Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup

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This slow cooker chicken wild rice soup is creamy and comforting, but still nourishing with lots of veggies, shredded chicken and wild rice. Added bonus: it’s so easy to whip up, gluten-free + dairy-free.

Spring will be here before we know it, but I’m still craving comfort food and easy slow cooker meals. This chicken wild rice soup fits the bill and it’s so delicious.

Plus, lately the weather here in Richmond has been so sporadic. One day it’s warm and sunny and the next it’s cold and rainy. Luckily this soup is the perfect rainy-day dinner!

A bowl of slow cooker chicken and wild rice soup.

A few weeks ago, one of the EBF team members, Emily came to town. She typically manages social media, but came to help me out in the kitchen for a week of recipe testing and creating! It was so great to meet her in person and crank out a bunch of recipes together. This recipe is inspired by her and her love for wild rice soup. Thanks, Emily!

Ingredients measured out to make Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup: wild rice, water, carrots, chicken broth, chicken, non-dairy milk, gluten-free flour, salt, bay leaves, thyme, celery, onion, olive oil, garlic, rosemary and pepper.

Ingredients Needed

  • dry (uncooked) wild rice blend – I really like the Lundberg wild rice blend.
  • chicken breast – you’ll cook the chicken right in the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients!
  • vegetables – yellow onion, celery, carrots and garlic.
  • seasonings and spices – dried thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, sea salt and pepper.
  • chicken broth – I prefer to buy the low sodium version so I can control the amount of salt.
  • olive oil – for making the roux. Butter, ghee or vegan butter will all work.
  • flour – we’re whisking this with the oil and milk to create a creamy roux that helps to thicken the soup! Gluten-free all-purpose flour, regular all-purpose flour or oat flour will all work.
  • milk – to help make the roux extra creamy! I like using unsweetened almond milk or oat milk.
  • fresh thyme – for serving. This is optional, but I love adding fresh herbs to my dishes to really elevate the flavors!
Collage of 8 photos showing the steps to make Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup.

How to Make

A lot of people think that all slow cooker recipes are simple, but that’s not true! I’ve made plenty of slow cooker recipes that take a ton of prep before the ingredients go into the pot. Not this one!

After rinsing the rice, you’ll place the rice, chicken, onion, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, broth, water and seasoning blend in the slow cooker. Seriously, dump alllll the ingredients in your slow cooker, set it and forget it. In the last half hour of cooking, remove the chicken to shred it. Once shredded, you just add it back into the soup.

The only other thing you have to do is make a roux to thicken the soup. In a saucepan, melt the butter or oil. Add in the flour and cook for a minute. Whisk the mixture while slowly adding the non-dairy milk. That’s your roux! Add the roux to the slow cooker and stir to combine. If the end result is too thick you can add in additional water or milk.

A spoonful of soup over a bowl.

Substitutions and Variations

  • Make it dairy-free – use dairy-free milk and vegan butter to keep this soup dairy-free. If you’re a dairy lover, feel free to use traditional cow’s milk and butter.
  • Make it gluten-free – use all-purpose gluten-free flour to make this soup gluten-free. Again, if you can tolerate gluten, traditional all-purpose flour works fine as a substitute. You could also use oat flour.
  • Make it vegan – this is a little trickier, but to make this soup vegan simply use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth, use vegan butter and omit the chicken breast. You may want to add more vegetables or even chickpeas or white beans to make this a heartier soup with more protein!
A bowl of chicken and wild rice soup.

How to Make on The Stovetop

The great thing about this chicken wild rice soup recipe is that it can easily be made on the stovetop instead of in the slower cooker! Here’s how to make it on the stovetop:

Cook rice: Cook rice according to the instructions on packaging.

Sauté vegetables: While rice is cooking, heat 2 Tablespoons of oil, butter or ghee over medium heat in a Dutch oven or large pot. Once hot add onion, carrots and celery and sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute longer. Add thyme, rosemary, salt and bay leaves and mix until veggies are coated.

Simmer: Add chicken broth, water and chicken into the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. When chicken is fully cooked, remove from pot and shred using two forks.

Combine: Add shredded chicken and cooked rice into pot.

Make roux: In a separate saucepan melt ¼ cup oil, butter or ghee. Add the flour and let the mixture cook for 1 minute. Whisk the mixture slowly while adding in the milk. Continue to whisk until all lumps have dissolved. Allow the mixture to thicken and become creamy. Add the creamy mixture into the pot. Stir to combine. Add additional water or milk to your preference if the consistency is too thick.

Serve: Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve.

A bowl of chicken and wild rice soup with bread.

How to Serve

This meal is truly a complete meal on its own  – protein, veggies, healthy fats… it’s balanced! If you’re like me though, you want to serve it with a little something on the side! I love it with hearty, seedy bread and a side salad. Here are some ideas:

Two bowls of soup with spoons and bread.

How to Store Leftovers

This soup is perfect for meal prep! I love making a batch on the weekend so I have lunch or dinner ready to go for the week.

For storing, allow the soup to cool completely and then carefully transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You could also freeze for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.

For reheating, heat the soup over medium low heat in a saucepan, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking/burning. As the soup sits it’ll thicken so you might need to add a splash of water or broth when reheating to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan. Alternatively, you can reheat the soup in the microwave.

More Slow Cooker Recipes to Try

More Delicious Soup Recipes

Be sure to check out all of the chicken recipes as well as the full collection of soup recipes here on EBF.

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4.24 from 549 votes

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

This slow cooker chicken wild rice soup is creamy and comforting, but still nourishing with lots of veggies, shredded chicken and wild rice. Added bonus: it’s so easy to whip up!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients  

  • 1 cup wild rice blend, uncooked
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
  • ¾ cup celery, chopped
  • ¾ cup carrots, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups water, or additional chicken broth
  • ¼ cup olive oil, butter, ghee or vegan butter
  • ½ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour, or regular all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, or oat milk
  • pepper, to taste
  • fresh thyme, for garnish (optional)

Instructions 

  • Rinse the rice under running water. Place the uncooked rice, chicken breast, garlic, onions, celery, carrots, thyme, rosemary, salt, bay leaves, chicken broth and water into your slow cooker. 
    Ingredients in a slow cooker.
  • Cover and cook on the high setting for 3-4 hours or on the low setting for 7-8 hours.
    Soup simmering in slow cooker.
  • In the last 1/2 hour of cooking, remove the chicken from the slow cooker. Allow to cool slightly and then use two forks to shred the chicken into small pieces.
    Shredding chicken in a bowl.
  • When the rice is done cooking, remove the bay leaves and add the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker.
    Shredded chicken added back to slow cooker.
  • Melt the butter or oil in a saucepan. Add the flour and let the mixture cook for 1 minute. Whisk the mixture slowly while adding in the milk. Continue to whisk until all lumps have dissolved. Allow the mixture to thicken and become creamy.
    Butter mixture in sauce pan.
  • Add the creamy mixture into the slow cooker. Stir to combine. Add additional water or milk to your preference if the consistency is too thick. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve. 
    Butter mixture added to slow cooker.

Stovetop

  • Cook rice according to instructions on package.
  • While rice is cooking, heat 2 Tablespoons of oil, butter or ghee in a Dutch oven or large pot. Once hot add onion, carrots and celery and saute for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute longer.
  • Add thyme, rosemary, salt and bay leaves and mix until veggies are coated.
  • Add chicken broth, water and chicken into the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. When chicken is fully cooked, remove from pot and shred using two forks.
  • Add shredded chicken and cooked rice into pot.
  • In a separate saucepan melt ¼ cup oil, butter or ghee. Add the flour and let the mixture cook for 1 minute. Whisk the mixture slowly while adding in the milk. Continue to whisk until all lumps have dissolved. Allow the mixture to thicken and become creamy.
  • Add the creamy mixture into the pot. Stir to combine. Add additional water or milk to your preference if the consistency is too thick. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve. 

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 of recipe | Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 10g | Sodium: 1305mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken wild rice soup
Did you make this recipe?Mention @eatingbirdfood and tag #eatingbirdfood!

About Brittany

Hey there, I’m Brittany, the creator of Eating Bird Food, cookbook author, health coach and mama of two littles. Here you’ll find quick and easy recipes that make healthy fun and enjoyable for you and your family!

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Recipe Rating




258 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is BY FAR my new favorite slow cooker recipe! It couldn’t be any easier to make and is incredibly delicious. My fiancé and I enjoyed it over 4 days. I should’ve re-made the roux (came out thick) but got lazy, and it worked anyway. I added mushrooms (cooked in a saucepan separately), lemon, and a spoonful of crème fraiche. LOVE!

    1. WOO! This sounds absolutely delicious, Marianna. The addition of mushrooms is a great idea. I am glad to hear that you are loving this recipe. Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!

  2. 5 stars
    Made this twice in the past month, it’s that good & easy. Seriously, soooo delicious. The Trader Joe’s pre-cut Mirepoix makes it even easier 😉

    1. YUM! I am excited to hear that you are enjoying this recipe, Anna. Thank you so much for your review + star rating, I so appreciate it!

  3. 5 stars
    Soooo good! Give it a try, you won’t be disappointed! Everyone in my family loved this soup! I also love all the information/choices she gives to her recipes. You can tell she puts a lot of thought & time into her work! Thank you!

    1. Excellent! I am so glad this recipe was a hit for you and your family. Thank you so much for coming back and sharing your review + star rating, it means so much to me!

  4. I only have in Instant Pot and now less than 3 hours until dinner. Do you have recommendations for Instant Pot cook time and pressure level for this recipe?

    1. Hi Marcy – I have not tested this recipe in the instant pot and honestly I am not sure how long it would take, you definitely want to make sure the chicken is cooked through though. Let me know if you make it in the instant pot and how it turns out for you!

  5. 5 stars
    This was a delicious recipe. My family really enjoyed it. Easy comfort food that everybody liked. Made the recipe as directed in the slow cooker. I used olive oil with the flour to thicken it and almond milk. Very good!

    1. Perfect! I am so excited to hear this recipe turned out great for you and that your family is loving it, Greta. Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, I appreciate it!

  6. 5 stars
    This recipe was a big hit! I didn’t have dried rosemary so substituted with oregano. I made the roux with ghee which gave it a nice earthy flavor. Next time I may add less of the roux to the soup. I did have some trouble with it clumping in the soup. Overall this was so easy and tasty; a recipe we’ll definitely come back to.

    1. Amazing! I am so glad you gave this recipe a try and are loving it, Kristen. thanks so much for sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!

  7. I just made the Detox soup and it is absolutely amazing!! It will be a regular on my meal plans. My husband really liked it he was a bit skeptical when I told him it had coconut milk in it but he loved it!!
    Thank you keep the healthy delicious recipes coming.
    Mary Jo

    1. WOO! I am SO glad you and your husband are loving this soup and it turned out amazing for you. Thank you so much for sharing your review + star rating, I truly appreciate it!

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