Description
This Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup is a comforting and hearty homemade dish packed with tender chicken breast, fresh vegetables like carrots, celery, and onion, and wholesome wild rice. The rich and creamy broth is made from scratch using a simple butter and flour roux and whole milk, creating a flavorful and satisfying soup perfect for any season.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, small diced (about 1 cup, 150g)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (1 Tbsp)
- ½ lb carrots, sliced (1.5 cups, 227g)
- ½ bunch celery, sliced (2 cups, 227g)
- 1 lb chicken breast, boneless and skinless (454g)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 cup wild rice mix (250g)
- 6 cups water (48oz)
- 1-2 tsp salt, to taste
Creamy Milk Mixture
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
Garnish
- ⅓ bunch fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Gather all your ingredients. Dice the onion and mince the garlic if using fresh instead of pre-minced.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes until tender and fragrant.
- Add Vegetables: While onions are cooking, clean and slice carrots and celery. Add them to the pot and cook for another 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Add Chicken and Rice: Place the whole chicken breast into the pot along with the bay leaf, dried oregano, dried thyme, freshly cracked black pepper, wild rice mix, and 6 cups of water. Do not add salt yet.
- Simmer Soup: Bring the pot up to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and let it simmer gently for 1 hour to allow flavors to meld and chicken to cook through.
- Make Roux-Based Creamy Mixture: Near the end of cooking, melt butter in a small pot over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes to form a roux.
- Incorporate Milk: Slowly whisk in the whole milk and continue stirring frequently until it reaches a simmer and slightly thickens. Then remove from heat.
- Shred Chicken & Finish Soup: Remove the chicken breast and shred it with two forks. Return shredded chicken to the pot. Add chopped fresh parsley and the creamy milk mixture to the soup. Season with salt (start with about 1 tsp and adjust to taste) and additional black pepper if desired.
- Serve: Stir well and serve the soup hot in bowls.
Notes
- This soup is made from scratch and is packed with fresh vegetables and wild rice for a hearty and nutritious meal.
- You can use pre-minced garlic to save time, but fresh is preferred for better flavor.
- Adjust salt to taste carefully, especially if using store-bought broth instead of water.
- Step-by-step photos can be helpful for visual guidance and are available below the recipe card in the original article.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (1.25 cups)
- Calories: 241 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 436 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
