Recently I scrolled past a TikTok sharing a man’s POV of arriving home from work to see his wife had dinner ready and waiting in the crock pot. He promptly dropped to the floor and tried crawling back out the door.
I about fell out of my chair (many of the commenters did not, which I understand!) As a recipe creator though, I got a kick out of it because crock pot recipes CAN be kind of gloopy, boring, and bland with no texture or color.
Luckily Crock Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is not one of those recipes!
This nourishing, brothy, slow cooked soup recipe tastes like something you’d get at a local deli or cafe. It’s filled with colorful, healthy veggies, bold herbs and seasonings, tender chicken, and plump wild rice. This dish is as easy as it is 3-bowl worthy!
Watch How to Make It!
Simple Cozy Comfort Food
Not only is this chicken wild rice soup one of my favorite cool-weather recipes, but it’s also one of my favorite recipes to take to someone in need of a comforting meal. Whether they’re sick, just had a new baby, or any other reason in between—it’s true what they say: chicken soup feeds the soul!
That said, I’ll usually ask the recipient if they want the soup already slow cooked and delivered warm, OR as a meal kit so they can toss it into their own crock pot, OR as a freezer pack so they can make the soup when it suits them best. This recipe is super versatile and a crowd favorite. The flavor and eating experience is just so cozy. Don’t forget the Gluten Free Focaccia!
Ingredients Needed
I love that I always have the ingredients for Crock Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup on hand. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Chicken breasts: trust me when I tell you that chicken breasts only need to slow cook for 4 hours on low to become juicy and tender. Any longer and you’ll end up with tough, dry, chicken.
- Vegetables: onion or shallot, carrots, and celery provide a boost of nutrition.
- Garlic: can’t have chicken soup without it!
- Dried herbs and seasonings: salt, pepper, dried thyme, dried ground sage, dried rosemary, and bay leaves give this soup lots of cozy flavor.
- Butter: this soup is low in fat, so a couple pats of butter add flavor and a little richness.
- Chicken stock or broth: you can use chicken stock or chicken broth interchangeably in this recipe. Homemade Instant Pot Chicken Stock would be great!!
- Wild rice-brown rice blend: this recipe uses a wild rice brown rice blend vs straight brown rice or straight wild rice. I’ll share the brand I recommend using below.
Can You Freeze Crock Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup?
Crock Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is one of my favorite recipes to freeze before cooking. Add all the ingredients except the broth into a Ziplock freezer bag then freeze flat. 24 hours before slow cooking, thaw the bag in the refrigerator then pour into the crock pot. Add broth and push “on”—easy!
FYI: the USDA advises you don’t cook frozen chicken in slow cookers, which is why I thaw the freezer pack before adding to the crock pot.
Another tip: I’ve had readers freeze the meal kit with chicken bullion, so all they have to do is add water when they pour the ingredients into the slow cooker, which I think is so brilliant!
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Add the ingredients to the crock pot. Told you this was easy! ;) Add all the ingredients into a 6 quart crock pot then stir, cover, and cook on LOW for 4 hours.
Step 2: Shred the chicken. Remove the cooked chicken from the crock pot with tongs, then shred and stir back into the soup.
Like I mentioned, I think a common misconception is that chicken breasts need to be slow cooked for many hours but that is totally not the case. It should shred with the tap of a fork after just 4 hours in the slow cooker!
My Favorite Rice to Use
The brown rice-wild rice blend I recommend for the perfect bowl of Crock Pot Chicken & Wild Rice Soup is Lundberg Wild Blend rice. It slow cooks in the same amount of time as the chicken so everything is perfectly cooked and done at the same time.
That said, if you use a different brand of rice it could take longer to cook. If that’s the case, store the shredded chicken in the refrigerator until the rice is ready then stir it in just before serving.
How to Store Crock Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
This soup re-heats fabulously. Let it cool until the soup is nearly room temperature then scoop into airtight containers and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop. You might need to add an extra splash of chicken stock or broth when reheating.
I find that cooked > frozen > thawed > reheated rice doesn’t hold up well, so I don’t recommend freezing this soup recipe once it’s been cooked.
Crock Pot Chicken & Wild Rice Soup truly is one of our family’s favorite meals. My kids and husband find it filling and comforting, and I love that it’s so, so easy to put together and (slow) cook. I usually serve with a side salad, or garlic butter bread and we’re off to the races. I hope you and yours love this easy, crock pot soup recipe as much as we do – enjoy!
More Cozy Chicken Soup Recipes
- CrockPot White Chicken Chili
- Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
- Easy Chicken and Rice Soup
- One Pot Chicken and Rice
- Gluten Free Homestyle Chicken and Noodles
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Crock Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Description
Crock Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is a quick and healthy crock pot recipe that's perfect for busy nights. Add all the ingredients in the crock pot then push on!
Ingredients
- 1lb chicken breasts
- 1 small onion or large shallot, minced
- 2 carrots, thinly sliced (~1 cup)
- 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon dried ground sage
- small pinch dried rosemary, crushed between your fingers
- 1 large or 2 small bay leaves
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 3/4 cup wild rice-brown rice blend (I recommend Lundberg Farms)
Directions
- Add all ingredients into a 6-quart crock pot then cook on LOW for 4 hours or until chicken breasts are cooked through. Rice should be done around the same time. Shred chicken then stir back into soup and serve (soup will thicken slightly as it cools.)
- Leave a comment and star rating if you loved the recipe! Thank you for considering!
Notes
- Depending on the type of rice you use, it may not be cooked through at 4 hours. If that's the case, shred chicken then keep in the refrigerator until rice is tender, then stir into soup and let warm for 5 minutes before serving.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Video
I made this and after 4 hours the chicken was not cooked and the vegetables were still rock hard. Maybe it should have been 4 hours on high? Or 8 hrs. on low?
Hi Danny, I’m sorry to hear that! It’s 4 hours on low. Is your crock pot on the older side, maybe? What brand/size is it?
Just made this soup today (1/20/21). The house smells amazing and the soup is delicious! Another hit by Kristin! Perfect for a cold Inauguration Day! :)
Wonderful!! So glad you liked the recipe, Kim!!
Can I substitute the milk for a non dairy option and what would be best?
Hi Jamie! There is no milk called for in this recipe.
I love how easy this soup is! I’ve made it a few times, tweaking it. I add a little more garlic, and last time I used boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. So much more flavorful! I also used a frozen bag of mirepoix to make it even easier, so I just put all the ingredients into the crockpot and turn it on!
Love the swaps, Amanda!! I have a TON of bone in chicken thighs – I’ll try this next time!
This is the BEST chicken wild rice soup! I’ve made this probably over 25 times and it’s always a hit. I usually make it on a Sunday so I have leftovers to eat for lunch throughout the week.
Can this be done in an instapot?
What are the nutritional information
Need calories
Soooo easy to ge going. Took me less than 10 mins. So tasty. Everyone is my family loved it and it’s healthy
Thrilled to hear it, Karen!
I make this recipe often. I use regular wild rice, and think it turns out much better. I tried the Lundberg Farms rice mix and found it lacking. Wild rice really cooks up fine. I also almost always add extra chicken to thicken it up. From a different recipe that was my first chicken wild rice soup, I add a slurry of white wine and flour or corn starch to the soup to thicken it up. YUM. So grateful for this regular “go to” for a fall evening!
I cooked this for 35 minutes in the Instantpot. ‘Very easy to make. I don’t think it needs any salt added, even with low sodium broth.
Oh yes, and I added mushrooms, too (see comment above).
I made this yesterday — very good and easy. It was somewhat bland so after it was cooked I added garlic salt, Montreal Chicken seasoning, cooked peas (next time will add them at the beginning), a spritz of Worcestershire sauce, and toasted almonds. This is a great base recipe for an easy meal.
I made this today… it was a staple last year! This time I used way more chicken breasts since there were 5 in a bag I thawed out and after 4 hours the rice was still uncooked and veggies were crispy. Does adding more chicken increase the necessary cook time?
Yum, yum. I make this recipe all of the time.
I add mushrooms, double the garlic and fresh rosemary from my garden. It’s always a hit…
Kristen, This soup is delicious! I love the ease of throwing it all in the crock pot and dinner is served.
Looks so delicious! Definitely going to have to try making this!
Why did you replace the original recipe? It used to be barley instead of rice. I have had this recipe saved for years as a favorite and now it’s gone ?
Hi Andrea! If you want to send me the name of the recipe you’re looking for, I can get it for you. :)
It was called crock pot chicken and barley Vegetable soup. The link I had saved for years now goes to this recipe. I’m sure this recipe is good as well, I just love barely though lol. Thank you.
Here you go!
Crock Pot Chicken & Barley Vegetable Stew
Ingredients:
48oz chicken broth
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 bay leaves
2 small chicken breasts (about 12oz)
3/4 cup regular barley (not quick-cooking)
1 onion, chopped
4 cups chopped kale
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes
1 large regular potato, peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes (I used Yukon Gold)
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
Directions:
1. Add chicken broth, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and bay leaves into the crock pot then stir to combine. Layer in chicken, barley, onions, kale, potatoes, and carrots. Do not stir. Press veggies down to cover with chicken broth then cook on low for 5-6 hours or until barley is tender.
2. Remove bay leaves then discard. Remove chicken breasts, shred, then return to the soup and stir to combine.
This does look so good! I’ve seen Lundberg rice at Whole Foods, I’d like to try it. This could be a regular fav!
Need nutritional info for this to see if I can make it for myself as I am losing weight. Thanks
What’s the carb count in this soup?