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Cozy Crockpot Chicken Wild Rice Soup – Easy Fall Dinner

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This impossibly cozy, rich, soul-healing soup features tender chicken, nutty wild rice, and a creamy broth that tastes like it simmered all day. It’s a hug in a bowl, perfect for chilly fall evenings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 1 cup uncooked wild rice
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
  • 3 celery stalks, sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (plus more to taste)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • A handful fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prep the vegetables: dice the onion, slice the carrots into rounds about 1/4-inch thick, slice the celery, and mince the garlic.
  2. Rinse the wild rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cool running water for about 30 seconds. Let drain.
  3. Place the chicken in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Scatter the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic over the top. Sprinkle the rinsed wild rice evenly over the vegetables.
  4. Pour the chicken broth over everything. Add the dried thyme, crushed rosemary, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Gently stir to combine the seasonings into the broth.
  5. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is fork-tender and the wild rice has split open.
  6. Carefully remove the chicken using tongs and place on a cutting board. Let rest for a minute, then shred with two forks. Discard any large pieces of fat.
  7. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the heavy cream. If the soup is too thick, add a splash more broth or water. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
  8. Stir in the chopped fresh parsley and, if using, the lemon juice.
  9. Turn off the slow cooker and let the soup rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
  10. Ladle into bowls and garnish with extra parsley if desired. Serve with crusty bread or a simple green salad.

Notes

For best texture, cook on LOW. Wild rice absorbs a lot of liquid; add extra broth if needed. The soup tastes even better the next day. To make dairy-free, substitute full-fat coconut milk for the heavy cream. Add mushrooms or greens for variation.

Nutrition

Keywords: crockpot chicken wild rice soup, fall soup, slow cooker soup, chicken soup, wild rice soup, creamy chicken soup, easy dinner, comfort food

Find it online: https://lolaspoon.com/cozy-crockpot-chicken-wild-rice-soup-easy-fall-dinner/