Creamy Chicken Mushroom Wild Rice (Printable)

Hearty slow cooker soup with tender chicken, mushrooms, and wild rice in a creamy broth.

# Ingredient List:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 cups sliced cremini or button mushrooms
03 - 1 cup diced carrots
04 - 1 cup diced celery
05 - 1 medium onion, diced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Grains

07 - 3/4 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed

→ Liquid & Dairy

08 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1 cup heavy cream
10 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Seasonings

11 - 1 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1 tsp dried rosemary
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - 1 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
15 - 3/4 tsp black pepper

→ Thickener

16 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend

# How to Make:

01 - Add chicken, mushrooms, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, wild rice, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper to the slow cooker.
02 - Pour in the chicken broth and stir to combine all ingredients evenly.
03 - Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and the wild rice is tender.
04 - Transfer the chicken to a plate and shred using two forks, then return the shredded meat to the slow cooker.
05 - Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook the roux for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
06 - Slowly whisk the heavy cream into the roux and heat until thickened. Pour this mixture into the slow cooker and stir to incorporate.
07 - Re-cover and cook on LOW for an additional 20 to 30 minutes until the soup is creamy and heated through.
08 - Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning as needed. Ladle hot into bowls and serve.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It does almost all the work while you go about your day, which feels like having a private chef who does not need supervision
  • The wild rice gives every bite this incredible chewy texture that turns a basic soup into something you actually crave
02 -
  • Wild rice takes longer to cook than regular white rice so do not substitute it thinking they behave the same way
  • The roux step is nonnegotiable if you want that restaurant quality thickness because just dumping cream in raw will leave the soup thin and separated
03 -
  • Pat the chicken dry before adding it to the slow cooker because any excess moisture dilutes your broth over six hours of cooking
  • Toast the wild rice in a dry skillet for two minutes before adding it to unlock a nutty flavor most people never get to experience

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