Simple Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ½ to ¾ cup finely chopped onion
- 1 cup finely chopped carrots, about 3 to 4 medium carrots
- 1 cup finely chopped celery, about 3 stalks
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 3 cups cooked wild rice or wild rice blend
- 2 cups cooked cubed chicken, (a rotisserie chicken works great here, see note for other easy solutions)
- 1 cup half-and-half, evaporated milk or milk (preferably 2% or higher for creaminess)
- Chopped chives for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a large pot, melt the butter and add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are mostly tender, 5-7 minutes.
- Add the flour and stir to combine, cooking another 30 seconds or so.
- Gradually add the chicken broth, stirring or whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Stir in the salt, pepper, and cooked rice.
- Bring the soup to a gentle simmer, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often to make sure it's not sticking on the bottom.
- Add the chicken. Stir in the half-and-half or milk. Simmer for 3-4 more minutes. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve, garnishing with fresh chives (optional).
Notes
Chicken: keep in mind the soup calls for cooked rice and chicken. I almost always have rotisserie chicken meat in my freezer, otherwise this simple skillet method works great when you need cooked chicken. You could also use raw chicken, cut it into small bite-size pieces, and cook it at the beginning in a tablespoon of oil or butter. Remove it to a plate before proceeding with the recipe instructions.
Rice: wild rice or a wild rice blend works great in this soup. If you salt the water for the rice (or if it has additional seasonings), make sure to compensate when using salt in the soup.