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Creamy Crockpot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup: Easy 30-Min Prep Recipe

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This creamy crockpot chicken and wild rice soup is the ultimate cold-weather comfort food. With tender chicken, chewy wild rice, and a velvety broth, it’s a set-it-and-forget-it meal that delivers big flavor with minimal hands-on time.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 cup wild rice blend
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1½ cups)
  • 3 celery stalks, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • ½ teaspoon dried sage
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prep your vegetables first. Dice the onion, carrots, and celery into roughly equal-sized pieces—about ¼-inch. Mince the garlic.
  2. Sauté the aromatics. Heat the butter and olive oil together in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn translucent and the carrots start to soften. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  3. Season and sear the chicken. While the vegetables cook, pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt, pepper, and a pinch of dried thyme. Push the vegetables to the edges of the skillet and add the chicken thighs in a single layer. Sear for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown.
  4. Transfer to the slow cooker. Place the seared chicken thighs and sautéed vegetables into your slow cooker. Sprinkle the dried rosemary, sage, and the bay leaf over everything. Pour in the chicken broth and water. Give it a gentle stir.
  5. Cook on low for 3 hours. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours.
  6. Remove and shred the chicken. After 3 hours, use tongs to transfer the chicken thighs to a cutting board. Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Discard the bay leaf.
  7. Add the wild rice blend. Stir the wild rice blend into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for another 1½ to 2 hours, or until the rice is tender but still has a slight chew.
  8. Make the cream slurry. About 15 minutes before the rice is done, whisk together the heavy cream, milk, and all-purpose flour in a small bowl until smooth.
  9. Finish the soup. Once the rice is tender, stir the cream slurry into the slow cooker. Add the shredded chicken back in. Cover and cook on low for another 15-20 minutes until the soup thickens slightly and everything is heated through.
  10. Taste and adjust. Add salt and pepper as needed.
  11. Serve and garnish. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

Don’t add the rice at the beginning; add it halfway through to prevent mushiness. Sear the chicken for deeper flavor. Use low heat for best results. Make a cream slurry to prevent curdling. Season in layers. Let the soup rest before serving for better flavor melding.

Nutrition

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

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