Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Updated Nov 05, 2025
Dairy-free, chicken wild rice soup with mushrooms, carrots, celery, onions & thyme makes for a delicious meal, great for meal-prep.
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Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is soo Good!
When it’s cold out, I’m all about this chicken and wild rice soup. It’s filling, and also dairy-free, but you’d never know it. The wild rice gives it a nutty, chewy texture I love, and the mushrooms and carrots make it hearty without being heavy. Best part? It’s a one-pot situation, so cleanup’s easy and dinner’s done.
I skip the cream in this chicken and wild rice soup and use blended beans to make it thick and creamy instead. It’s still just as comforting but a little lighter, which means I don’t feel weighed down afterward. Between the chicken, veggies, and wild rice, it’s the kind of meal that hits the spot and feels good to eat.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Ingredients
- Chicken: I use chicken breast for this recipe, but you could also use boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Wild Rice: You could also use brown rice, but I think wild rice has a better flavor and texture.
- Mushrooms: I like to use sliced button mushrooms, but use whatever type of mushroom you like.
- Carrots, Celery, and Onion: Try to chop the pieces roughly the same size so they all cook evenly and you don’t end up with large chunks of one or the other.
- Beans: You won’t actually see any beans floating around in this soup! Instead, you’ll be making a puree to help thicken the soup. Traditionally, heavy cream is added to chicken and mushroom soup, so feel free to skip the beans and go with any milk or cream.
- Chicken stock or broth: If you break down a whole chicken and use the bones to make chicken stock for your soup, you can save some serious cash! If not, store-bought chicken broth will work just fine.
- Seasonings: Fresh thyme, salt, and pepper.
How to Make Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Chicken Wild Rice Soup Recipe
Chicken wild rice soup with fresh mushrooms, carrots, celery, onions & thyme is easy to make with only 10 minutes of prep.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 2 celery ribs diced
- 16 ounces mushrooms sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper divided
- 1 cup wild rice mix uncooked
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 can white beans rinsed and drained
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and add the onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms and thyme. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to10 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened and the mushrooms are no longer giving off moisture.
- Add rice and toast for 1 to 2 minutes, or until it smells nutty. Add chicken stock and chicken breast and bring to a boil. Season with the remaining salt and pepper. Reduce heat to a simmer, then cover and cook for 30 minutes. Remove chicken from the pot and place on a cutting board. Shred with two forks.
- Continue cooking the soup for 15 minutes more, until the rice is tender. Return the shredded chicken back to the soup and stir to combine.
- Add 1 cup water and white beans to a high-speed blender and process until smooth. Add bean mixture to the pot and cook for 5 minutes, then season to taste and serve.
Notes
- My Top Tip: To get more bang for your buck, try your hand at cutting a whole chicken and using the different parts in varying meals, plus the bones for homemade chicken stock!
- Storage: Make sure to let the soup cool to room temperature before transferring to an air-tight container and storing it in the refrigerator. When stored properly in an airtight container, this soup will last for up to four days in the refrigerator. When reheating, slowly heat the soup on the stove over low heat until warmed through. You may need to add additional liquid if the soup has thickened too much.
- Freezing: Cool the soup to room temperature, then pack into freezer-safe containers, leaving about an inch at the top of each container for expansion in the freezer. Close tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. To use from frozen, defrost the container overnight in the fridge. When ready to serve, place contents in a large pot and bring up to a boil before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 315kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 53mg, Sodium: 726mg, Potassium: 907mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 3492IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 34mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
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Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip toasting the rice. Letting the rice toast for 1-2 minutes before adding the cooking liquid may seem like an insignificant step in this recipe, but it adds a great deal of flavor!
- Keep in mind the soup will thicken the next day. The rice will continue to absorb more broth and make the soup thicker as it sits. Just add some water or broth before heating through, and it will loosen it up a bit.
- Cook your chicken directly in the soup. This helps to keep the chicken moist and juicy and adds additional flavor to the soup.
- Cut your veggies into uniform pieces. When it comes to the carrots, celery, and onions, it’s best to cut them into bite-sized pieces, so they cook evenly.
Serving Ideas
- Veggie Avocado Sandwich
- Grilled Mozzarella Sandwich
- Chicken Caprese Pesto Panini
- Garlic Bread
- Herb Skillet Dinner Rolls
- Garlic Knots
- Homemade Pita Bread
Comments
I liked the recipe because it was dairy free but next time I would omit the beans. The broth tasted better to me before I added the beans.
Thanks for the feedback, Angel! Glad you liked the soup!
Loved it! Canโt wait to make it again
Yay! So happy you loved it! Thank you, Abby!!
Love this soup!
Yay, I’m so glad!! Thank you!
I loved this soup. Personally, would’ve liked more chicken but otherwise perfection
So happy you liked it, Rosie!! You can absolutely add more chicken next timeโsounds so good!
Delicious!! I made this just as written, and it is perfect!
Yay!! Thank you so much, Denise!
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