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Best Easy Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

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A comforting, creamy slow cooker chicken and wild rice soup made with simple ingredients. It’s a set-it-and-forget-it meal that fills your home with warmth and delivers a deeply flavorful, hearty soup perfect for cozy evenings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 1 cup wild rice blend (e.g., Lundberg brand)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
  • 3 celery stalks, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper (plus more to taste)
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Prep your vegetables: Dice the onion, carrots, and celery into roughly equal-sized pieces (about ½-inch). Mince the garlic and set aside.
  2. Layer the ingredients in the slow cooker: Place the chicken breasts or thighs in the bottom. Sprinkle the diced vegetables and minced garlic over the top.
  3. Add the rice and seasonings: Pour in the wild rice blend, dried thyme, crushed rosemary, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Give everything a gentle stir.
  4. Pour in the chicken broth: Slowly pour the broth over everything, making sure the rice is fully submerged.
  5. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Check the rice for tenderness.
  6. Remove the chicken and shred it: Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks.
  7. Fish out the bay leaves and discard.
  8. Stir in the half-and-half and shredded chicken: Turn the slow cooker off or to warm. Pour in the half-and-half and stir gently. Add the shredded chicken back in and stir to combine.
  9. Taste and adjust seasonings: Add more salt and pepper as needed.
  10. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and enjoy.

Notes

Do not add half-and-half at the beginning; it will curdle. Stir in right before serving off the heat. For a thicker soup, mash some cooked rice against the side of the slow cooker and stir back in. Leftovers thicken overnight; add broth or water when reheating.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker chicken and wild rice soup, creamy chicken soup, wild rice soup, easy slow cooker soup, comfort food

Find it online: https://evabakery.com/best-easy-slow-cooker-chicken-and-wild-rice-soup/