Creamy Chicken Mushroom Wild Rice (Printable)

Hearty slow cooker soup with tender chicken, mushrooms, and wild rice in a creamy broth.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 cups sliced cremini or button mushrooms
03 - 1 cup diced carrots
04 - 1 cup diced celery
05 - 1 medium onion, diced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Grains

07 - 3/4 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed

→ Liquid & Dairy

08 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1 cup heavy cream
10 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Seasonings

11 - 1 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1 tsp dried rosemary
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - 1 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
15 - 3/4 tsp black pepper

→ Thickener

16 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend

# How-To Steps:

01 - Add the chicken, mushrooms, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, wild rice, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper to the slow cooker.
02 - Pour in the chicken broth and stir everything together to distribute evenly.
03 - Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and the wild rice is tender.
04 - Transfer the chicken to a plate and shred using two forks, then return the shredded meat to the slow cooker.
05 - Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to form a roux and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until lightly golden.
06 - Slowly whisk the heavy cream into the roux, heating until the mixture thickens, then stir it into the slow cooker.
07 - Stir well, re-cover, and cook on LOW for an additional 20 to 30 minutes until the soup is creamy and heated through. Remove the bay leaf, taste, and adjust seasoning as needed before serving hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The wild rice gives every spoonful this satisfying chew that regular rice just cannot replicate
  • It genuinely tastes like you stood at the stove for hours when you barely did anything
02 -
  • Wild rice takes longer than you think so do not swap it for white rice and expect the same timing
  • The soup will thicken even more as it sits so if it seems perfect in the cooker it might be too thick by tomorrow
03 -
  • Saute the mushrooms in butter for five minutes before adding them to the cooker and the entire soup gains a deeper, meatier flavor
  • If the soup turns out thinner than you wanted, simmer it uncovered on the stove for 10 minutes instead of adding more thickener

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