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If you crave some soup that’s easy to make and offers rich, hearty flavors, this slow cooker chicken wild rice soup might be exactly what you’re looking for. A delicious combination of tender chicken breasts, wild rice, fresh vegetables and herbs, with a creamy texture, this soup is sure to hit the spot. It is a perfect way to use leftover rotisserie chicken. The ingredients gently cook to perfection in a slow cooker and you probably already have most of the ingredients for the soup on hand. If you like creamy chicken soup, you’ll love this.
Tasty and soul-nourishing, this slow cooker chicken wild rice soup is so easy to prepare and boasts fresh and wonderful flavors in every mouthful.
Also try chicken and rice with Brussels sprouts and bacon, riso al forno, stick of butter rice, or chicken stroganoff.
Why You’ll Love It
Easy to make: You pretty much just have to add your ingredients to a slow cooker and set it. Wait a few hours and the soup is ready.
You can use leftover chicken: Leftover chicken or even leftover holiday turkey can be used to make chicken wild rice soup, so if you have leftovers you know what to make!
Tastes so good: The flavor of this soup is amazing. It’s rich, creamy and aromatic.
Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Boneless skinless chicken breasts: You can shred rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken. Or sub chicken thighs.
Wild rice: A main ingredient in this hearty meal. Prefer white or brown rice? You can use that instead, or perhaps a wild rice blend. This is the blend that I used.
Vegetables: Onion, carrots, celery, and baby bella mushrooms add color and flavor, as well as nutrients.
Fresh herbs: Fresh rosemary, thyme and parsley add an aromatic taste.
Heavy whipping cream: Makes the soup rich and creamy.
Cornstarch: For thickening the chicken wild rice soup.
How to Make Crockpot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Slow cook the main ingredients: Add the chicken, wild rice, broth, seasonings and vegetables to the crockpot, and then add the herbs and cook.
Thicken it up: Discard the herbs. Combine the cream and cornstarch, stir it into the soup and cook until thickened.
The finishing touches: Add salt and black pepper to taste, and serve garnished with fresh parsley.
Substitutions and Variations
Gluten-free option: If you want a gluten-free version, ensure your chicken broth is gluten-free. Pure cornstarch is already free from gluten.
Protein options: Use chicken breast, tenderloins or thighs in chicken wild rice soup, or leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken. You can also use turkey or even pork if you prefer.
Vegetarian version: Omit the chicken and use chickpeas (garbanzo beans) instead. Sub vegetable broth for the chicken broth.
Vegan version: Use tofu or chickpeas and vegan-friendly broth, and use canned coconut milk instead of heavy cream.
Low carb option: Swap the wild rice for extra vegetables and use arrowroot in place of cornstarch.
Rice-free version: Swap the wild rice for pasta shapes if you prefer.
A tomato flavor: Swap half the cream for a can of crushed or diced tomatoes for a tomato flavor.
Dried herbs: Although fresh herbs offer a fresher flavor, you can sub dried thyme and rosemary instead.
Minced herbs: Rather than adding the fresh herbs whole, you can mince them finely and add those – there’s no need to discard them.
Different vegetables: Chopped sweet potatoes, baby potatoes, kale, corn, and spinach would all work in this chicken wild rice soup recipe.
Serving Suggestions
Appetizers: Steak and squash salad would be a tasty appetizer before this chicken and rice soup recipe.
Side dishes: Grilled cheese or a pimento cheese sandwich would be great with this, or a hearty Caesar salad or lemon parmesan chopped salad. Or how about cheesy garlic bread or crusty bread and butter?
Dessert: Finish up with one of these brownie mix recipes.
How to Store Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 3 days.
Freeze: The dairy content in this soup means it doesn’t freeze well.
Reheat: Warm crockpot chicken wild rice soup back up on the stove, adding a little extra chicken stock or broth if it’s thickened up.
Top Tips
Use a large crockpot: A 6-quart slow cooker is a good size to use for making shredded chicken rice soup. (I have this one and it works great!)
Raw chicken: If using raw chicken, add it to the crock pot with the other ingredients and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours, then shred it and proceed with the recipe. Frozen chicken should be completely thawed before starting the recipe.
Don’t forget the herbs: Remember to discard the fresh herbs before adding the cream. If you’re using finely minced herbs you can leave them in but remember to discard the bay leaves.
Crockpot Chicken Wild Rice Soup FAQs
Wild rice isn’t actually a type of rice at all, but a species of grass! It has 40% more protein than brown rice and 30% few calories, and it’s also richer in potassium, zinc and fiber. Although it’s technically not rice, it’s given that name because it does taste like rice.
Most rice varieties work well in soup, including white, brown and black rice, basmati, jasmine rice and sushi rice. You can even use paella rice or risotto rice. Keep in mind that wild rice and brown rice take the most time to cook, but in a crockpot soup recipe any kind of rice will cook fine when added raw.
Yes, definitely. Kids will love the distinctive chicken flavor and the rich, creamy texture. You can even add a handful of shredded cheese on top to make it even more appealing to the little ones.
Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Recipe
Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 3 Cups chicken breast, shredded, or rotisserie chicken
- 1 Cup wild rice, uncooked and rinsed
- 4 Cups chicken broth
- ½ Teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ½ Teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- 3 Cloves garlic, minced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 carrots, peeled and diced
- 4 Stalks celery, diced
- 8 Ounces mushrooms, baby bella or cremini, sliced
- 2 Sprigs rosemary, or 2 Teaspoons dried rosemary
- 3 Sprigs thyme, or 2 Teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves, dried
- 2 Cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ Cup fresh parsley, chopped, optional for garnish
Instructions
- Put shredded chicken, wild rice, chicken broth, salt, pepper, garlic, onions, carrots, celery, and mushrooms in a 6-quart slow cooker, and stir to combine.
- Add rosemary, thyme and bay leaves on top of the soup mixture. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours.
- Remove and discard the rosemary, thyme and bay leaves.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together heavy cream and cornstarch. Stir the heavy cream mixture into the soup.
- Cover and cook for another 20 to 30 minutes on low, stirring occasionally.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve garnished with fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
Raw chicken: If using raw chicken, add it to the crock pot with the other ingredients and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours, then shred it and proceed with the recipe. Frozen chicken should be completely thawed before starting the recipe.
Don’t forget the herbs: Remember to discard the fresh herbs before adding the cream. If you’re using finely minced herbs you can leave them in but remember to discard the bay leaves.
Nutrition
You won’t regret whipping up this mouthwatering slow cooker recipe for chicken wild rice soup. It’s so easy. You simply need to add the ingredients to your slow cooker and then leave it alone to work its magic! The kitchen will smell incredible and the finished soup will be popular with the whole family. It’s a great recipe if you have leftover cooked or rotisserie chicken, and this slow cooker chicken wild rice soup is really hearty and satisfying.
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
I can’t believe how quick this was to prepare! It’s now my go-to weeknight meal!
I could eat an entire bowl of this. So rustic, so delicious!
I have one tip for easy removal of the herbs and bay leaves: either tie them together with kitchen twine or place them in a small muslin bag. That way you can fish them out without having to hunt for them. It’s a trick a learned from an older lady on our country lane before she passed. Elda May lived on her homemade soups and stews and she would have loved this one. It’s a bit different from the Chicken & Wild Rice Soup recipe I already have (not from Elda May) and I want to see if this is better.
Hi Tammy, thanks for the great tips. I love homemade soups and stews too. Let me know how it comes out!
I made this on a stormy summer evening and it hit the spot. Light but filling and very tasty.