Chicken and Wild Rice Soup. Doesn’t the name just give you warm and fuzzy feelings? It sure does for me!
The dead of winter in Wisconsin means big kettles of soup slow cooked on the stove over the weekend to be enjoyed all week long. I could eat soup, salad, and fresh sourdough bread every day of the week. I don’t tire of it. Luckily, my family shares my love. Seriously. My nine year old has requested soup for his birthday dinner the last few years. Who does that?! With wild rice on the mind and chicken in my fridge, I decided to put together a chicken and wild rice soup for us this week. When I asked my son if he wanted to give it a try, he jumped at the chance. Know that the kid LOVES chicken noodle and if I suggest rice, he gives pause. After his first try, he declared, “THE BEST SOUP YOU’VE EVER MADE.” I hope you’ll agree!
Your ingredients:
- 1 cup brown rice, uncooked
- 1/2 cup wild rice, uncooked
- 7 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock, divided
- 2 cups diced celery (4-5 stalks)
- 2 cups diced carrots (2 large)
- 1 1/4 cup diced onion (2 medium)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sage
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups milk (I used skim and I loved the thickness. If you prefer a heartier soup, use 1 or 2%)
- 4 cups cooked, cubed chicken (I baked 2 boneless breasts seasoned with a little black pepper at 400 degrees for 40 minutes while the rice was cooking)
Directions for Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Bring 3 1/2 cups of the chicken stock to a boil. Add long grain brown rice and wild rice. Cover, lower to a simmer, and cook for 40 minutes, stirring periodically to check that you still have water. You want your rice to just be tender.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large soup kettle (I LOVE my Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven…its red and just beautiful) over medium heat. Once hot (toss one piece of onion in. If it sizzles, you have the right temp. If it doesn’t, wait a little longer), add celery, carrots, onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and sage. Cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, until tender.
Lower the heat to medium and stir in flour and butter. Continue to stir vegetables, butter, and flour for 1-2 minutes. SLOWLY stir in the milk. I say that with all caps because I am so impatient and add it too fast all the time. But if you want it to be glorious and just a hint creamy, you need to add the milk slowly.
Stir in cooked rice and chicken. Then slowly stir in the remaining chicken stock. All to simmer for 20-30 minutes for the flavors to mingle, if you can wait that long. My son couldn’t 🙂 Hope you can warm your loved ones hearts and bellies with this soup! –Jess
Chopped and cooked chicken, seasoned simply with pepper I just love all these veggies together. Almost there…SLOWLY stirring in the milk. Again, slowly add the broth. Looking good! Not too thick, not too thin. A happy bowl of soup!
Looking for other delicious soup recipes? Check out my cooking page!
Tools of the Trade
I LOVE LOVE LOVE my dutch oven. It’s so beautiful!
Flexible cutting boards are the best, especially for chopping for soup!
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice uncooked
- 1/2 cup wild rice uncooked
- 7 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock divided
- 2 cups diced celery 4-5 stalks
- 2 cups diced carrots 2 large
- 1 1/4 cup diced onion 2 medium
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sage
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups milk
- 4 cups cooked cubed chicken
Instructions
- Bring 3 1/2 cups of the chicken stock to a boil. Add long grain brown rice and wild rice. Cover, lower to a simmer, and cook for 40 minutes, stirring periodically to check that you still have water. You want your rice to just be tender.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large soup kettle over medium heat. Once ho, add celery, carrots, onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and sage. Cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, until tender.
- Lower the heat to medium and stir in flour and butter. Continue to stir vegetables, butter, and flour for 1-2 minutes. SLOWLY stir in the milk, 1/2 cup at a time.
- Stir in cooked rice and chicken. Then slowly stir in the remaining chicken stock.
- Allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes. Serve.
