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Chicken Wild Rice Soup is warm and filling, the perfect comfort soup on a cold night.
Over the last 20 years I have probably made 25 or more business trips to Minnesota. Each time I have gone, I have enjoyed a bowl of Chicken Wild Rice Soup. It is a Minnesota kind of soup. I’m not sure why the people of Minnesota make the best Chicken Wild Rice Soup, but they do! Whether I am there in the summer or winter there always seems to be a bowl of Chicken Wild Rice Soup at every dinner or restaurant I go to. I think it is pretty much the national soup of Minnesota.
How to Make Wild Rice?
- Like brown rice, wild rice takes longer to cook than regular rice and you need to allow for about 40 minutes of cooking time. It also takes more water. Three cups water to one cup of rice.
- One cup of uncooked wild rice will yield between 3 and 4 cups of cooked rice.
- Rinse rice in cold water before cooking.
- I prefer to boil wild rice which is the traditional way of doing it. Bring a pan of water to a boil and add 1/2 tsp of salt and rice. Cover pan and turn down to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes. Not all the water will evaporate so drain the rice with a colander
- In addition to using it in soup, wild rice can be used as a side dish, served warm or cold.Â
Why is wild rice so expensive?
Wild rice is significantly more expensive than white or brown rice. The reason is, it has to be gathered by hand thus making the process more involved and expensive. Wild rice is actually the seed of an aquatic grass that grows wild in the waters of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Canada.
Wild rice has a nutty flavor and a chewy texture and I love the addition of it in soup. I have also added sliced almonds to the chicken wild rice soup because I love the additional texture that it adds. And I always add a few more to the top as garnish, for good measure.
Other favorite chicken recipes:
Chicken and While Rice Soup Recipe
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (seasoned with salt, pepper and oregano before cooking)
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 finely chopped onion
- 1/2 C chopped celery
- 1/2 C sliced carrots
- 3/4 C all purpose flour
- 8 C chicken broth
- 2 C cooked wild rice cook according to package instructions
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 C slivered almonds
- 2 C half and half
Instructions
- Pour olive in sauce pan and saute onion, celery and carrots for about 5 minutes.
- Add in the flour and stir well.
- Gradually pour in broth and stir constantly. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer.
- Add the cooked rice, cooked chicken, garlic salt, curry powder, mustard powder, parsley, black pepper and almonds.
- Heat through and then pour in half an half.
- Let simmer about 1 hour. Do not let it come to a boil.
- Garnish top of soup with additional almonds if desired.
Nutrition Facts:
Sue Lanter says
I love Chicken & Wild Rice soup, but I don’t keep curry powder or mustard powder in. Is is okay to leave them out, or is there a substitute?
Roberta says
Just tried this recipe and just wanted to swing by and tell you it’s DELICIOUS!!!! will definitely be making it again! We use to live in Minnesota and it beats anything I remember! Great recipe!
Leigh Anne says
Roberta, I love hearing that! I had my first chicken and rice soup in Minnesota too while there on business.
Amy says
Do you think I could use whole milk instead of the half and half? And do you think it would freeze ok?
Shirley says
I also make this soup dairy free by substituting the half and half with a can of coconut milk! It is also our family favorite!!