Description
Chicken Wild Rice Soup is a comforting, creamy soup packed with tender chicken, hearty wild rice, fresh vegetables, and a touch of cream. This rich and satisfying soup simmers with aromatic herbs and a velvety roux, perfect for chilly days when you want a warm, flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 stalks celery (sliced)
- 2 carrots (sliced)
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 30g/1 cup fresh spinach
Soup Base
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 chicken breasts
- 100g/2/3 cup wild rice (or long grain rice)
- 1.5 litre/6 cups chicken stock
- 250ml/1 cup double/heavy cream
Roux
- 3 tbsp butter (melted)
- 3 tbsp flour
Seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook Vegetables: Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pot over low heat. Add the chopped celery, sliced carrots, and chopped onion. Cook gently for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are softened but not browned. Add the minced garlic and thyme, cooking for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Stock and Simmer: Pour in the chicken stock, add one bay leaf, salt, and pepper to taste. Place the chicken breasts and wild rice into the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer covered for 45 minutes until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.
- Shred Chicken: Remove the chicken breasts from the soup and shred them using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot along with the double/heavy cream. Stir to combine.
- Make Roux and Thicken: In a small bowl, mix the melted butter with the flour to form a smooth roux. Gradually stir this roux into the soup. Increase the heat to bring the soup to a gentle boil and then reduce to simmer for a few minutes until the soup thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Finish Soup: Stir in the fresh spinach leaves if using, allowing them to wilt. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and serve warm.
Notes
- This soup is perfect for cold weather and freezes well for future meals.
- You can substitute wild rice with long grain rice if wild rice is unavailable.
- For a lower fat version, use half-and-half instead of double/heavy cream.
- Fresh thyme offers a brighter flavor, but dried thyme works well as a convenient alternative.
- Make sure to stir the roux thoroughly to avoid lumps in the soup.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 472 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 939 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 121 mg
