Description
A comforting and healthy chicken wild rice soup, packed with lean protein, wholesome wild rice, and a medley of vegetables. This nourishing soup is perfect for cozy fall days and can be easily adapted to be gluten-free and dairy-free.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Protein and Grains
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- ¾ cup uncooked wild rice blend
Liquids and Seasonings
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or low-fat milk
- 2 tablespoons flour (or cornstarch for gluten-free)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté the vegetables: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion, sliced carrots, and sliced celery. Cook for 5–6 minutes until the vegetables are softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add chicken and rice with broth and herbs: Add the boneless, skinless chicken, uncooked wild rice blend, low-sodium chicken broth, dried thyme, dried rosemary, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Simmer the soup: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 45–50 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the chicken is fully cooked through.
- Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken back into the soup, stirring to combine.
- Thicken the soup: In a small bowl, whisk together the almond milk (or low-fat milk) and flour (or cornstarch) until smooth. Gradually stir this mixture into the soup and simmer uncovered for 5–10 minutes, allowing the soup to thicken slightly.
- Finish and serve: Remove the bay leaf from the soup. Stir in chopped fresh parsley if using, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve the soup warm for a cozy, nutritious meal.
Notes
- This soup stores well and tastes even better the next day as flavors meld.
- For extra nutrition and texture, add spinach or kale during the last few minutes of cooking.
- To save time, you can substitute cooked rotisserie chicken instead of cooking raw chicken in the soup.
- Use cornstarch instead of flour to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Use unsweetened almond milk for a dairy-free version.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 470mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
