Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

This Lighter Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is silky, comforting and loaded with tender chicken, hearty wild rice and plenty of vegetables. Made without flour or butter, this cozy soup can easily be prepared on the stovetop, in the slow cooker or in the Instant Pot!

There is nothing better than a warm bowl of this Lighter Chicken and Wild Rice Soup on a chilly day! It is silky, hearty and packed with tender chicken, wholesome wild rice, mushrooms, carrots and celery all simmered together in a flavorful broth. Instead of using butter, flour and heavy cream like many traditional recipes, this version gets its silky texture from coconut milk

It certainly can be! This lighter chicken and wild rice soup is packed with lean protein from the chicken, fiber-rich vegetables and hearty wild rice. Unlike many silky chicken and wild rice soup recipes that use butter, flour and heavy cream, this version uses coconut milk for a rich and silky texture while keeping the soup dairy-free. Each serving has about 20 grams of prot

What goes in

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, or butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 3 ribs celery, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth, or stock
• 1 pound chicken breasts, or shredded rotisserie chicken for stovetop
• 1 cup wild rice, uncooked
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon dried mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk, or heavy cream
• Garnish with fresh thyme right before serving

How it comes together

1. Combine all ingredients, except for the coconut milk, to the bowl of your crock pot (you will want to use chicken breasts or thighs), cover and cook on low 4 to 6 hours.
2. Once the rice is done cooking, shred the chicken and mix in the coconut milk. Top with fresh thyme and serve!
3. Just like in the crock pot instructions, add all the ingredients (except for the coconut milk) into the bowl of your Instant Pot, cover, and cook on manual (high pressure) for 30 minutes.
4. Once it is done, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then do a quick release by carefully placing the valve in the venting position to release the rest of the steam.
5. Carefully remove the lid, take out the chicken and shred it using two forks. Add the chicken back into the Instant Pot, pour in the coconut milk and mix everything well. Let those flavor sit and marinate together for a few minutes before serving.
6. Drizzle olive oil (or butter) in a large pot or dutch oven over a lively burner and sauté onion, carrots and celery until the pieces give, about 4 to 5 minutes, then add in the garlic and sauté an additional 30 seconds.
7. Next, pour in the chicken broth and add in the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil (for the stovetop method, A cook like to use leftover shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken that A cook add once the rice is done cooking).
8. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low, letting the soup simmer for about 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Once the rice is cooked, mix in the coconut milk and shredded chicken, taste and add additional seasonings, as-needed. Top with fresh thyme and enjoy!

Keep in mind

To Store: Store leftover chicken and wild rice soup in a sealed, airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep in mind the wild rice will continue to absorb some of the broth as it sits, so you may want to add a splash of chicken broth when reheating. To Freeze: For best results, prepare the soup without adding the coconut milk or cream. Allow the soup to cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerat