This slow cooker creamy chicken and wild rice soup will be the star of your winter cuisine! Perfect for chilly days.
You guys. Fall has officially arrived.
I’ve been using my slow cooker more than I care to admit. But actually I use that baby all year round. In the winter, it creates irresistible comfort foods. In the summer, it cooks dinner without heating up your house. Winner, winner, chicken slow cooker dinner.
About this Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Speaking of chicken slow cooker dinners (see what I did there?), I’m excited to share another recipe with you that’s part of my partnership with Just BARE® Chicken.
This slow cooker soup really couldn’t be easier to make. You just throw all the ingredients (except the cream) into the slow cooker and let it work its magic. Six to eight hours later, you have creamy delicious soup. The rice is tender and the chicken is ready to be shredded.
All you need to do is sit and take in the great smells of this creamy chicken and wild rice soup cooking all day in your house. Perfect for football Saturdays, Sunday night dinners or busy weeknight meals when you want to come home to a hot meal already made. It’s basically the perfect soup.
I like Just BARE’s boneless skinless chicken thighs in this creamy chicken and wild rice soup because they have a lot of really great flavor – but if you’re not a dark meat fan, feel free to use boneless skinless chicken breasts in this recipe. Or try this slow cooker chicken kale soup recipe, with chicken breasts, cannellini beans, and lots of veggies.
Enjoy – and stay warm!
More Recipes
I love the flavor that boneless skinless chicken thighs add to soups and main dishes. Here’s a few more recipes for you:
- Chicken Barley Soup with Butternut Squash and Kale
- Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken Thighs
- Honey Balsamic Chicken Thighs
- Chicken Thighs Sheet Pan Dinner with Smashed Potatoes and Green Beans (Whole30 compliant)
- Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken (with cranberry sherry BBQ sauce)
- Crispy Chicken Thighs with Dijon and Dill (sheet pan dinner)
Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked wild and brown rice blend (see notes)
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 large onion, diced (a heaping cup)
- 2 cups chopped celery
- 2 cups chopped carrots
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups no salt added chicken stock
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- milk or water as necessary to thin soup
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except cream in a large slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- Remove bay leaves and discard. Remove chicken thighs, shred and return to slow cooker.
- In a medium bowl, place 1/2 cup heavy cream. Slowly whisk 1-2 cups of hot soup into cream. Then, slowly pour that mixture back into the slow cooker while stirring.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed before serving.
Notes
- I always use the inside stalks of celery with the leaves for soup – they have great flavor.
- This turns out very stew-like. If you want it more soupy, I’d recommend using only 3/4 cup of rice rather than 1 1/2 cups. We love our soup stewy! DO NOT use quick-cooking or instant rice.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!Disclaimer: I have been compensated by Just BARE chicken for the time required to develop and share this recipe but all thoughts are my own, as always. Thanks for supporting my blog by reading about brands and products I use and love in my own kitchen.
This sounds amazing, and I plan to make it with 1 substitution. I will use actual Wild Rice, not a wild rice blend! And probably just 1 cup. There is very little actual Wild Rice in the rice blends. This should also take care of the mushy rice issue since wild rice takes longer to cook. I know authentic wild rice can be difficult to find in certain areas, but maybe check health food stores or co-ops, or grocery stores with bulk bins. Oh, and I love mushrooms, so I will add those as well, oops, guess that’s 2 changes
Mushrooms would be a great addition! How did it turn out?
This is one of my go-to recipes in the winter. It is so tasty and filling. It is definitely bland if you follow the recipe but I use tablespoons where it says teaspoons and it is perfect. If you use brown and wild rice it is not mushy- get the kind that normally takes 45 minutes to cook on the stovetop.
Thank you so much for this helpful comment and feedback!
Can I ask what brand/where you got the rice? I thought I had the non instant stuff, but it ended up a gross mushy mess anyway. Thanks!
I honestly don’t remember, sorry. We tested and published this one so long ago. I think I’m going to put it on my list to retest with a few different types of rice to see what truly works best.
So……..we also have a porridge like consistency. Congee almost. But with the wild rice. So bizarre. But tasty.
Glad it’s still tasty. Did you try adding more liquid?
Turned out to be a gross gruel-like consistency. Definitely do not put the rice in step 1 as the recipe says, maybe if you waited to put it in an hour or so left of cook time it would be better
What type of rice did you use?
Turned out great. I did mine on low for 5 hours total. Added my rice at the halfway mark and final result was not mushy! Used all the liquid and about a cup more broth once I saw how much the rice expanded. I doubled the spices and seasoned my chicken separately prior to adding to pot….mainly because I was using less flavorful breasts vs. thighs. I think next time will add some mushrooms, but this is really nice and hearty.
So glad you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!