Minnesota Chicken Wild Rice Soup (Crockpot Recipe!)

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This chicken wild rice soup is a Minnesota staple and is so easy to make. Simply put the ingredients in the crockpot and let it do its thing! The wild rice hails from my home state and the flavors are classic kitchen staples such as onions, garlic, carrots, and celery. Pair it with a loaf of crusty bread for the ultimate comfort meal.

Bowl of creamy chicken wild rice soup topped with fresh parsley.

We all know I love making comfort food as evidenced by my Creamy Tomato Soup, Grown-Up Grilled Cheese, and Cheeseburger Sheet Pan Pizza. Looking for another crockpot meal? Try this Turkey Tenderloin recipe.

Looking for an easy weeknight dinner? You’re sure to find one that will suit your family here: 60 Chicken Casserole Dinner Ideas.

But there’s nothing cozier than enjoying a hot bowl of soup on a freezing cold day. As a Midwesterner, the days get cold. Like, real cold. So a comfort meal is a lovely way to make the best of these chilly winter months.

I’ve been making this creamy chicken soup for years and it truly never disappoints. We love to buy our wild rice locally as a lot of it is harvested in the northern Minnesota Great Lakes region! The flavors are divine and the fact that you can pop the ingredients in the crockpot and carry on with your day while it cooks is the best part.

Crockpots seemed to have taken a back burner to Instant Pot in recent years, but I feel like they’re making a comeback. Or in my case, they never really left. I hope you’ll share in the crockpot love with me and make this delicious and hearty soup!

If you’re looking for more hearty wild rice recipes, check out my cranberry wild rice bread!

Why You’ll Love This Minnesota Classic Recipe

Incredibly Flavorful and Creamy Soup – This soup is ultra creamy thanks to the heavy cream and flour base. The flavors are fantastic because of the diced onions, minced garlic, and carrots.
Wholesome Ingredients and Comforting Soup – Loaded with veggies, nutty wild rice, and tender chicken, this is a filling meal with wholesome ingredients.
Simple to Make – Crockpots are the best! Especially for busy families. You’re able to make a good meal for your family without watching the oven or stovetop. Simple toss the ingredients in the crockpot and let it cook while you go about your day.

Ingredients

Raw Chicken Breasts – I’ve used boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken breast tenders. Both work beautifully. Put it in the slow cooker raw, but thawed. It will cook in the crockpot. You can also use leftover chicken (leftover rotisserie chicken would be a great choice) that’s already been cooked. You’ll just need to decrease your cook time until the vegetables are soft.
Carrots – Dice them into small pieces. Adds some good vegetables and beautiful color to the dish.
Celery – Chop these into small pieces as well. A great companion to the carrots and onion.
Onion – You can use yellow onion or white onion for this recipe. Dice the onion finely. The flavor of the onions go a long way!
Garlic – Mince the garlic. Garlic adds so much flavor!
Dry Wild Rice – Make sure to rinse your wild rice before putting it in the crockpot.
Chicken Broth or Chicken Stock – Helps enhance the chicken flavor we’re going for.
Salt, Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Minced Onion (Dried), Dried Parsley – All these seasonings enhance the flavor of the soup even more!
Butter – Added to the creamy mixture you’ll be mixing into the soup. I use salted butter, but you could also use unsalted and just add 1/2 teaspoon extra salt to the dish.
Flour – This helps to thicken the heavy cream mixture we’ll add towards the end. It what makes the soup so creamy.
Heavy Cream – You could also use whole milk instead, but heavy cream really makes this soup creamy.
Fresh Parsley – Totally optional. Just adds some beauty to the dish when you’re serving it.

See recipe card for quantities.

Two bowl of chicken wild rice soup with a bowl of fresh parsley by them.

Instructions

Raw chicken and seasonings in a crockpot.

Step 1: Add the chicken, garlic powder, minced onion powder, parsley, salt, and pepper to the crockpot.

Chopped onion, celery, carrots, and garlic on a wooden cutting board.

Step 2: Chop the carrots, celery, onions, and garlic.

Crockpot with chicken broth and chicken in it.

Step 3: Add the chicken broth to the crockpot.

A crockpot with wild rice, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, chicken broth.

Step 4: Add the carrots, onions, garlic, celery, and wild rice to the crockpot. Mix the ingredients so they are covered by the chicken broth. Cover and let cook for 4 hours on high or up to 7 hours on low (cooking time will vary based on crockpot, so make sure you check on it).

Saucepan on the stove with flour, butter, and seasonings whisked together to make a paste.

Step 5: Once the soup is ready, make the flour and cream mixture. Melt butter, then add the flour, minced onion, and garlic powder and whisk together on the stove at medium heat.

Saucepan with flour mixture and heavy cream added to show a creamy paste.

Step 6: Once the mixture has made a thick paste, gradually whisk in the heavy cream. Whisk until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed together and the mixture is thick.

Crockpot with fully cooked chicken wild rice and all ingredients mixed together in it.

Step 7: Add the flour mixture into the crockpot and mix into the rest of the soup.

Cooked chicken on a cutting board about to be chopped up.

Step 8: Remove the chicken and either dice it or shred it. Add the shredded chicken back into the soup. Serve hot and top with a sprig of fresh parsley!

Two bowls of creamy chicken wild rice soup with carrots and celery and a towel near them.

Equipment

Crockpot
Saucepan
Whisk
Soup Spoon
Cutting Board
Knives

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I honestly prefer the soup the next day because the flavors have sat together even longer! If it’s a bit too thick when you reheat it the next day, add a splash of milk or heavy cream in it to thin it out.

You can also freeze this soup for up to 2 months. Let the soup cool down before transferring it to the freezer in an airtight container. Take it out of the freezer the night before you plan to eat it and let it sit overnight in the fridge. Then reheat in the crockpot or stove top until hot.

Top Tips

The chicken is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use a meat thermometer to check if you’re unsure.
Serve the soup with a crusty bread for the ultimate comfort meal!
Make sure you use long-grain wild rice–not brown rice or a wild rice blend. We are looking for pure wild rice here!
If you’re looking to save time, use store-bought rotisserie chicken. You’ll want to adjust the cooking time since the soup will be ready once the vegetables are nice and soft!

FAQ

Do I have to use raw chicken?

You could use rotisserie chicken instead! I recommend cooking the soup as is and then adding the rotisserie chicken into the soup before you make the flour and heavy cream mixture. That way the chicken will be nice and hot.

What other vegetable could I add to this chicken wild rice soup?

Mushrooms or green beans would be an amazing addition!

Can I use milk instead of heavy cream?

Absolutely. The heavy cream just makes the soup that much more creamier, but if you don’t have it or would rather use milk, please do.

Can I make this soup ahead of time?

Yes, you can make this soup ahead of time and freeze it for later. Simply let the soup cool completely before freezing it in an airtight container. To thaw the soup, let it sit in the refrigerator overnight or until defrosted. Then, reheat the soup in a slow cooker or on the stovetop until it is hot.

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