This delicious soup is perfect for a cold winter day! Chopped chicken is tossed in seasoned flour and set aside. Onions and celery start this soup by cooking in a large pot before adding mushrooms and garlic. The chicken is added in next and cooked until it starts to brown. Then chicken stock is added and cooked for 10 minutes before rice, milk and cream is added. After seasoning with salt and pepper the soup cooks for an additional 20 minutes before serving. Using the hack of microwave pouches of wild rice blend cuts the cooking time and is something I wouldn’t have thought of before reading this recipe.
“A writing cook and a cooking writer must be bold at the desk as well as the stove.” – M.F.K. Fisher, American food writer (see more quotes in the Quotes tab)
In a large bowl (or storage baggie), whisk ¾ cup flour, 1 ¼ tsp salt and 1 ¼ tsp pepper.
Cut 2 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts into ½ inch pieces.
Add the chicken to the flour mixture and toss to coat. Remove from flour and shake off excess. Discard flour. Set chicken aside. In a large soup pot, heat 4 tbsp butter over medium-high heat until melted. Add ½ cup diced white onion, ½ cup diced celery and 1 bay leaf.
Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Then add 8 oz chopped baby bella mushrooms.
Next sauté until the mushrooms give up most of their liquid and are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Then add 2 minced garlic cloves, sauté until lightly browned, about 30 seconds.
Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. (The chicken will not be cooked through.)
Stir in 32 oz box (4 cups) chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer 10 minutes.
Then stir in two (8.8 oz) pouches long grain and wild rice blend (cooked), 1 ½ cups milk and ½ cup heavy cream. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors come together, about 20 minutes.
Season with ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Remove and discard bay leaf.
Serve hot with parsley.
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- ¾ cup flour
- 1 ¾ tsp salt
- 1 ¾ tsp black pepper
- 2 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½ inch pieces
- 4 tbsp butter
- ½ cup diced white onion
- ½ cup diced celery
- 1 bay leaf
- 8 oz baby bella mushrooms sliced (~2 ½ cups)
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- ¼ cup dry white wine optional
- 32 oz box (4 cups) chicken stock
- 2 pouches (8.8 oz) long grain and wild rice blend (Uncle Ben’s) cooked according to package
- 1 ½ cups milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley garnish
Instructions
-
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, 1 ¼ tsp salt and 1 ¼ tsp pepper. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Remove from flour and shake off excess. Discard flour.
-
In a large soup pot, heat butter over medium-high heat until melted. Add the onion, celery and bay leaf. Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
-
Add the mushrooms and sauté until they give up most of their liquid and are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Next add the garlic, sauté until lightly browned, about 30 seconds.
-
Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. (The chicken will not be cooked through.)
-
Add wine (if using) and cook until almost entirely evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer 10 minutes.
-
Stir in cooked rice, milk and cream. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors come together, about 20 minutes. Season with ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Remove and discard bay leaf. Serve hot with parsley.