Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup

This Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup is a lightened-up comfort food full of protein and veggies to keep you cozy!

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 4

Total Time 3 15

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Servings cups

Calories 286 kcal

1 to 1 ¼ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts raw
½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste
7 to 8 cups chicken broth use less for thicker soup
1 cup wild rice uncooked
4 cloves garlic minced
1 small yellow onion diced (1 ¼ – 1 ½ cups)
3 to 4 carrots peeled and diced (1 ½ cups)
2 to 3 medium celery stalks diced (~¾ – 1 cup)
2 teaspoons dried rosemary crushed between your fingers
1 teaspoon dried thyme
¼ to ½ teaspoon dried sage or poultry seasoning
2 pieces dried bay leaves
8 ounces fresh cremini or baby bella mushrooms sliced or diced
2 cups half and half use unsweetened plain non-dairy creamer or full-fat coconut milk for dairy-free
2 tablespoons cornstarch optional for thickening
¼ cup fresh parsley chopped, optional for garnish

Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Place the chicken into a 6-qt slow cooker.
Stir in the broth, wild rice, mushrooms, garlic, onion, carrots, celery, rosemary, thyme, sage, and bay leaves.
Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours (or high for 3-4 hours).
When the chicken is cooked and shreds easily, remove the bay leaves and discard them. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker to a clean plate and shred using two forks. Add the shredded chicken back to the slow cooker and stir.
Stir in the half and half.
Cover and heat until warmed, an additional 15-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Season with additional salt and pepper to taste and garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.

Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Place the chicken breast, broth, wild rice, mushrooms, garlic, onion, carrots, celery, rosemary, thyme, sage, bay leaves in the Instant Pot.
Lock the lid into place. Turn the vent valve to the ‘Sealing’ position.
Select ‘Manual’ or ‘High Pressure’ setting and set cook time to 12 minutes.
When the cook time is up, release the pressure using the quick-release method.
When all of the pressure is released and lid unlocks, remove the chicken to a clean plate and shred with two forks. Set aside.
Replace the lid on the Instant Pot and cook an additional 6 minutes, allowing for 5 minutes of natural pressure release.
Stir in the half and half.
Add the shredded chicken back to the Instant Pot and stir.
Serve immediately. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
Optional step: If you prefer even thicker soup, remove ½ cup of the liquid in the Instant Pot to a small bowl. Whisk 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into the liquid to create a slurry. Set the Instant Pot to the Saute function until the liquid starts to simmer. Stir in the cornstarch slurry into the soup and stir until thickened, about 3-5 minutes.

For dairy-free, use canned full-fat coconut milk or unsweetened non-dairy creamer in place of half and half.

Serving: 1cupsCalories: 286kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 24gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 271mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6g

Keyword chicken soup, comfort food, dairy-free option, easy soup, slow cooker soup, wild rice soup

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