Lunch · Slow cooker · Make ahead · Fall

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Name: Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 460 min
Total time: 480 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 2 tsp olive oil; 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 3 medium celery stalks, cut into ¼-inch dice; 1 small russet potato, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice; ½ medium yellow onion, diced; 2 tsp poultry seasoning; ½ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste; ¼ tsp ground black pepper; 1 cup uncooked pure wild rice, not instant or precooked rice; 680 g boneless skinless chicken breasts, fully thawed; 6 cups lower-sodium chicken stock, divided; use the final 2 cups only as needed; 2 tbsp unsalted butter; ⅓ cup all-purpose flour; 2 ¾ cups 2% milk; cooking spray, for the slow-cooker insert

Chicken, wild rice and diced vegetables cook gently before a milk sauce gives the soup its creamy finish. An eight-portion slow-cooker lunch for autumn days.

Recipe by Tasty Recipes

Published 2026-09-15

8 hr8 servings

Timing breakdown · 6 timed stages

Allow up to 8 hours: 20 minutes preparation, 10 minutes sautéing, 6 to 7 hours on LOW and about 30 minutes to shred, make the sauce and heat through. Rice brands and slow cookers vary; allow longer if the grains remain firm.

Preparation: 20 min
Cooking: 460 min

Cooking Step 1: 8 to 10 minutes
Preparation / waiting Step 1: 30 seconds
Cooking Step 2: 6 to 7 hours
Preparation / waiting Step 4: 1 minute
Cooking Step 4: 4 minutes
Preparation / waiting Step 5: 20 minutes

Durations are taken from the method and may overlap. Some preparation steps are not timed. Optional stages are separate from the main meal.

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Creamy chicken wild rice soup with shredded chicken, dark wild rice grains, carrots, celery and potato in a cream bowl

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How to make Chicken Wild Rice Soup

01
Prepare the vegetables and lightly grease the slow-cooker insert. Heat the olive oil in the skillet. Cook carrots, celery, potato and onion for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring. Add poultry seasoning, salt and pepper for 30 seconds, then transfer to the slow cooker.
02
Rinse the wild rice and add it to the vegetables. Lay the thawed chicken on top and pour in 4 cups of stock. Wash hands and clean surfaces after contact with raw chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, keeping the lid on between necessary checks.
03
Check that the rice is tender and measure each chicken breast in its thickest centre with a clean thermometer. Chicken must reach 74°C (165°F). Continue cooking if either check fails. Move the cooked chicken to a clean plate and shred with two forks, then return it to the cooker.
04
Melt the butter in the saucepan. Whisk in flour for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk, bring to a gentle boil and simmer for about 4 minutes until thickened. Stir this sauce into the soup.
05
Use the reserved stock only as needed to loosen the soup. Cover and heat on HIGH until the whole mixture is steaming hot, stirring and checking several places reach at least 74°C (165°F). Allow up to 20 minutes for this final heating, or longer if needed. Taste for seasoning and divide into eight portions.

Recipe questions

Which rice should I buy?

Use uncooked pure wild rice for this version. Its grains are long and dark. Instant rice, precooked rice and ordinary white rice have different cooking times. Check the packet before shopping; use the texture check as well as the timer.

Can I put frozen chicken into the slow cooker?

No. Thaw it in the refrigerator first. Start cooking promptly after loading the ingredients; do not use a delayed start with raw poultry. Keep the lid in place while cooking, apart from necessary doneness checks.

Does this need cream?

The recipe uses 2% milk thickened with butter and flour. It contains dairy and wheat. The word creamy describes the finished texture and does not indicate that heavy cream is an ingredient.

Can I prepare lunch portions ahead?

Divide cooked soup into shallow containers and refrigerate promptly within 2 hours, at 4°C (40°F) or colder. Use within 2 to 3 days. Do not leave the full slow-cooker insert on the counter to cool.

How should I reheat it?

Use a saucepan or microwave rather than reheating cold soup in the slow cooker. Stir while heating, bring soup to a full rolling boil and check it reaches 74°C (165°F). Reheat only the portion needed and discard reheated food left uneaten.

What else goes with a bowl?

Serve a smaller portion before pork tenderloin with mushroom sauce, or have it as lunch with bread prepared separately. For a different meatless soup day, try our potato leek soup. These additions have their own ingredients and cooking times.

Cooking & storage

Check the thickest part of each piece with a food thermometer, away from bone. Poultry pieces should reach 74°C (165°F). Colour alone does not establish doneness. Health Canada cooking temperatures

Use the recipe’s specific storage directions when provided. Read the food storage guide for chilling and reheating food, and the measures guide before changing portions or ingredients.

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Adapted from Erin Clarke at Well Plated, using pure wild rice, the LOW setting, a full finishing-time allowance and Health Canada storage and chicken-temperature guidance.

Adapted from Erin Clarke at Well Plated.

Additional guidance: Health Canada: safe cooking temperatures · Health Canada: cooling, storing and reheating leftovers · USDA: slow cookers and food safety