks more evenly and gives the soup great texture compared to straight wild rice.
✨ Season at the end. Between the broth, chicken, and Better Than Bouillon, salt levels can vary—so taste before adding extra.
Ingredients + Key Notes
- Cremini mushrooms – Also called baby bellas. They’re firmer and more flavorful than white button mushrooms and hold up beautifully in soup without getting rubbery.
- Wild rice blend – A blend cooks more evenly than straight wild rice and gives the soup great texture with a hearty, slightly chewy bite.
- Better Than Bouillon (chicken flavor) – This is the secret to rich, homemade flavor without simmering a pot all day. It adds depth without the bitterness of bouillon cubes.
- Low-sodium chicken broth – Between the chicken, BTB, and seasoning, this soup already has plenty of flavor. Low-sodium broth lets you control the salt at the end.
- Heavy cream – Gives the soup its signature creamy finish and silky texture. Half-and-half will work in a pinch but won’t be quite as rich.
- Cooked chicken – Rotisserie chicken is perfect here. You can cube it or shred it—both work great.
- Evenly chopped veggies – Try to keep the carrots, celery, and onion roughly the same size so they cook at the same rate and give balanced texture in every bite.
🥣 How to Make Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Sauté the mushrooms. Start by browning sliced mushrooms in a little oil until golden and fragrant. Set them aside—this keeps them meaty and flavorful instead of soggy.
Cook the vegetables. In the same pot, soften onions, garlic, carrots, and celery in butter. Add the mushrooms back, sprinkle in the flour, and stir constantly to create a light roux.
Build the soup. Pour in broth, Better Than Bouillon, thyme, and the wild rice blend. Bring it up to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and let the rice cook until tender.
Finish it off. Stir in cooked chicken, corn, and a splash of heavy cream. Let everything warm through, adjust the seasoning, and serve with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
⭐ Pro Tips
⭐ Use a Dutch oven. Its thick walls distribute heat evenly and prevent scorching.
⭐ Chop veggies evenly. Similar-sized pieces cook at the same rate and make every bite balanced.
⭐ Don’t skip browning the mushrooms. It deepens their flavor and improves texture.
⭐ Let the soup rest a bit. The texture gets even better after sitting 10–15 minutes.
⭐ If reheating leftovers, add a splash of broth. The rice will continue to absorb liquid as it sits.
Storing + Reheating + Freezing + Make-Ahead Tips
Storing
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheating
- Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a little broth or milk if needed to loosen it up.
- For larger portions, cover the dish with foil and reheat in a 350°F oven for 15–20 minutes.
If the soup is in a glass or ceramic dish, let it come to room temperature before reheating to avoid cracking.
Freezing
- Because of the cream and rice, this soup is best enjoyed fresh. If freezing, leave the cream out and add it after reheating.
Make-Ahead
- You can cook the soup base (without cream) up to 2 days ahead. Add the cream and chicken when reheating for best results.
Food Safety
- If you’d like more info on food safety, check out this link.
What to Serve With Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Fresh & Crisp Sides
- A simple House Salad with tangy Champagne Vinaigrette
- Strawberry Spinach Salad for a sweet, fresh contrast
Cozy Breads
- Warm Homemade Crescent Rolls
- Practically No-Knead Bread
- Cheesy, buttery Cheddar Biscuits
Sweet Finishes
✦ Frequently Asked Questions
✦ Can I use regular wild rice instead of a wild rice blend?
Yes, but it will take longer to cook and you may need to add extra broth as it simmers. A wild rice blend cooks more predictably and gives you the best texture in this soup.
✦ Can I make creamy chicken and wild rice soup dairy-free?
You can swap the heavy cream for unsweetened coconut milk or a dairy-free creamer. The soup will still be creamy, but the flavor will shift slightly, so be sure to taste and adjust seasoning at the end.
✦ What kind of chicken works best?
Rotisserie chicken is perfect and keeps this recipe easy. Leftover roasted chicken works great too—either cubed or shredded.
✦ Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes. Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour, or thicken at the end with a cornstarch slurry if that’s what you keep on hand.
✦ My soup is too thick—how do I fix it?
Wild rice continues to absorb liquid as it sits, so this is very normal. Just stir in a splash of chicken broth (or a little milk/cream) while reheating until it’s the consistency you like.
✦ Can I freeze creamy chicken and wild rice soup?
It can be frozen, but the texture is best if you freeze it before adding the cream. When you reheat, stir in the cream at the end for the smoothest, freshest texture.
More Cozy Soups You’ll Love
- Old-Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup
- Chicken Stew
- Pasta e Fagioli Soup
- Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Chicken Florentine Soup
- Italian Sausage Soup
Tried This Recipe?
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Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today — happy cooking, friends! 💗 Kathleen
Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 12 ounces cremini mushrooms trimmed and sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large onion chopped
- 4-6 garlic cloves minced
- 4 carrots peeled and diced
- 4 celery stalks rib diced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 64 ounces low sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 heaping tablespoon Better than Bouillon - chicken flavor
- 1 1/2 cups wild rice blend
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn thawed and drained
- 4 cups chicken cooked and cubed or shredded
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Heat olive oil (2 tablespoons) in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add mushrooms (12 ounces) and cook until they begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside. Add butter (2 tablespoons) to the Dutch oven and cook onion (1), garlic (4-6 cloves), carrots (4), and celery (4) until they begin to soften for about 10-12 minutes. Add mushrooms back to the pot. Sprinkle flour (1/4 cup) over veggies and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Add broth (64 ounces), thyme (1 teaspoon), Better than Bouillon (1 heaping tablespoon), rice (1 1/2 cups), 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer, partially covered, until the rice is just tender for about 25-30 minutes.
- Add corn (1 1/2 cups), chicken (4 cups), and heavy cream (1 cup) to the soup and simmer gently to blend flavors, 10-15 minutes. Adjust seasoning and serve. Sprinkle parsley (2 tablespoons).
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- Use a Dutch oven. Its thick walls distribute heat evenly and prevent scorching.
- Chop veggies evenly. Similar-sized pieces cook at the same rate and make every bite balanced.
- Don’t skip browning the mushrooms. It deepens their flavor and improves texture.
- Let the soup rest a bit. The texture gets even better after sitting 10–15 minutes.
- If reheating leftovers, add a splash of broth. The rice will continue to absorb liquid as it sits.
can this be done in slow cooker?4
Hi Carol. Sorry, but I haven’t yet worked this recipe out for the crock pot. Hope to do so soon 🙂