Description
Comfort meets convenience in this hearty Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup, a creamy blend of tender chicken, nutty wild rice, and savory vegetables. Perfectly balanced flavors and minimal prep make this soup a soothing winter companion you’ll crave on chilly nights.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins:
- 3–4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 pounds / 680 grams)
Grains and Vegetables:
- 1 cup wild rice blend
- 2 cups diced carrots
- 2 cups chopped celery
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
Liquids and Seasonings:
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Chop onions, carrots, and celery into uniform small pieces; finely mince garlic cloves for enhanced flavor distribution.
- Transfer prepared vegetables and minced garlic to slow cooker, ensuring even layer across bottom of cooking vessel.
- Arrange whole chicken breasts directly atop vegetable mixture, creating a protein-rich foundation for the soup.
- Evenly scatter wild rice blend across chicken and vegetables, allowing grains to settle between ingredients.
- Gently pour chicken broth until all ingredients are completely submerged; sprinkle dried thyme, kosher salt, and ground black pepper for seasoning.
- Secure slow cooker lid and set temperature to low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours, allowing flavors to meld and chicken to become tender.
- Once cooking time completes, carefully remove chicken breasts and use two forks to shred meat into bite-sized pieces.
- Return shredded chicken to slow cooker; slowly stir in heavy cream until soup reaches a creamy, luxurious consistency.
- Let soup rest for 5-10 minutes to allow final thickening and temperature equilibration before serving.
Notes
- Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for easy shredding and leaner protein.
- Opt for low-sodium chicken broth to control salt intake and customize seasoning.
- Rinse wild rice blend before adding to remove excess starch and ensure clearer broth texture.
- Replace heavy cream with Greek yogurt or coconut milk for lighter, dairy-free alternative.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours (on high) or 6 hours (on low)
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg