Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup with Mushrooms

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic comfort: velvety, lightly creamy broth with tender chicken and nutty wild rice.
• Generous vegetables and herbs make it hearty yet balanced.
• Bright finish from lemon and parsley keeps every spoonful lively.
• Perfect for a cozy dinner with warm, buttered rolls on the side.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 large yellow onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery ribs, 8 oz cremini mushrooms, 3 garlic cloves, fresh thyme, 1 lemon, fresh parsley
• Dairy: Unsalted butter, half-and-half (light cream)
• Pantry: Olive oil, wild rice (or wild rice blend), low-sodium chicken broth, bay leaves, all-purpose flour, kosher salt, black pepper, dinner rolls

Full Ingredients

For the Soup

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 celery ribs, diced (about 3/4 cup)
• 8 oz cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
• 1 cup uncooked wild rice or wild rice blend, rinsed
• 8 cups (2 quarts) low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 lb cooked chicken, shredded (about 4 cups loosely packed; rotisserie works great)
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

To Finish

• 1 cup half-and-half (light cream, 10–12% milkfat), divided
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (or 1 tbsp cornstarch for gluten-free)
• 1 lemon, juiced (about 2 tbsp)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

To Serve

• 6 soft dinner rolls
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted or softened
• Flaky sea salt (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep your ingredients and rice

Rinse the wild rice under cold water for 20–30 seconds to remove surface starch. Dice the onion, carrots, and celery; slice the mushrooms; mince the garlic; strip thyme leaves. Shred the cooked chicken if not already done. Keep everything close to the stove for an easy flow.

Step 2: Sauté the aromatics and mushrooms

In a 5–6 quart heavy pot, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat until the butter is foamy. Add onion, carrots, and celery with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until the onions begin to turn translucent. Add mushrooms and increase the heat slightly; cook 5–7 minutes, stirring only occasionally, until the mushrooms release their liquid and take on golden edges. Stir in garlic and thyme; cook 1 minute until fragrant.

Step 3: Add rice and broth; simmer until tender

Stir in the rinsed wild rice, chicken broth, bay leaves, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a gentle simmer, partially cover, and cook for 45–50 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the rice is tender and some grains have split. If the soup reduces too much before the rice is done, add 1/2–1 cup hot water to maintain a brothy consistency.

Step 4: Add chicken and gently simmer

Stir in the shredded chicken and simmer for 5 minutes to warm through. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Step 5: Lightly thicken the broth

In a small bowl, whisk the flour with 2 tbsp of the half-and-half until smooth (no lumps). Stir the slurry into the simmering soup and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring, until the broth lightly thickens. For a gluten-free option, use 1 tbsp cornstarch whisked with 2 tbsp cold water and simmer just 1 minute after adding.

Step 6: Finish with cream, lemon, and parsley

Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the remaining half-and-half, lemon juice, and parsley. Fish out and discard the bay leaves. The broth should be silky, not heavy. Taste and add an extra pinch of salt or a squeeze more lemon if desired.

Step 7: Warm and butter the rolls; serve

While the soup finishes, warm the rolls at 350°F (175°C) for 6–8 minutes. Brush with melted butter and a pinch of flaky salt if you like. Ladle the soup into warm bowls, garnish with a little extra parsley and freshly cracked pepper, and serve with the buttered rolls on the side.

Pro Tips

• Wild rice vs. blend: 100% wild rice typically needs the full 45–50 minutes; wild rice blends can be done in 35–40 minutes. Start checking early and adjust liquid as needed.
• For best mushroom flavor, let them brown: cook in a hot pan without stirring too often to develop deep, savory flavor.
• Keep dairy silky: add half-and-half off the heat to avoid curdling and never boil after adding.
• Adjust thickness to taste: thin with extra warm broth or water, or thicken further with an additional teaspoon or two of slurry.
• Rotisserie shortcut: Use store-bought rotisserie chicken for speed and rich flavor.

Variations

• Turkey and Wild Rice: Swap the chicken for leftover roast turkey and use turkey stock if you have it.
• Vegetarian Mushroom Lover’s: Skip the chicken, use vegetable broth, double the mushrooms (16 oz), and add a can of rinsed white beans for protein.
• Dairy-Free: Replace half-and-half with 1 cup unsweetened cashew cream or light coconut milk; skip the flour slurry and thicken with 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with water.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Refrigerate cooled soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Wild rice continues to absorb liquid, so expect the soup to thicken; stir in extra broth or water when reheating. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low until steaming (do not boil). For freezing, make through Step 4 (before adding slurry and cream), cool, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat to a simmer, then add slurry and half-and-half off heat, plus lemon and parsley. Rolls are best fresh but can be frozen up to 1 month; warm from frozen at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for soup only (without rolls and butter): 410 calories; 25 g protein; 13 g fat; 44 g carbohydrates; 3 g fiber; 850 mg sodium. Values will vary based on brands and exact ingredients.