Crockpot Chicken Wild Rice Soup is one of my family’s favorites. With its creamy richness and earthy flavors, it makes for the perfect comfort food for cold winter evenings. Plus, it’s super easy to make in the crockpot. Wild rice has a chewy, almost crunchy texture, and fits especially well into this soup recipe.

Slow cooker chicken wild rice soup in a white bowl with a slice of bread and a spoon on the side

Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup

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As much as I hate the cold winter days, I also love them. I just love snuggling up in a blanket on the couch and warming up with food like hot chocolate, chili, and soup. But what’s even better are recipes for comforting meals that are almost effortless like Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup and this Crockpot Chicken Wild Rice Soup. There is just something so warm and cozy about the combination of chicken, wild rice, and mushrooms. Don’t you think? 

One of my favorite ways to make soup is to cook it in the slow cooker. It’s so easy to just throw it all in early in the day before the kids get crazy and I get too tired. I also think cooking it low and slow helps the flavors come out more. Though I have to say, I think soup actually tastes better the next day because the spices and other flavors have had time to marry together.

Slow cooker chicken wild rice soup in a slow cooker being scooped with a ladle

How to Make Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Chicken wild rice soup is the perfect dish for your crock pot and it requires minimal prep. For this Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup, you toss the chicken breasts, veggies, garlic, herbs, and chicken broth into the slow cooker and cook on low. After a few hours you then add mushrooms and rice (they’re added later so they don’t get mushy).

Here’s what you do:

  1. Cook the chicken breasts with the broth in your crockpot until done.
  2. Add diced onion, carrot, celery and sliced mushrooms.
  3. Whisk flour with cream until smooth.
  4. Add the cream mixture and the remaining ingredients to the pot, and cook until the veggies are soft and the rice is done.

When you need a quick dinner for those busy weeknights, thaw the soup in a pot. When it’s steaming, stir in the flour-whisked cream and milk. Your family will be glad you did!

Ingredients for slow cooker chicken wild rice soup in a slow cooker

What to Serve with Chicken Rice Soup

Chicken and wild rice soup is so creamy, dreamy and delicious that it makes a hearty meal all on its own. It needs very little on the side to satisfy your family. You could float some oyster crackers on the top for a satisfying crunch.

Or, you might consider placing a “panera” in your centerpiece. Yes, we all know this is the name for the famous restaurant chain with the fabulous breads. But there’s a good reason why they adopted the word. Panera is actually Spanish for “bread basket.” So for this recipe, picture a rustic woven basket, overflowing with loaves of crusty bread. I can’t imagine a better dinner companion for chicken and wild rice soup!

Three bowls of chicken wild rice soup with pieces of bread and spoons

Can You Freeze Chicken Rice Soup?

The only small drawback to chicken and wild rice soup is that it doesn’t hold up well to freezing. This is because it is a cream- and milk-based soup. The solids in dairy tend to separate out when thawed, giving a grainy, curdled texture to sauces or soups. This doesn’t affect the taste much, but some people find the appearance less than appetizing.

But don’t despair! Try this: If your crockpot is big enough, double all the ingredients, except for the dairy and flour. When cooked through, ladle half into freezer containers (being sure to leave an inch of headroom for expansion). Then add the dairy and flour as described below, for that day’s meal.

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Slow cooker chicken wild rice soup in a white bowl with a slice of bread and a spoon on the side
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Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Warm up this winter with a bowl of creamy Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup. It's easy, simple, comforting, and even loaded with lots of veggies.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 20 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Author Melanie

Ingredients  

  • 2 chicken breasts uncooked
  • 1 onion diced
  • 3 carrots diced
  • 2 stalks celery diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 ½ cups whole milk or 2%
  • 1 cup bella mushrooms sliced
  • 1 cup wild rice blend uncooked
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley

Instructions 

  • Place chicken in the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker along with onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
  • Pour in chicken broth and cover. Cook on LOW for 3 hours.
  • Whisk the flour and cream together until smooth. Add it along with the milk, mushrooms, and rice to the slow cooker. Cook for 1-2 more hours on HIGH (or 2-3 hours on low) or until rice is cooked through. (Cook uncovered on high for the last 30 minutes for a thicker soup.)
  • Shred the chicken, ladle into bowls, sprinkle with parsley, and serve with bread.

Video

4.47 from 15 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
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Nutrition Information

Calories: 417kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 1319mg | Potassium: 863mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 5970IU | Vitamin C: 18.1mg | Calcium: 141mg | Iron: 1.8mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Soup
Cuisine American

Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle on some fresh parsley for color. Don’t forget to serve it with some crusty bread or  so you can soak up every last bit of soup in the bottom of the bowl… or you could just serve it in a bread bowl! Enjoy!

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Slow cooker chicken and wild rice soup in a bowl with a piece of bread and a title
Slow cooker chicken and wild rice soup in a bowl with a title

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About the author

Melanie is a Midwest girl currently living in Nebraska with her husband and daughters. She started rubbing elbows with her mom in the kitchen as soon as she discovered she could lick the bowl clean. She loves spending time in the kitchen creating healthy dinners and indulgent desserts for her family and friends. You can visit Melanie on her blog: Garnish & Glaze.
See more posts by Melanie

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  1. If I plan on having leftovers will cooking the rice in the soup make the rice soggy when I reheat it 2 days later? Would it be better to reserve enough broth to cook the rice in separately, then just add a portion of rice to each bowl when serving?

    1. Kim, you could substitute other rice. It would likely take less cook time than wild rice, so you may want to add it a bit later during the cooking. Let us know how it turns out for you!