Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
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!
Boneless skinless chicken thighs are so versatile.
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)
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
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.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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.
Annalee says
Amazing!! I made it today and just had two bowls . Kids love it too! Thanks so much for this easy recipe!!! It’s a “go to” in our house now :)
Rachel Gurk says
I’m so glad you like it! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
Andrea says
I made this today and it turned out good. I did make a few changes, I used 7 cups of chicken broth instead of adding water and used 1 cup of rice, I also doubled all of the seasonings. I also added a chicken Bouillon cube . It turned out a little bland but we don’t eat a lot of salt anyway. We each added a pinch of salt to our own bowls and it was the perfect fall comfort soup. Husband liked it a lot! If you eat a lot of salt this recipe isn’t for you, all and all it was good!
Rachel Gurk says
Thanks Andrea, I’m glad you liked this recipe! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment with your adaptations. I always start my recipes on the low side of the salt spectrum, since you can always add more but you can’t take it out. :)
Anamika says
Looks absolutely marvelous! and this is a best creamy chicken wild rice soup. i would try to make this some days.
Rachel Gurk says
Thanks! I hope you love it!
Kara Plantinga says
I made this as posted, just subbed 2% milk for the heavy cream. It was delicious and hearty. It reminds me of the turkey soup we always make with the turkey carcass after Thanksgiving…but this is way easier! :)
Rachel Gurk says
So glad you liked it! That’s a great substitution!
Mare says
My mom gave me a rotisserie chicken so I used the whole thing to make this soup. It was a nasty winter day and my celery was bad so I used celery seed instead but I had everything else on hand. I watched the soup cook through out the day and added 7 cups of chicken broth in total (no water). I used wheat and white rice that I had in the pantry (VERY IMPORTANT TIP: do not use instant rice). It certainly out very well and made quite alot. My variation : use a rotisserie chicken, I added some pot herb as well for seasoning). Thanks for the recipe!
Rachel Gurk says
So glad you liked this recipe! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
Emily says
Absolutely horrible, after 6 hours on low the rice had disintegrated into a pasty mess. It was awful and I had to throw out the whole pot. Such a complete waste e of food. I wish I had read the bad reviews before I made it.
Rachel Gurk says
Sorry to hear that – did you happen to buy/use instant rice by accident?
Tricia says
I made this soup and it turned out great! I put the chicken broth & chicken in the crockpot before work. When I returned, I added the remaining ingredients. The rice & veggies were not overdone. I would have added all the spices with the chicken-I was just in a hurry. Thx for posting!
Rachel Gurk says
So happy to hear you liked this soup! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
Donna says
Hi. I made this today, I love thick, stew like, soups. I thought it was going to have too much sage and thyme (which I’m not a big fan of) but it was delicious. Rice was probably a little over cooked, but still delicious. Next time, and there will be a next time, I will add the rice later.
Rachel Gurk says
I’m so glad you liked this recipe, Donna! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
Terri R. says
I made this soup for the second time today. I absolutely love it! Reheats wonderfully.
Rachel Gurk says
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
Danielle says
If I want to make this and omit the rice and cook the rice on the stovetop because all I have is quick rice, do I need to cut back the liquid at all?
Thanks
Rachel Gurk says
Yes! The rice soaks up a lot of the liquid. I’d cut back to 2 cups, keeping in mind that you can always add more water or milk at the end if you want it a little thinner.
Kourtney says
Just made this for the second time! So good even the kids like it. This time I waited and added rice when there was 3 hours left.
Rachel Gurk says
I”m so glad to hear that! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
Whitney Shahan says
Made this today and after reading some of the reviews, I stopped the cooking time at 5 hours and added more salt and also some chicken base (better than bouillon) for extra flavor. I also substituted a can of coconut milk for the cream and it is really good!
Rachel Gurk says
So glad you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave your feedback!
Carolyn Ingram says
This sounds incredible!
Rhonda Good says
I made it just like recipe but I’m the end I added some Tony Chacheres seasoning and “BAM” it was delicious!
Rachel Gurk says
So glad you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
This soup looks amazing!!