Our Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup ranks among my top ten soups of all time. It has everything a great soup should: tender chicken, plenty of vegetables, a rich, hearty broth finished with cream, and the nutty texture of wild rice. The recipe includes options for making your own chicken stock from a roasted bird or taking the easy route with store-bought stock.

Chicken Wild Rice Soup Recipe

Soup season is one of the few things that makes winter genuinely enjoyable. Fall and winter cooking bring comforting, flavorful meals, and in our house soup is practically its own food group. This chicken wild rice soup is a standout—hearty, creamy, and loaded with vegetables and savory flavor.

Make Your Own Stock

If you prefer homemade, roast a whole chicken and use the carcass to make a rich roasted chicken stock. Homemade stock gives the soup deeper flavor, but good-quality store-bought stock works well for a quicker version.

Recipe Shopping List

You may already have many of these ingredients at home. For exact amounts, please see the recipe card below.

Chicken (roasted or cooked)
Onion
Celery
Chicken bouillon or concentrated chicken stock
Sage
Wild rice
Carrots
Mushrooms
Butter
Flour (for the roux)
Heavy whipping cream

How To Make This Recipe

Here’s a clear overview of the cooking process so you know what to expect. Follow the full instructions in the recipe card below while you cook.

Make the stock – Prepare homemade stock from a roasted chicken or enrich boxed stock with concentrated bouillon and aromatics, then bring to a simmer.
Add aromatics and rice – Add onion, celery, wild rice, sage, and bouillon to the stock. Simmer for about 30 minutes to cook the rice and build flavor.
Add vegetables – Add carrots and mushrooms and simmer another 20–30 minutes, until the carrots are tender.
Make the roux – In a separate pan, melt butter and whisk in flour, cooking until lightly golden. Gradually whisk the roux into the soup to thicken it.
Finish with chicken and cream – Stir in the cooked chicken, let the soup heat through, then add heavy cream and serve hot.

Serve this with…

Garlic bread or crusty artisan bread
A crisp Greek salad
Classic Caesar salad
Garlic bread sticks

Want some more family recipes?

Homemade Snickers Cake
Better-than-KFC Coleslaw
Chicken Marsala

Yield: 12 servings

Creamy Chicken Mushroom Wild Rice Soup

This comforting and creamy soup is ideal for chilly days. It combines roasted chicken, wild rice, mushrooms, sage, and cream for a rich, satisfying bowl that feeds a crowd.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 roasted chicken (meat removed and reserved)
Enough water to cover the chicken carcass in the stock pot
1 medium onion, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 tablespoons chicken bouillon (or equivalent concentrated stock)
2 tablespoons rubbed sage
2 cups wild rice, uncooked and rinsed
3 cups carrots, diced
5 cups sliced mushrooms
2 sticks butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups heavy whipping cream

Instructions

Remove as much meat as possible from the roasted chicken and refrigerate for later use.
Place the chicken carcass in a large stockpot and cover with water. Bring to a simmer over high heat.
Simmer for at least one hour; simmering 3–4 hours yields even richer stock.
After simmering, use a large spoon to break down any softened bones and return them to the pot while cooking to extract flavor.
Strain the finished stock through a fine-mesh strainer and return the liquid to the pot. Add water if the stock has reduced significantly to bring it close to the original level.
Add the diced onion, chopped celery, chicken bouillon (if using), sage, and rinsed wild rice to the pot. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the diced carrots and sliced mushrooms and continue to simmer for another 20–30 minutes, until the carrots are tender.
While the soup simmers, melt the butter in a small sauté pan. Add the flour and whisk constantly until the mixture turns a light golden brown to make a roux.
Slowly whisk the roux into the simmering soup to thicken it, stirring to combine and remove any lumps.
Add the reserved cooked chicken to the soup and simmer for about 10 minutes over low heat, stirring frequently.
Stir in the heavy cream and heat through, then adjust seasoning and serve hot.

Nutrition Information (per serving)

Yield: 12 servings

Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving (estimates):

Calories: 476
Total Fat: 40 g
Saturated Fat: 24 g
Trans Fat: 1 g
Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
Cholesterol: 123 mg
Sodium: 249 mg
Carbohydrates: 22 g
Fiber: 4 g
Sugar: 6 g
Protein: 10 g

Nutrition data are estimates. If you need precise values for medical reasons, consult a trusted nutrition resource.