Chicken Wild Rice Soup Recipe

Heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it’s melted and foaming. Add the 1 diced onion, 1 cup of sliced carrots, and 1 cup of sliced celery. Season generously with a couple of good pinches of kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, for about 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables have softened and the onion is translucent.

Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the 6 cloves of minced garlic, 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of ground sage, and 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme. Stir constantly for about 30 seconds until the garlic and herbs are fragrant. Next, sprinkle the 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour over the vegetables. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring frequently. This step is crucial; it cooks out the raw flour taste and creates a “roux” that will thicken our soup. The mixture will look a bit pasty and thick.

Pour in a couple of splashes of the 4 cups of chicken stock. Use your spoon to scrape up any browned bits (called “fond”) from the bottom of the pot. This is where a ton of flavor is hiding! Once the bottom of the pot is clean, pour in the rest of the chicken stock.

Add the 1 teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon (if using) and the 1 cup of uncooked wild rice blend to the pot. Stir everything together and season again with a couple of pinches of salt and pepper. Turn the heat up to medium-high, cover the pot, and bring the soup to a gentle simmer.

As soon as it reaches a simmer, immediately reduce the heat to low. Keep the pot covered and let it simmer gently for 50-60 minutes. The cooking time will depend on your specific rice blend. The soup is ready for the next step when the rice is tender and many of the grains have “popped” or split open.

Once the rice is fully cooked, stir in the 2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken, 1.5 cups of heavy cream, and the 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar. Continue to cook over low heat, stirring gently, for another 2-3 minutes, just until the chicken is warmed through. Be careful not to let the soup boil after adding the cream.

Remove the soup from the heat. Taste it one last time and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. A final adjustment of salt is often what takes a soup from good to great. Ladle the hot soup into bowls, garnish with fresh chopped parsley, and enjoy immediately.