Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup

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.