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There’s something especially comforting about a pot of creamy chicken wild rice soup bubbling away on the stove. The vegetables soften into the broth, the rice becomes tender and hearty, and everything comes together with a creamy finish that makes you want to settle in with a warm bowl and a piece of crusty bread.
This recipe is especially satisfying when you’re craving Panera-style chicken and wild rice soup at home. It’s thick and cozy without relying on heavy cream, and it’s filled with tender chicken, carrots, celery, herbs, and plenty of wild rice. Make a big pot for dinner, then tuck the leftovers into the fridge—you’ll be very happy to find them waiting for lunch.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
We’ve been loving this soup as an easy, comforting meal because it has everything you want in a cozy bowl. The chicken makes it satisfying, the wild rice gives every spoonful a hearty texture, and the creamy broth ties everything together.
It’s also made with familiar ingredients and doesn’t require heavy cream. Butter, flour, and milk create that wonderfully thick texture instead. And because the soup keeps well in the refrigerator, one pot can turn into several warm, ready-to-reheat meals.
Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this creamy, hearty chicken and wild rice soup:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – for sautéing the vegetables and building the first layer of flavor.
- Carrots, Celery, and Shallot or Yellow Onion – these vegetables create the savory base of the soup and add a little natural sweetness.
- Salt and Pepper – for seasoning the vegetables and adjusting the flavor of the finished soup.
- Garlic – adds plenty of savory flavor and becomes especially fragrant when sautéed with the herbs.
- Poultry Seasoning and Dried Thyme – these give the broth its warm, cozy, herb-forward flavor.
- Chicken Stock or Broth – forms the base of the soup and is also useful for thinning leftovers when reheating.
- Chicken Breasts – they cook right in the broth so they stay tender before being chopped or shredded and added back to the soup.
- Wild Blend Rice – use a wild-brown rice blend, rather than only wild rice or brown rice. It gives the soup its hearty texture and makes every bowl more filling.
- Butter – forms the base of the creamy mixture that thickens the soup. Vegan butter can also be used.
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – combines with the butter to thicken the soup and give the broth its creamy consistency. Use a gluten free baking blend rather than a single flour such as almond or coconut flour.
- Milk – turns the butter and flour mixture into a smooth, creamy sauce. Any kind of milk can be used, so there’s no need for heavy cream.
Step-by-Step Instructions
First, cook the vegetables.
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat then add the carrots, celery, and shallots or onions. Season with salt and pepper then saute until the vegetables are tender, 8-10 minutes. Tip: place a lid on top of the pot with a splash of stock or water to speed up the softening process if desired. Add the garlic, poultry seasoning, and dried thyme then saute until very fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
At this point, the vegetables should be soft and the garlic and herbs will make the whole pot smell wonderfully savory.
Next, cook the chicken.
Add the chicken stock or broth to the pot then turn the heat to high, place a lid on top, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the chicken breast halves then place the lid back on top. Turn the heat down to low then simmer until the chicken breasts are cooked through, 10-12 minutes. Transfer the cooked chicken breasts to a cutting board then, once cool enough to handle, chop or shred. Place chicken inside a bowl or storage container then refrigerate until ready to add back into the soup.
Then, simmer the wild rice.
Meanwhile add the rice to the pot then stir to combine. Place a lid on top then simmer until the rice is al dente, 20-30 minutes depending on the brand, stirring occasionally.
The exact timing can vary depending on your wild rice blend, so keep an eye on its texture as it cooks.
Make it creamy.
When the rice has 10 minutes or so left to simmer, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in the gluten free flour then cook while whisking for 1 minute. Slowly drizzle in the milk while whisking to create a smooth sauce then switch to a spatula and cook while stirring until the mixture is thick and creamy, 1-2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat then place a lid on top and set aside.
Finally, bring everything together.
Once the rice is al dente, slowly stream in the butter/flour/milk mixture while whisking the soup constantly. Add the chicken then cook for 5 more minutes, stirring frequently, or until the soup has thickened and the rice is tender. Taste then add more salt and pepper if necessary. Remove the pot from the heat then let it sit for 5-10 minutes to thicken slightly before scooping into bowls then serving.
That short rest is worth it. The soup settles into an even thicker, creamier consistency and is ready for big bowls and plenty of bread for dipping.
Expert Tips
Use a wild-brown rice blend. This is important for getting the intended texture. Straight wild rice or straight brown rice will behave differently in the soup.
Watch the rice instead of relying only on the clock. Depending on the blend you use, it can take anywhere from 20–30 minutes to reach al dente.
Add the milk slowly. Gradually whisking it into the butter and flour helps keep the creamy mixture smooth.
Give the soup a few minutes to rest. It continues to thicken after you take it off the heat, so let it sit for 5–10 minutes before filling your bowls.
And keep a little extra chicken stock or broth around. The rice will continue soaking up liquid in the refrigerator, and a splash of broth brings leftover soup right back to a creamy consistency.
Recipe Variations
If you already have cooked chicken in the fridge, this recipe becomes even easier. Skip cooking the chicken breasts in the soup and use 2-1/2 — 3 cups chopped cooked chicken instead. Rotisserie chicken and baked chicken breasts both work well.
For the rice, stick with a wild-brown rice blend. Rice Select Royal Blend and Lundberg Wild Blend Rice are both options recommended for this recipe.
You can also use vegan butter instead of butter, and the recipe works with milk, any kind, so you can choose the milk that works best for you.
If you don’t need the soup to be gluten free, all-purpose flour can be used in place of the gluten free flour blend.
Storage & Reheating
This is the kind of soup that makes tomorrow’s lunch something to look forward to. Once it has cooled, cover the pot or transfer the soup to individual containers and refrigerate it for up to 3 days.
Don’t be surprised if it looks much thicker when you open the refrigerator the next day. The rice continues absorbing the broth as it sits. Add a splash of chicken stock or broth and gently reheat the soup over medium heat until hot.
For an individual serving, stir in a little stock or broth and microwave until warmed through.
Freezing isn’t recommended here. Cooked rice can become too soft after it’s frozen and reheated.
Serving Suggestions
I’d happily make this soup the entire meal. Ladle it into deep bowls while it’s piping hot and serve it with crusty bread, focaccia, or flatbread for soaking up the creamy broth.
If you want something fresh alongside it, add a simple green salad or roasted vegetables. The lighter side is a nice contrast to the hearty chicken, rice, and creamy broth.
And for an especially cozy dinner, keep things simple: a generous bowl of soup, warm bread on the table, and maybe a little extra black pepper over the top.
Recipe FAQs
1. Can I use rotisserie chicken instead of chicken breasts?
Yes, you can definitely use rotisserie chicken to make this soup a little easier. You’ll need 2-1/2 — 3 cups chopped cooked chicken. Simply skip cooking the chicken breasts in the broth and add the cooked chicken toward the end as directed.
2. What kind of wild rice should I use?
Use a wild-brown rice blend, not all wild rice or all brown rice. Rice Select Royal Blend or Lundberg Wild Blend Rice both work well. Depending on the brand, the rice should take about 20-30 minutes to become al dente.
3. Why does my chicken wild rice soup get so thick?
The rice continues to soak up the broth as the soup sits, so it will naturally become thicker over time. This is especially noticeable after storing it in the refrigerator. Simply add a splash of chicken stock or broth while reheating until it reaches the consistency you like.
4. Can I make this chicken wild rice soup dairy free?
Yes. You can use vegan butter in place of the regular butter and your favorite dairy-free milk for the 2 cups milk. Just keep the measurements and the rest of the recipe the same.
5. How do I keep the soup from getting lumpy?
Slowly drizzle the milk into the butter and flour while whisking to create a smooth mixture. When it’s time to add this mixture to the soup, pour it in slowly while whisking constantly. This will help everything blend together into a smooth and creamy soup.
Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium carrots, finely chopped, ~1 cup chopped carrots
- 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
- 1 shallot or small yellow onion, chopped
- salt and pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 6 cup chicken stock or broth, plus more for reheating
- 1 lb chicken breasts, ~2 chicken breasts, sliced in half
- 1 cup wild blend rice, see notes
- 1/2 cup butter, or vegan butter
- 1/2 cup gluten free flour blend, see notes
- 2 cups milk, any kind
Instructions
- Cook the vegetables. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and shallot or onion, then season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 8–10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. If you want to speed up the softening process, add a splash of stock or water and cover the pot with a lid. Stir in the garlic, poultry seasoning, and dried thyme and sauté for another 1–2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Cook the chicken. Pour the chicken stock or broth into the pot. Increase the heat to high, cover, and bring the liquid to a boil. Add the chicken breast halves, replace the lid, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10–12 minutes, or until the chicken breasts are cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Once cool enough to handle, chop or shred it. Place the chicken in a bowl or storage container and refrigerate until it is time to return it to the soup.
- Simmer the rice. Meanwhile, stir the rice into the pot. Cover and simmer until the rice reaches an al dente texture, about 20–30 minutes depending on the brand. Stir occasionally as it cooks.
- Prepare the creamy thickener. When the rice has roughly 10 minutes of cooking time remaining, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in the gluten free flour and whisk continuously for 1 minute. Slowly drizzle in the milk while whisking so the mixture remains smooth. Switch to a spatula and continue cooking and stirring for 1–2 minutes, until thick and creamy. Remove the saucepan from the heat, cover, and set aside.
- Finish the soup. When the rice is al dente, gradually pour the butter, flour, and milk mixture into the soup while whisking constantly. Return the chicken to the pot and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring frequently, until the rice is tender and the soup has thickened. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Remove from the heat and allow the soup to stand for 5–10 minutes so it can thicken slightly before serving.
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Recipe Notes
