4.24 from 564 votes

Chicken Wild Rice Soup Recipe

Name: Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 255 min
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))

Brittany MullinsUpdated Aug 20, 2025

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Servings: 6

4 hrs 15 mins

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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.

A bowl of slow cooker chicken and wild rice soup.

Chicken wild rice soup is one of those meals I come back to every single winter. It’s hearty and comforting without being heavy, and the slow cooker does all the work while you go about your day.

This version came together during a week of in-person recipe testing with my EBF team member Emily, who flew to Richmond to cook with me in my kitchen. Wild rice soup is her all-time favorite comfort food, and after a few rounds of testing together, we landed on this one. It’s now a regular in my cold-weather rotation.

What makes it worth coming back to: it’s naturally gluten-free and dairy-free without sacrificing any of that classic creamy texture. The trick is a simple roux made with olive oil, gluten-free flour and non-dairy milk, which thickens the broth beautifully without any heavy cream. Serve it with a slice of my homemade sourdough or almond flour crackers for the ultimate cozy meal.

Why You’ll Love Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Chicken and Rice Soup Crock Pot Ingredients
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Recipe Variations
How to Make Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Brittany’s Tips
How to Serve This Chicken Wild Rice Soup Recipe
How to Store Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Crock Pot FAQ’s
More Delicious Soup Recipes
Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup Recipe

Why You’ll Love Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Two cooking options – Whether you prefer using a slow cooker or the stovetop, this recipe has you covered!
Cozy and hearty – Packed with tender chicken, chewy wild rice, and a creamy broth, this soup is pure comfort in a bowl.
Dairy-free friendly – Use plant-based butter and milk to make this soup completely dairy-free without losing any creaminess.
Perfect for meal prep – This soup stores well and tastes even better the next day, making it ideal for easy lunches or dinners throughout the week.

Chicken and Rice Soup Crock Pot Ingredients

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.

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!

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Recipe Variations

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!
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.

How to Make Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

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!

Step 1: Rinse the rice and place it in the slow cooker along with chicken, garlic, onions, celery, carrots, thyme, rosemary, salt, bay leaves, chicken broth, and water.

Step 2: Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 7-8 hours.

Step 3: In the last 30 minutes of cooking, remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, and set it aside.

Shredded chicken added back to slow cooker.

Step 4: Once the rice is done, remove the bay leaves and add the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker.

Step 5: In a saucepan, melt butter (or heat oil), whisk in flour, and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and cook until the mixture thickens.

Step 6: Stir the creamy mixture into the slow cooker, adjust the consistency with extra milk or water if needed, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve.

If you’d rather make this soup on the stovetop, the complete instructions are included in the recipe card below.

Brittany’s Tips

Rinse the rice: Always rinse the wild rice before cooking to remove excess starch. This keeps the soup from getting too thick or gummy.
Adjust the thickness: Wild rice can soak up a lot of liquid, especially after storing leftovers. Add extra broth or milk when reheating to bring the soup back to your preferred consistency.

How to Serve This Chicken Wild Rice Soup Recipe

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:

Serve with a slice of crusty bread like homemade sourdough or honey whole wheat bread. Crackers would also be delicious with this soup. You can make my almond flour crackers or use your favorite store-bought cracker. I’ve been hooked on the Simple Mills almond flour crackers because they have minimal, clean ingredients and taste delicious!
Some salads that would go well with this soup: roasted sweet potato salad or garlicky kale salad.

A bowl of chicken and wild rice soup with bread.

How to Store Chicken Wild Rice Soup

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.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Crock Pot FAQ’s

Can I use pre-cooked chicken?

Yes, shredded rotisserie chicken or pre-cooked chicken breast works perfectly. Just add it toward the end of cooking to warm it through.

Can I add more veggies to chicken wild rice soup?

Of course! Diced potatoes, parsnips, or even mushrooms would be delicious additions to this soup.

Can I make this soup vegetarian?

Totally! Swap the chicken for extra vegetables or a can of chickpeas, and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

Do you need to pre-cook the wild rice?

Nope! The wild rice goes into the slow cooker uncooked and cooks right along with the chicken and veggies. Just be sure to use wild rice, not a wild rice blend, since cooking times can vary.

Will the rice get mushy in leftovers?

The wild rice holds up pretty well in leftovers, but it will continue to absorb some of the broth as it sits. If the soup gets too thick, just stir in a splash of broth or water when reheating.