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Creamy Mushroom Chicken And Wild Rice Soup

Creamy mushroom chicken and wild rice soup with tender wild rice kernels and a velvety cream broth. Sautéed vegetables, a flour-thickened base, and a short cream simmer make it rich without being heavy.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 540

Ingredients
  

Chicken breast
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast Use boneless, skinless for even cooking.
Mushrooms
  • 2 cup mixed mushrooms (cremini, shiitake) Slice so they sauté quickly and stay flavorful.
Wild rice blend
  • 0.75 cup wild rice blend Uncooked; simmer until tender.
Vegetables
  • 3 carrots Sliced.
  • 3 celery Sliced.
  • 1 onion Diced.
  • 4 clove garlic Minced.
Broth
  • 8 cup chicken broth Low-sodium if desired, then adjust salt at the end.
Creamy base
  • 1.5 cup heavy cream Stir in near the end to prevent curdling.
  • 4 tbsp butter For sautéing and flavor.
  • 3 tbsp flour Thickens the soup.
  • 1 tsp dried thyme Use for earthy, savory aroma.
  • 1 bay leaf Remove after simmering.
Seasoning
  • 0.25 salt To taste.
  • 0.25 black pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté the base
  1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, then sauté the onion, carrots, and celery for 5 minutes until beginning to soften.
  2. Add the garlic and sliced mushrooms, then cook for 4 minutes, stirring, until the mushrooms release moisture and start to brown.
Thicken and build flavor
  1. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes until it smells toasty and the mixture looks slightly paste-like.
  2. Add the chicken broth, wild rice blend, chicken breast, thyme, and bay leaf, stirring to combine and scraping up any browned bits.
Simmer
  1. Simmer uncovered for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the wild rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.
  2. Remove the chicken, shred it, and return it to the pot; remove and discard the bay leaf at this point.
Finish
  1. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer for 5 minutes until the soup turns creamy and hot throughout.
  2. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, then serve.

Notes

For the best texture, keep the cream simmer gentle—after stirring it in, avoid hard boiling to prevent curdling. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze up to 2 months, though cream may slightly change texture when reheated. For a dairy-light swap, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and add it at the same step.